Why is it there and what can I do about it?

Operators report that 90% of all diesel and fuel problems are down to contamination ie. solid and moisture. Too much moisture in a fuel leads to microbial growth, this affects hundreds of vehicles and vessels all year round by clogging filters and starving engines of fuel This can then lead to bigger problems further down the line. But just because your fuel is contaminated, it doesn't mean that you need to throw it away. This blog will help you understand a little bit more about microbial growth and how to get rid of it.


So, Where is my contamination coming from?


This is the question that everyone experiencing fuel contamination are asking,  the answer is simple: your fuel.
All fuel contains water which means that under normal handling and storage methods, there will be bacterial growth in your fuel. There are some cases that bacterial growth may be more rapid than normal storage methods, engine rooms are a prime example because its around 30-40 degrees centigrade that bacteria breeds best, especially when open to air. The bacteria feeds off the oil/fuel and multiplies easily in the warm conditions.


Microbial growth is most commonly seen as a black sludge at the bottom of a storage tank, this causes filters to get blocked, fuel doesn't combust properly which then contributes to poor emissions through black smoke. In addition to this when the bacteria is present and is reproducing, corrosive acids such as sulfurous and sulphuric acid, over time these can damage the inside of your storage containers and can eventually lead to very expensive problems.




What can be done about this?


Up until now, the only treatment that could be given to help ease this problem was to add liquid biocides regularly, however these are highly toxic and are hazardous to dispose of and handle, also, adding these does not solve the problem, it is only a short-term fix.


However, we've designed the FT-Mag, which is a natural, permanent, non-toxic and maintenance free solution that works with any engine or fuel storage system.


The way that the FT-Mag works is by passing the fuel through the device, where the bacteria goes through plasmolysis, a process where a cell loses water through osmosis which then causes some of the plasma membrane to pull away. The bacteria. now in its plasmolyzed state, is small enough to pass through your fuel filters and can then be destroyed in the combustion process.


The micro-organisms stay in its plasmolyzed state for 15-30 days, after this the cells begin to duplicate again and your fuel becomes highly contaminated once more, which then leads to the blocking of filters and ultimately, engine failure.




Thanks for reading! Below I have added a link which will direct you to a PDF which covers these points and more in greater detail, just in case you need more information: http://www.filtertechnik.co.uk/Downloads/fuel%20conditioning%20systems.pdf


Also, here is a link that will lead you to our main website: http://www.filtertechnik.co.uk


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