Spring is finally here and with it comes reminders to do our annual spring cleaning. You know the drill – check for winter damage to our lawn and landscape, clean out storage areas and declutter, etc. But, did you know that the fuel in your on-site tanks and generators also needs some spring cleaning?
Fuel that sits for long periods over the winter in storage tanks and generators can become “dirty” or degraded with extra sediment, water and other microbial particulates that can cause problems for you like clogging up filters and impairing fuel performance.
Fortunately, with some regularly scheduled maintenance, you can protect your fuel investment and ensure that your fuel is ready to go when you need it.
Fuel polishing is a process to remove water, sediment, non-combustible particulate matter and microbial contaminants while re-suspending combustible particulate matter to maintain ASTM D975 (Standard Specification for Diesel Fuel Oils) fuel standards for BTU value, lubricity, and cetane.
Fuel polishing uses centrifuges, coalescers, and other filters to remove non-combustible particulate from fuel. Because water is heavier than fuel, the centrifuges and coalescers also remove excess water that can build up in fuel tanks.
It’s important not to confuse filtration with fuel polishing. Fuel filters will simply pull the solids out from fuel that can plug up the filters, while fuel polishers actually break down the combustible solids so that the fuel stays within the industry specifications.
These solids that are created by the fuel are actually a necessary evil in that they are the components of fuel that add lubricity and BTU value to it. Over-filtering fuel can remove all of these solids over time, adversely impacting your fuel quality.
At Atlas, we recommend regular maintenance and testing of your fuel quality. We can handle fuel sampling and testing for you and recommend additional services such as fuel polishing as needed. Our goal is to help you get maximum value from your fuel investment. If we can help you with your fuel spring cleaning - give us a call at 800-878-2000.