Issue link: https://geospatial.trimble.com/en/resources/i/1415432
should be fi tted 0.25 in. from the base of the tank, which provides an outlet for water to escape, while keeping the oil contained. Tanks need to be dewatered every six months to prevent water from building up and causing severe corrosion. Proactivity over reactivity To ensure that machinery performs at its optimum, fuel must be regularly tested to detect any contamination early on so that any faults can be sourced, diagnosed and repaired. Fuel analysis assesses water, fatty acid methyl ester (FAME), sulfur content, viscosity, density and the level of microbial contamination. If left untreated, contaminated fuel can cause havoc within machinery's internal compartments, bringing operations to a halt or damaging it beyond repair. Polish to perfection If a considerable amount of tank sludge is detected, it may be necessary to fi lter out contaminants on a regular basis. This involves fi ltering the contaminated fuel through a series of increasingly fi ne fi lters, and progressively removing water, sediment and microbial contamination until it is 'clean,' ideally down to a fi ltration level of 1 μm absolute. When fuel degrades, its molecules join together to form new polymers, which reduces the quality of the fuel. Advanced depolymerising technology then breaks down the particulates and polishes the fuel until it is clean and optimised. Case study Onsite fuel storage is often used as a back-up in case the power goes out. Within seconds of an outage, a sensor detects the power loss and transfers the electrical load to the back-up generator. This commands the generator to start and transfers electrical load to the back-up generator. A UK university had four small fuel tanks, which individually powered four separate back-up generators. The tanks were only 40% full, and after an initial oil test, it was clear that the empty space had resulted in a signifi cant amount of condensation and water build-up. Due to the fuel being hydrolysed (spoiled with water), there was an increased likelihood of internal corrosion and even worse, equipment failure when it is needed more than ever. Crown Oil Environmental engineers carried out a fuel uplift and polish, followed by a man-entry tank clean, which revealed a subsequent amount of internal corrosion in the dead-legs due to the fuel being sat dormant. This meant that the fuel tank had to be replaced. If the clean fuel was put back into the corroded tank, it would have almost instantly been contaminated again. Conclusion If substandard fuel is used in a generator, the impact on operations can be catastrophic. This highlights the importance of getting fuel, tanks and storage infrastructure checked regularly: every six months at a minimum, or more frequently for critical sites to help guarantee a reliable power supply. comercial@plexus.pt | (+351) 912 295 084 Rua da Indústria 1, 7500-220 Vila Nova Sto André - PORTUGAL CONTACT US AT STOCEXPO 2019 Rotterdam, 26 – 28 March Some of our partners: