Problem:
A mine operator contacted us to consult on a fuel contamination issue on site. It
was suspected that a fungal and bacterial, (“bug”), contamination was causing
operational issues leading to high service costs and reduced equipment availability.
The symptoms associated with “bug” growth on this site were:
1. Spotting and fouling of primary filters.
2. Fouling of vehicle filters and low power issues.
3. High filter use in vehicles.
Application:
A site visit confirmed the presence of “bug” growth. At that time the storage tanks
were treated with biocide FT-400 to eliminate the existing “bug” problem. Deliveries
of fuel to the storage tanks were treated for a short time until the test volume of
FT-400 ran out on site.
Result:
After treating with FT-400, the symptoms disappeared. The low power issues went
from levels of 3 - 6 a day to around 0 - 1 instances a day. The primary filters were
still clean and spot free after a month of service. Vehicle filter use was significantly
reduced.
When the FT-400 treatment ended, symptoms began to return over the next month.
Vehicle low power issues rose to 2 - 3 per day. The primary fuel filters again
showed the characteristic spotting and staining associated with “bug” growth.
The key points that came from this work were:
A. The fuel “bugs” are naturally occurring in the soil and water on the
site, and so they will be present in the fuel tanks.
B. The high rainfall and prevalent fogs will ensure water enters the
storage and equipment tanks.
C. The only way to reliably control “bug” and water issues is to treat and
manage the fuel on site.
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