Fuel management is crucial to ensuring the quality and performance of the fuel running your power supply equipment. Diesel can’t be stored indefinitely. Over time, it can degrade and become contaminated with impurities.
Backup generators are a saving grace for any business whose operations would be severely impacted by a power outage. For some organisations, a power break could literally be a life-or-death situation.
But while diesel generators are a must-have in many business environments, fuel management is essential to avoid blocked filters and damaged fuel injectors caused by diesel contaminants.
In the worst-case scenario, contaminated fuel can cause your generator to fail altogether, reducing or cutting power supply to vital equipment. That’s why Dale Power Solutions offers fuel management solutions for our customers.
Fuel management is crucial to ensuring the quality and performance of the fuel running your power supply equipment. Diesel can’t be stored indefinitely. Over time, it can degrade and become contaminated with impurities. This can then lead to reduced efficiency and reliability of your power systems.
With systematic monitoring, testing and maintenance, our fuel management experts can keep your fuel clean, stable and ready for optimum performance.
Although it’s tempting to think of your tank as a safe place once the fuel is in there, it’s actually at constant risk from contaminants. Some of these include:
Water - Often introduced through condensation, leaks, or poor handling, water in your fuel tank can lead to fuel oxidation, engine damage and the growth of diesel bugs.
Diesel bug - This is a microbial growth in the fuel, often due to water contamination. Diesel bugs can clog filters, corrode tanks and damage engine components.
Asphaltenes - These are naturally occurring substances within the fuel. But they can increase under heat and stress, leading to blocked engine filters.
Gums, resins & acids - By-products of fuel oxidation, gums, resins and acids can accelerate when water is present, causing corrosion and blockages.
Other particles - Rust, soot, grit and other contaminants from corroding tanks or poor fuel handling also block filters and degrade your fuel system.
Maintain fuel quality and protect your equipment with a robust fuel management programme. A good one should include:
Sourcing in-spec fuel from reliable suppliers
Using filters and fuel-water separators in both storage and day tanks
Regular tank cleaning to prevent biological growth
Ensuring a clean fuel transfer process
Implementing appropriate filtration and water removal on-site
Providing staff training on the importance of fuel management
Your diesel generator needs pure, clean fuel to run efficiently and reliably. Contaminants can cause them to fail. So having a comprehensive fuel management programme has many benefits, including:
Reduced fuel costs - Regular fuel polishing can mean lower fuel consumption as it can remove the need to replace contaminated fuel with new fuel.
Improved operational efficiency - Clean fuel can optimise combustion, which keeps your generator running at full capacity.
Extended generator lifespan - By preventing mechanical wear caused by contaminants, fuel management can prolong your generator’s lifespan.
Reduced emissions - Your generator will emit fewer pollutants if well-maintained, helping you to meet environmental standards.
Increased safety - With fuel management, you’ll minimise the risk of leaks, reducing the chances of accidents and environmental damage.
Enhanced compliance - Reducing emissions and correctly disposing of old fuel will ensure compliance with government regulations.
Here at Dale, we tailor our fuel management services to meet the specific needs of your equipment and operational environment. We offer:
Fuel sampling and testing
We provide tools and training for on-site fuel testing, including ATP testing for microbial detection and mobile particle counting. We also offer more detailed analysis - our laboratory tests include:
Particulate assessment to ISO4406 or NAS code
Karl Fisher water content testing to IP438
Total viable count microbe testing to IP385/99
Spectrographic testing for metal content (based on ASTM D1585)
Bio Diesel (FAME) content in diesel
Groundwater and soil analysis
Fuel treatment
When we detect contamination, we can polish your fuel to remove particulates, stabilise it, and restore it to refinery-grade quality.
Fuel storage and handling
We’ll advise you on minimising contamination risks through fuel storage and handling best practices. So, you can optimise your entire fuel management system from testing to maintenance.
Fuel maintenance
We can customise our fuel polishing services to any tank size or application to ensure ongoing and continuous fuel quality management. You can integrate these autonomous processes into your building management systems for seamless operation.
Fuel system upgrades
Whether you need to replace tanks, switch fuel types, install new safety systems or upgrade your pumps, we’ll give you the services and guidance you need to keep your fuel system up-to-date and fully functional.
To learn more about our fuel management services, get in touch today to talk to our team. Email us at hello@dalepowersolutions.com, or call us at +44 (0)330 999 3000.