Page 38 - Oil and Energy January 2013

38 • OIL&ENERGY
Fuel Quality
Join us for the 2nd
Friends of Oilheat
Reunion Cruise to Bermuda
May 17-24, 2013
We’ll set sail from Boston on the recently
refurbished Norwegian Cruise Lines ship
“Norwegian Dawn” for a seven night cruise to
Bermuda.
Enjoy a wide variety of dining options, comedy
shows, entertainment, live music, parties,
our casino and spa. On arriving in Bermuda,
you’ll find amazing pink sand beaches, world
famous golf courses and some of the most
fantastic snorkeling on the planet.
We’ll have over 25 optional shore excursions
to choose from including everything from
Cave Diving to world-famous golf courses
and more.
New England Fuel Institute
303 Wyman Street, Suite 210, Waltham, MA 02451
(617) 924-1000 • Fax (617) 924-1022
For more information contact:
Friends of OilHeat
Jack Sullivan (781) 899-0304 or
Dick Salmonson (978) 774-8428
in the tank. Sometimes something as simple
as the continuous heating and cooling of a
bulk fuel tank over a 24-hour period can
have an impact on the rate of chemical reac-
tions occurring in the tank. If the tank is an
outdoor above ground storage tank, paint it
white or another reflective color to control
the temperature of the tank. If the tank is
indoors keep the tank and associated piping
away from a heat source or insulate it to
protect fuel quality.
Keep your tank dry. Replace worn
gaskets, seals, or O-rings that typically
prevent moisture or water from entering the
tank. If the tank is underground, make sure
the water runoff does not enter the tank.
Consistent water removal plays a large role
in maintaining fuel quality and minimizing
the potential of microbial contamination.
Other forms of maintenance can include
installing air filters, changing air filters or
updating air filtering equipment in order
to minimize the amount of dust, dirt and
debris from entering the tank.
Lastly, removal of aged fuel (12 months
or older) is an important consideration.
Aged fuel present in a bulk fuel tank can
potentially catalyze chemical reactions
when in contact with new fuel, reducing
the lifespan of fuel.
A common misconception is that addi-
tion of a stability additive to a poor quality
fuel can reverse the degradation process and
make a poor fuel better. Unfortunately, the
best any stability additive can do is arrest
the degradation process when it is added to
the system and slow further degradation. It
is possible to extend the stability life of a
fuel but over-additizing a system can actu-
ally have the reverse effect. Be careful when
using fuel stabilizers. Sometimes the hype is
greater than the results.
ROUTINE SURVEILLANCE
Something as simple as a routine
surveillance program can provide a wealth
of information that can facilitate the short-
term and long-term quality of stored fuel.
The surveillance frequency can range from
quarterly to semi-annually depending upon
the frequency of issues.
Indicators for potential fuel quality
issues include tank bottom water, microbial
activity, formation of gums and soaps,
corrosion and fuel stability. Documentation
and trending data provide the best possible
mechanism to monitor the health of fuel in
storage.
When an issue arises based on trending
data the tank owner/operator should have
options that can address these issues such
as water removal; the addition of a biocide
to address acute or chronic microbial issues;
or addition of a multifunctional stabilizer
that can address issues such as particulate
formation, corrosion, formation of gums
and soaps, and fuel instability.
CONCLUSION
Bioheat® fuel provides a wonderful
market channel to distribute and use
biodiesel B100 fuel. Consistent and
widespread use of biodiesel can result in
reduced consumption of traditional heating
oil, thereby lowering our dependence on
foreign sources of crude oil making the
United States more energy independent.
However, Bioheat®, like heating oil, will
require a minimal amount of attention to
ensure continued use and product quality.
There are no “silver bullets” and surveil-
lance can detect problems early. The last
word is this: Preventive maintenance does
not mean fixing it after it breaks.