Temat: Evaluating The Benefits & Risks Of Using Diesel Fuel For...

Evaluating The Benefits & Risks Of Using Diesel Fuel For Generators.

Diesel generators are the exact technological marvel that we so desperately need in 2021. The world today is a fast-paced one, so much so that it puts us at risk of leaving everything behind. Our evolution as species isn’t just a great sight to behold, but a very necessary thing to ensure the existence of our species. With the rate at which the industries are expanding, our power outage needs simply can’t be fulfilled with traditional electricity grids.

We need a backup plan and a reliable one at that. Thankfully, backup generators have been in existence long enough so as to handle a prominent part of our global infrastructure. Diesel generators are powered by diesel fuel. So, the quality of fuel will naturally influence the performance of the generator, and thus the level of output that we can extract out of the machines.

Hence, in order to get the best out of our investment, and to keep our machines running for the longest period of time during a power surge, it’s important to maintain the quality of diesel fuel. Now, a number of factors can influence the quality and characteristics of diesel fuel, which we are going to discuss in due course. However, let’s first take a look at what gives diesel a decisive edge over any other fuel alternative for generator use, including petrol, propane, and natural gas.

# Why Backup Power Is So Crucial To Us?

Whether it’s a house party or a public event such as birthdays or weddings, you can never be overprepared for power blackouts. The whole place can fall apart in that case, making for a highly embarrassing scene if you’re the host. For businesses, the outcomes of a power blackouts are far greater and grimmer than if it were to strike a house. System downtime is a real threat to the financial stability of many corporations, and some of them learn it the hard way.

Each year, hundreds of millions of dollars are washed down the drain owing to power failures and the interruptions in various commercial operations that are brought about because of them. In Australia, the situation is even worse than the so-called “third world countries” since our power supply chain and infrastructure belong in the 20th century.

1. The Problem Of Hydrolysis:

A significant threat that is possible due to any amount of water or moisture presence is that of hydrolysis. When water from the atmosphere or due to accumulation of condensate comes in contact with diesel, it causes a reaction. This reaction breaks down diesel and makes it weaker in structure. In other words, it degrades the diesel fuel making it susceptible to the growth of fungi, bacteria, and likewise microbes.

Fuel hydrolysis is an incredibly serious concern since it can lead to a multitude of problems that affect diesel’s capabilities. If the owner turns a blind eye to this situation, then that may have a lasting impact on your generator performance and its lifespan. Acute fuel hydrolysis can lead to complete machine failure in the long run.

2. Bacterial Growth From Hydrolysis:

As said earlier, microbial growth is a result of the action of water with diesel i.e. hydrolysis reaction. The microbes require moist conditions to grow in number. This leads to the degradation of the fuel as these bacteria produce acids that digest the fuel. It also clogs the tank filters and restricts the flow of fluid. Tank corrosions, engine, and other internal engine systems also get damaged.

An important reason why diesel is more susceptible and unstable to cause microbial growth is the less amount of sulfur. The reason for this is the mandate by the Environmental Protection Agency (ETA) which has restricted the amount of sulfur in diesel citing pollution reasons. These microbes can chemically alter the composition of diesel, causing its combustible efficiency to drop significantly.

3. Problem Of Diesel Oxidation:

Oxidation is a chemical reaction that causes oxygen to be introduced to diesel fuel. This occurs usually as soon as the fuel leaves the refinery. This creates a high amount of acids that cause gum, sludge, and sediments to be accumulated. It causes many problems such as choking in the storage tank as the diesel fuel degrades.

Fuel oxidation is a real problem in the monsoon season, as the excessive humidity and water vapors can easily seep into the regular plastic containers and chemically interact with the stored diesel, causing it to lose its properties and experience dilution. Also, the simple fact that oxygen is a highly flammable gas and if present in a congested space (engine cylinder for example) can trigger safety issues.

# What Is The Solution?

The presence of these threats could shorten the life of diesel fuel drastically. Hence, you must take the problem seriously and one way to curb the problem could be to invest in a fuel storage tank. Diesel transfer tanks are extremely complementary to your diesel engines as they ensure the fuel’s longevity.

You can install these poly fuel tanks underground or overground as per your convenience, and they can store large quantities of diesel for an incredibly long time (over 12 months) without affecting the fuel quality. These storage tanks are lightweight, competitively priced, and are surely worth the investment if you need your diesel generator to perform at peak efficiency for the entirety of its lifespan. They are a must-have for commercial sites that need to power heavy-duty equipment.

Another solution could be to use fuel additives, that will curb the growth of unwanted microbes, and also stall the various chemical reactions that occur when diesel interacts with the external atmosphere. Some of the most commonly used types of fuel additives are acetone, ether, nitrous oxide (nitrous), nitromethane (nitro), etc. simply mix them with your genset fuel in the recommended proportion and preserve your fuel from negative influences.

Of course, purchasing a high-quality, state-of-the-art generator unit from the most reputed supplier can also help get the most output to satisfy your power supply needs. Ablesales provides the widest collection of high-class power generators that are flexible in power capacity and will last longer than any other genset brand. We are the A-one vendors of all the leading genset manufacturers (such as Honda, Cummins, Kubota, etc)