Did you know debris that builds up in your fuel tanks contribute to over 50% of generator failure? Cleaning your fuel through our fuel polishing process helps recondition, stabilize, and decontaminate the fuel in your generator. It will help extract water, sludge and sediment that build up in the generator’s tanks providing you with better performance and more peace of mind.
What kind of debris are we talking about?
While it may be accepted that diesel fuel, if kept clean, cool and dry, can be stored six months to one year without significant quality degradation, that’s not the whole story for fuel stored in a tank under regular use, which is one of recirculating fuel, water, microbes and deterioration.
When a diesel engine pulls fuel from the tank, that fuel goes through a high-pressure fuel pump and enters the injectors, which operate under extreme pressure and high temperatures. Any fuel that the engine does not draw into the injectors returns to the tank. As a result, a large portion of a tank’s fuel can be continuously re-circulated and exposed to extreme pressure and heat.
This behavior results in the agglomeration of asphaltenes, dense, molecular substances composed largely of carbon but also containing hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur with trace amounts of vanadium and nickel. Put more simply, asphaltenes (a term coined by Jean Baptiste Boussingault in 1837) are a sticky, black, highly viscous form of petroleum.
Asphaltenes―in the form of asphalt―make great paving materials on roads, for roofs and as waterproof coatings, but they are very hard on engines. Over time, these asphaltenes aggregate into larger clusters and solids that are very difficult for engines to combust. They can grow so large that they will not pass through the fuel filter, instead adding to the sludge that builds up and can clog the filter completely.
Compounding the problem, the hot fuel coming back to the tank raises the temperature of the remaining fuel, causing condensation that becomes water (and eventually, algae due to microbial contamination), which mixes in with the fuel. Heating also expedites fuel breakdown. The result is fouling of the fuel and a buildup of sludge and acid in the tank. The water and acid cause rusting and corrosion of the tank, further exacerbating fuel deterioration.
Most of these contaminants settle to the bottom of the tank, but only temporarily. Upon every refuel, they are stirred up and can become suspended in the fuel.
How bad are these contaminants?
Most engines cannot tolerate ongoing particulate contamination (prior to fuel filtration) greater than 50 milligrams per gallon (15 milligrams per liter). Injectors become clogged and damaged by particulate matter at a rate that corresponds to the size of the particles, but some damage is certain. Injectors damaged by impurities also cannot maintain correct fuel droplet size, which can prevent the fuel from firing properly when it enters the combustion chamber. Degraded fuel―especially if it is acidic, which is almost always the case―can also cause corrosion within fuel system components.
Regarding water, injector life and performance begin to be reduced when water content reaches the miniscule measurement of 0.05% (500 ppm). Water-tainted fuel (the water component of which becomes steam when it is heated in the engine’s combustion chamber) damages injector tips, reduces combustibility and negatively impacts the ability of diesel fuel to lubricate the engine. In cold climates, especially if block heaters are not providing adequate heating, moisture also encourages the formation of ice crystals in the engine.
Either way, contaminants (or debris) in your fuel puts your generator at risk for a failed start when you need it most.
How is fuel polishing performed?
Fuel polishing is the process of drawing the fuel from the tank through a specialized filter system and back into the tank. During this, it constantly circulates that fuel through the filter to capture and remove all the water and elements that have accumulated in the diesel fuel.
What are the benefits of fuel polishing?
• Generator fuel injectors becomes far less likely to fail
• Generator sludge buildup becomes less of a problem
• Generator injection system will remain clean and lubricated
• The diesel power generator will run with less exhaust
• Generator maintenance expenses can be greatly reduced
