Fuel Purification System “Homogenizes” Diesel Fuel
Today’s crude oils have increased viscosity and density, along with a higher
concentration of impurities and water, which are not removed during the
refining process. Higher levels of asphaltene and carbon residue are also
present. These factors contribute to a wide range of storage, handling and
combustion problems, often creating undesirable combustion byproducts. This
combustion byproduct can be carbon build up on engine parts and exhaust
pollution (NOx).
These refining issues translate into two types of diesel fuel problems,
those that are here now, that you can see and those that are waiting to
happen. You can be proactive and treat the problem or just accept it as a
cost of doing business. Fix the fuel problem and increase the bottom line or
ignore it and replace equipment when you think it is time.
Time after time diesel owners have encountered fuel problems and repeatedly
these problems have been diagnosed as “Algae in the tank.” Anyone that has
encountered this diagnosis should be aware that the expert that made the
diagnosis is no expert.
Diesel sludge aka “algae” is in fact asphaltene. Asphaltene is naturally
occurring impurities found in all diesel fuel. Asphaltenes are insoluble in
diesel fuel. This means they will not magically dissolve in your fuel.
Bacteria and mold are also problems that may occur. For these problems you
must have water in the fuel. These biological type problems ONLY grow at the
point where the fuel and water meet.
Some crude oils have higher levels of asphaltene than others. The end
product, the diesel you buy varies in asphaltene content. Unless you know
the chemistry of the crude oil you have no clue as to the amount of solids
in your fuel from day to day.
The higher the concentration of asphaltene in the crude oil the longer the
molecular chain of asphaltene. Longer chains are bigger. They all stick
together. Once stuck together they do not burn efficiently. They cause
engine smoke and they clog filters.
There are two options to deal with asphaltene, chemically or mechanically.
Chemicals must be the correct chemical to break up the molecular chains.
Read the label on your chemical treatment and see if it mentions
“asphaltene” or diesel sludge. Then ask your fuel supplier what he knows
about it and how he treats it. You may be surprised by the answer.
Mechanically does not mean filtering out the large particles though, it is
part of the equation.
Asphaltene particles reduced to 3-to-5 microns in size and evenly blended
will burn more evenly producing more power, less smoke and will make your
sludge problem go away over time.
