WINTER MAINTENANCE
AVOIDING DIESEL WAXING THIS WINTER
IPU offers some advice on what makes for a quality fuel management programme.
The seasons are changing, and the cold weather is on its way. As facilities managers begin to prepare for winter, are you covering all bases for your clients? Do your clients rely on diesel to power operations? Or is the stored diesel a vital part of their back-up power infrastructure?
As well as servicing the generator, it is vital that you pay particular attention to the bulk storage tanks. If fuel condition is ignored critical systems could fail during a power cut. This could cripple the operation and reputation of banks, datacentres, hospitals and offices.
The threats to fuel reliability You may not know that all modern diesel contains wax. It’s considered an important component because of its high cetane value. Under normal conditions, the paraffin wax added to diesel improves viscosity and lubrication. However, when temperatures begin to fall, this paraffin wax can crystalise and thicken, turning into a white or yellow cloudy mixture. This phenomenon is known as diesel waxing, or gelling.
The process can begin to take place when the temperature drops below 0°C – a common occurrence during the winter months.
Tanks above ground that aren’t insulated and exposed to the elements are particularly vulnerable. They are unprotected from the extreme cold weather as well as the signature UK downpours.
If left, the problem can clog fuel filters and solidify to the point where the fuel no longer flows, starving the engine of fuel and rendering your engine useless. However, broken generators, costly repair bills and an angry client can be easily avoided.
32 | TOMORROW’S FM
A key stage in your winter maintenance prep plan If fuel maintenance isn’t already a priority of facilities managers, it should be in the run up to winter. There are various steps that can be introduced to protect fuel from waxing and the other problems its prone to.
The easiest and most accessible option is to add additives directly into the diesel to prevent waxing.
IPU’s Diesel Defender fuel additive boosts the fuel’s resistance to waxing and inhibits the formation of wax crystals, allowing operation at colder temperatures. Filters are kept unblocked, aiding the engine to start even in minus temperatures.
But beyond waxing, diesel is susceptible to other forms of contamination. Ultimately, diesel has a shelf life. Stored diesel can begin to deteriorate after just six to twelve months, and is susceptible to microbial growth, water contamination and solid particulates.
Diesel is hygroscopic, which means it attracts water. That, along with the addition of biological matter (aka FAME) to reduce emissions, makes it the perfect environment for microbial growth.
A fuel management programme is a perfect supplementary service for FM companies because any client who stores diesel needs it. It’s a service that generates a recurring revenue stream with no staffing, management or costs; it’s entirely outsourced.
The good news is that fuel degradation is entirely preventable and could be an additional revenue stream for you.
www.ipu.co.uk/products/divisions/fuel-conditioning twitter.com/TomorrowsFM
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