A industry survey of convenience store customers shows that a station’s reputation is playing a bigger role in a consumer’s decision to fuel at that station. However, delivering clean fuel to customers has become increasingly challenging, largely due to the influx of ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD).
There is one tool out there – the 5-micron filter – that represents a cost-effective solution for ensuring consumers receive consistently high-quality, clean diesel fuel.
New fuel efficiency and emissions compliance standards have resulted in new innovations in engine technology and changes to fuel composition over the past decade, which demand improved filtration of fuels as a fundamental quality control measure.
At the same time, each year, more mid-size and heavy-duty trucks powered by high-performance engines are being released. While more efficient and sophisticated than their predecessors, they are more vulnerable to fuel contamination from particulate or water. Even the smallest fuel contaminants can cause abrasion and long-term damage to these engines, which are made up of intricate, precision-crafted components.
From this perspective, installing a powerful dispenser filter needs to be considered a maintenance investment that promotes customer satisfaction. Here, we take a closer look at five things every fuel site operator should know about the value 5-micron dispenser filters bring to fueling operations.
1. Five-micron dispenser filters protect sensitive engines from harmful particulate.
As high-performance diesel engines become ever more sophisticated, operators who can consistently provide reliably clean fuel will be in high demand. The quest for exceptional fuel economy and reduced emissions has led to remarkable advances in engine technology, such as the High Pressure Common Rail fuel injection system. Five-micron dispenser filters play a crucial role in protecting the injection system’s delicate components, which can be damaged by particulate as small as 7 microns in fuel. Improved dispenser filtration through the use of a 5-micron filter can help fuel site operators protect these vital engine systems.
2. Incidents of tank corrosion, particularly in diesel tanks, are on the rise.
While ultra-low sulfur diesel has decreased toxic sulfur emissions, unintended consequences such as the corrosion of underground storage tanks are creating both infrastructure and product quality challenges for fuel operators. Chemical reactions occur that result in corrosion of equipment, which leads to particulate inside the tank. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 83% of diesel fuel tanks in a study exhibited moderate or severe corrosion. In some cases, corrosion has been reported in as little as six months, which can severely damage the tank and other system components. Installing a 5-micron dispenser filter can not only prevent the distribution of small particulate into automotive engines, the filter will help protect dispenser components from abrasion.
3. The Clean Diesel Alliance recommends using 5-micron dispenser filters.
The Clean Diesel Alliance provides recommendations on managing fuel systems that dispense ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) in “Guidance for Underground Storage Tank Management at ULSD Dispensing Facilities.” In the document, the organization recommends that fuel site operators install 5-micron filters to prevent particulate matter suspended in diesel from being dispensed into vehicles.
4. Five-micron filters with water sensing capabilities detect and absorb water and water-related contamination.
Water is a chronic challenge for fuel site operators, particularly those dispensing ULSD. Microbial contamination develops in the presence of water and food (fuel). Microbes eat the organic compounds in the fuel, which causes ULSD to degrade. This can lead to serious problems in the storage tank, such as corrosion. Five-micron filters with water-sensing capabilities can give fuel operators a real advantage. Signs of microbial contamination in the tank include a sulfur smell in the fuel or filter, corrosion of metal filter or covering, or spotted water or brown/black particulate matter gathering on the filter.
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5. Five-micron filters help fuel retailers develop loyalty among a growing customer base through clean fuel.
Sales of light-duty trucks are on the rise. Case in point: Ford’s F-Series truck was the top-selling vehicle in , and the automaker is introducing a diesel V6 engine for its popular F-150 lineup in . Installing a 5-micron dispenser filter to catch harmful particulates is critical for maintaining and growing customer loyalty.
PetroClear dispenser filters offer increased peace of mind for fuel operators. In particular, PetroClear’s 5-Micron W-AD Particulate Removing and Water Sensing dispenser filter is designed to capture particulates as small as 5 microns, helping to prevent particulates from entering into vehicle fuel injection systems, including high-performance diesel engines designed to meet stringent emissions standards.
Filters that chronically clog are an indication of serious problems inside the fueling system. If you experience this at your fuel site, consult with a reputable compliance management company to determine the root cause of the problem.
Today’s diesel equipment requires higher fuel cleanliness to meet the demands of precision-designed fuel system pumps and injectors. However, keeping diesel clean is more complex because of higher concentrations of water emulsions in fuel and organic contaminants that can foul the system.
Fortunately, advancements in fuel filtration are helping to meet growing fuel cleanliness requirements of modern diesel engines for increased performance. Here are five quick facts about fuel quality and today’s technology:
The high-pressure common rail (HPCR) fuel systems used in low-emission diesel engines are much more susceptible to damage from contaminants 20 times smaller than the diameter of human hair. For OEMs, this means more stringent requirements for fuel filtration. Today, the industry is measuring high-efficiency closer to 99.9 percent for particles in the 4-micron range. A fraction of a percentage point can make the difference on whether a filtration system can achieve the fuel cleanliness requirements for the HPCR components.
Water in the fuel supply is a significant hurdle in achieving the best performance and can also cause fuel filter plugging, injector deposit buildup, fuel instability and even bacterial growth in onboard and bulk fuel tanks. As a result, primary filters are transitioning to advanced filtration technology referred to as coalescing filtration, which features multi-layered filter media and multiple stages of filtration and separation to collect finer water droplets into larger ones so that they can be more easily removed from the fuel.
The transition to ultra-low-sulfur diesel has created the need for additives to replace the lubricating properties of sulfur-based compounds. Surfactant-based fuel additives with good fuel solubility characteristics are beneficial because they bind to a wide range of surfaces and help maintain fuel purity. But they need to be used properly.
While glycerin and other related glycerols — byproducts of biodiesel production — are in biodiesel blends, they will not cause immediate problems as long as they remain warm and in liquid form. The exact blend percentage, temperature and water content can all affect how much glycerin a fuel can hold in solution. Once it precipitates, or comes out of solution, glycerin can negatively impact filterability in ways similar to excess additives and drastically reduce expected filter life. To help mitigate this issue, look for blends with lower glycerin levels.
As a high-efficiency filter picks up more fine contaminants, what may have passed through in previous years may now be a contributing factor to plugging a tighter filter. Proven media technologies like Synteq XP™ used in Donaldson Blue® fuel filters address this by delivering a high level of efficiency and contaminant retention.
Fuel filtration is on the front line of your defense against downtime and operational expenses. Contaminants in diesel fuel such as hard particles, dirt, water and organic soft particles can have a wide range of impacts to equipment, some of which can have profound issues relating to warranty and the total cost ownership.
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