Hundreds of millions of gallons of diesel fuel stored around the world have yet to be used. The equipment used at military sites, hospitals, truck fleets, and ships must be able to handle a lot. The fuel stored on-site is a valuable asset that needs to be properly managed and cared for.
Proper fuel care can cause problems such as clogged filters, engine damage, and poor performance. A fuel polisher can help prevent these problems by actively removing contaminants like water, sediment, and microbial growth from stored fuel, protecting its quality and making engine parts last longer.
Why Diesel Fuel Should Be Polished?
Diesel fuel polishing removes impurities like water, sediment, and microbial growth that can clog filters, damage engine parts, affect the performance, and even cause engine failure. Keeping the fuel clean will improve the reliability and lifespan of your equipment, which is especially important for generators and other important systems where downtime can be expensive. The main reasons to use a fuel polishing system are:
- Protect fuel lines and injectors from impurities to prevent engine failure.
- Fuel polishing extends the filter, fuel pump, and other component life by eliminating contaminants.
- Polished fuel optimizes combustion and power production.
- Regular polishing reduces gasoline contamination-related emergency repairs and maintenance costs.
- Clogged filters generate unexpected downtime, while fuel polishing maintains reliable operation.
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How Well Does Fuel Polishing Work?
To keep a facility or site that stores a lot of fuel running, especially for long periods, facility managers must follow fuel polishing methods. A fuel polisher for diesel tanks successfully removes different contaminants that might be present. These maintenance systems have polishing parts that remove dangerous pollutants in the fuel very well.
Most of the time, a fuel polisher for engines works automatically on a set time. The fuel will flow through many filtration steps in these systems, and each stage will do a different job of polishing it. Here's what the process generally has:
- Filtering process: A multistage filter system cleans the fuel by removing big things like dirt, rust, and water droplets.
- Technology for separation: Separators are used to take free water and emulsified water out of the fuel.
- Controlling microbes: Depending on the use, fuel polishing may include chemicals that stop microbes from growing.
Signs Your Fuel Needs Polishing
Many things can help you determine whether the fuel you've kept needs to be polished. Protecting energy sources is important, as top fuel quality works best for operational dependability.
Some of the signs that your fuel is dirty are a strong smell, a filter that keeps getting clogged, poor fuel efficiency, the engine not working properly, dark or cloudy fuel color, debris in the fuel, or fuel that hasn't been used in a long time. You should usually use a high-efficiency fuel polisher to clean your fuel. All of these are signs of dirt, water, or other impurities that can be cleaned off by cleaning the fuel.- Duration Of Storage
Polishing fuel sitting in a tank for a long time can be a good way to keep it clean, even if you don't see any problems right away. This is important, as contaminants can build up over time. - Quality Of Fuel
If you think the fuel isn't very good because of where you bought it or when loaded, fuel filtration and polishing can help it work better. - Maintenance Checks
Fuel polishing is recommended as a preventative step once a year, especially for essential machines that can't be shut down. - Chemicals Seeping Through an Unsealed Access Port
If the fuel access port isn't properly sealed, water, dirt, or other objects might enter the fuel source. This pollution can greatly affect the fuel quality and the engine's performance. - Water In The Filters And Separators On Board
If your internal filters and water separators catch a lot of water, this could be in the fuel tank. In such cases, fuel purification and polishing are needed. - Change The Engine Filter Often
If your engine filters need to be changed more often than normal, it's probably because contaminants are building up in the fuel. The thick sludge in your filters could be a sign of a much bigger buildup in the tank. - Sludge in the Fuel Tank
Filters with a lot of sludge are likely to be highly contaminated. If this sludge is not removed immediately, it can block filters, stop fuel flow, and damage engines. - Fuel That Is Cloudy Or Discolored
Check your fuel visually. Depending on the type and dye, clean fuel usually looks yellow, orange, or red. If the fuel is too cloudy, murky, or thick, it could mean it has been contaminated and needs to be polished.
Summing Up
Using a fuel polisher to improve the quality of your fuel will keep your engines going well and avoid costly repairs or downtime. By checking your system often and finding these problems early, you can keep it running at its best and make it last longer.
Want to use modern technology to clean your fuel system? Choose Njord Filtration for all of your fuel system polishing needs! Contact us for a quote for a fuel polishing system.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the common signs of fuel contamination?
Some of the common signs of fuel contamination are frequent engine filter replacements, excessive water in onboard filters or separators, sludge buildup in filters, cloudy or discolored fuel, and the presence of dirt, water, or other contaminants in the fuel supply. - How do I check if my fuel is clean?
Visually inspect the fuel. Clean fuel is typically yellow, orange, or red in hue (depending on type and dye). It may be contaminated if it appears cloudy, murk,y or has visible debris. - Can fuel polishing save me money in the long run?
Yes, by preventing costly repairs, downtime, and replacements caused by contaminated fuel, fuel polishing can save money and extend the lifespan of your equipment.