In 2016, the EPA released their investigation on corrosion. In it, they say “corrosion increases servicing and equipment maintenance costs.” For the power generation industry, this can mean increased maintenance by as much as 30%. In the same study, they observed 83 percent of the inspected diesel fuel tanks had moderate to severe corrosion and less than 25% of the owners had any knowledge of it.
Cummins notes that the “wear of internal parts of the fuel system will decrease the life of the components and may even cause malfunctions that could result in severe damage to the other engine components.” The picture above shows injectors pitted by corrosion caused by bad diesel fuel. Diesel fuel is more susceptible to degradation than a decade ago. Knowing the problems associated with diesel fuel creates a serious dilemma for every tank owner, especially those associated with backup power generation. It is more important now than ever before to have in place a fuel quality management program. A good program will include:
- Monthly bottom sampling of fuel.
- Quarterly fuel testing of samples.
- Immediate removal of any water present.
- Proper use of corrosion inhibitors and biocides.
- Tank and fuel cleaning.
Without a fuel quality management program, you will have higher maintenance costs and possible liability issues because of damage caused by bad fuel. Additionally, fuel economy can suffer by as much as 25%. When Hurricane Sandy hit the Northeast, backup generation failed because of bad fuel. Almost 75% of generators either failed to start or stopped shortly after startup. Ninety percent of those that failed were due to bad fuel.
The Biobor® family of additives includes diesel fuel and gasoline products designed to remediate, stabilize, clean and enhance fuel. If you manage fuel and fuel systems, and are not using Biobor® additives as a way to reduce costs, downtime, liabilities and risk, contact us and learn how we can help. If you are using someone else’s products find out why you need to make the change to Biobor®. Join the Biobor®Revolution and be a part of the Biobor®Advantage.
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