Farm News
Gone are the
days of filling
up your tank
and forgetting
about it
» » IN THIS ARTICLE FOR
Farmers Mart, Peter Weide,
Director of MarShip UK, explains
the many changes in diesel and
what you should know.
Diesel has changed,
government and care for the
environment has produced a
diesel very different to what
we used in the 70s and 80’.
Fuel was then refined from low
sulphur “sweet crude” and was
simply refined and sold as it had
been for decades, no-one was
worried about the sulphur but
sweet crude is getting scarce
and expensive so “Sour Crude”
is becoming the norm.
Sour crude is a high sulphur
high toxic fuel and has coincided
with government legislation for
ultra- low sulphur diesel ULSD.
Consequently, we have now
opposite extremes starting with
a high sulphur crude we have
to make an almost zero sulphur
diesel. This requires different
refining techniques that makes
the diesel unstable and not only
removes the sulphur but also
removes the compounds that
give the fuel lubricity. Then came
the renewable fuels directive
which required fuel to contain
Bio Diesel (FAME) up to minimum
7%. BioDiesel is made from Rape
seed oil, palm oil or the local
chippies used frying oil. It is very
highly hygroscopic and a by
product is glycerine and water
so look out for that in your fuel
tank.
What does this
mean? Tier 1 and
2 engines could
most likely burn
anything, and
now we have Tier
4, 5 and soon 6.
These new Common
rail engines operate
at fuel pressures unheard
of a few years ago: they have
engine management systems
that fire the injectors up to six
times during the firing stroke,
meaning the humble injector is
firing at 100 times a second; they
have piezo electric actuators
because electricity is too slow
and tolerances so small they are
measured in a few microns (a
human hair is 100 microns).
How does this affect you?
Clean, dry, uncontaminated diesel
is essential if you want reliability
from your engines. Engine
manufacturers now regularly
refuse claims for warranty on
fuel-related components owing
to off-spec fuel. Reputable
manufacturers sell fuel to use, not
to store - they put in additives to
maintain quality for a maximum
14 Spring 2017 www.farmers-mart.co.uk
of six months.
We have learned
that some do not,
as with fuel prices
and profits at an all-
time low, additives are, after
all, an additional cost. Your fuel
is probably at least two months
old when you get it, having been
bought, sold and transferred
between tanks many times as it
works through the supply chain.
What you get may already have
water and diesel bug. As it sits in
your tank it is already degraded,
exposed to condensation from
moist air which brings in diesel
bugs and contaminates this
degradation accelerates and
it becomes unstable whilst
collecting free water on the
bottom resulting in a habitat
for diesel Bug which live in the
water and feed of the fuel above
accelerating degradation further.
Diesel bug double in number
every 20 mins, lives for 24 hours,
die and forms a sludge on the
bottom of the tank, but the first
time you see it is when the filters
clog up and the engine stops.
What can you do? Only buy
from a reputable supplier and
constantly drain the tanks of
water from the drain valve if you
have one or fit an automatic
dewatering system like the
Diesel Drake®. Simply remove
the water and you remove the
bug. If you are storing fuel for
longer than six months which is
most likely, then it is important to
replace the additives introduced
at manufacture. A classic sign of
fuel degradation is gumming and
lacquering: these deposits begin
to quote the fuel system, and
usually first signs are smoking
exhausts as the fuel systems
struggle operate efficiently. A
good multi-purpose additive such
as DieselAid® C should contain
a Stabiliser, lubricity improver,
demulsifier, detergent, cetene
improver and a biocide. Added
with the fuel at every delivery it
will ensure the fuel and in turn
your engine has the best chance
to deliver the intended power.
MarShip UK specialises in diesel
fuel conditioning, cleaning and
storing. They can be contacted
through Farmers Mart or
[email protected], 01666 818
791. www.marship.eu