Fuel Quality in Emergency Equipment

Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME)

Due to the practice of blending FAME into automotive diesel and heating oil, it is now more common and indeed inevitable, that some distillates supplied in the marine market contain FAME. FAME can lead to complications with respect to storage and handling in a marine environment, due to its increased level of oxidation tendency, long-term storage issues or shorter shelf life, it’s affinity to water and risk of microbial growth. Additional issues regarding FAME’s degraded low-temperature flow properties and FAME material deposition on exposed surfaces, including filter elements, also add to the fuel management concerns. Therefore, testing for the presence and levels of FAME within marine distillates, is a highly recommended practice.

Fuel contamination, a potential hazard

Since fuels in the emergency equipment storage tanks remain unused for long periods of time, quality of such fuels may deteriorate due to the following:

Water can originate from contaminated fuel or condensation, and engines may not run because of water in the fuel lines. The presence of water can promote growth of microorganisms such as bacteria, yeast and fungi, and can also lead to blockage of fuel lines and filters due to icing when ambient temperature drops below 0°C.

Microorganisms (bacteria, yeast, fungi) – Given the correct conditions in fuel storage systems, micro-organisms can grow and multiply. Bacteria, fungi and yeast are living organisms which may be present in fuel storage tanks and in particular where water is allowed to build up. Distillate fuels are more prone to bacterial infection. Microbial infection can lead to slimy deposits in tank bottoms, plugging of filters, pitting corrosion on fuel tank bottoms or at oil water interface and injector fouling.

Gas Oil Stability – Many different chemical reactions can cause a gas oil to be unstable. Instability can lead to sedimentation and eventually to the formation of gums. Instability is usually indicated by a colour change over a period of time.

Delta Echo Trading & Consulting Ltd., a solution provider company, is offering the solutions to the aforementioned problems.

Solution A:
The ADERCO 2055G 4 in 1 Fuel Conditioner, performance of which is proven to HFO, VLSFO, MGO, BIOFuels, is the solution for the instability and oxidation, water extraction and also is an unsurpassed microbial and bacteria inhibitor, which will tackle all the above described issues.

Solution F:
The Fuelstat Microbial Test kit is the answer to reveal the microbial contamination and also the severity of this contamination to the Marine fuels, not only to MGO but also to VLSFO. 
A small sample extract from the fuel tank bottom, few drops of the sample to the Fuelstat Testing board performing a simple self test procedure, is delivering accurate results within 15 minutes, safeguarding your fuel assets from microbial contamination.

Contact us for more details and a tailored solution to your needs.

Fuel Quality in Emergency Equipment VPS Circular

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