I realize this is a bit out of the ordinary for this discussion group, being a fuel situation, however its resemblance to precursors of varnish within turbine oils at geothermal plants, I thought someone may have some insight.
Removing the Sulfur and extreme refining has resulted in a fuel that is only recommended to have 90 days of storage until it becomes unstable. Resulting in repolymerization and the formation of precursors of varnish less than a micron in diameter. These precursers get by the filtration systems and agglomerate within the emergency generator and subsequently, when of appropriate size shut down the entire system. These deposits an only be cut by Acetone or chloroform. They will also agglomerate "Within" the filtration system. Replacing the filters may or may not work, depending if they have already reached the interior of the generating fuel system(s). The bottom deposits are inert, so they are not a real problem (although they will "Catalyze" this process in any new untreated fuel introduced into the storage system.
As this could have catastrophic results in case of a serious emergency, I hope some insight would be forthcoming.
We have initiated a stabilization program through chemical treatment,after testing of the contaminated fuel and particulate fall out. However I welcome any further comments from the forum. Earthquake, or a shutdown of the powergrid would cause these pieces of equipment to go into continuous use. The stored untreated fuel may very well cause a complete failure without the ability to restart because of failure of the generator itself.

We have done a few experiments on cleaning fuel using our technology. Not only do we clean it, but we also remove biological contamination, microbes. This eliminates the need for handling toxic biocide.

One experiment involved a shipboard fuel, similar to diesel oil. Since the experiment was for a military agency, we were told very little except take a sample every day for a week. The 55 gallon drum of fuel was connected to our LR series purifier running at 1 GPM. over the course of the week the fuel went from slightly brow-orange to something similar to pilsner beer.

Several experiments have been conducted where BCA was shown to kill bacteria and remove their little carcasses from the fuel.

BCA is primarily used for cleaning varnish from oil using an electrostatic process. It has the same effect on fuel. While it has never been tested on anything other than laboratory size samples, the results were so good, i think it is perfect for large storage facilities.

If there is a large diesel fuel storage facility that would like to run a real world experiment, please let me know.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Ray Gomes,

You may want to check out link to better monitor your fuel instability problems
http://www.herguth.com/capabilities/ulsdkit.htm
Initial purpose of diesel fuel kit was to differentiate between ULSD and low sulfur fuels. Additional test was added to check for hydroperoxides which are the initial step of ULSD fuel instability - can react further to form turbine oil like gums, can interact with sulfur/nitrogen species to form sludge - reason problems occur when you top-off stored low sulfur fuel with ULSD

Here is a ULSD fuel stabilizer and cleaner AMSOIL offers http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/adf.aspx?zo=1181889 that I have sold at wholesale for 6 years.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Tim Vipond,

Tim, Thank you but we have a stabilizer developed by Mid Continental Chemical based on laboratory tests on the actual contaminated fuel and the deposits.
I am curious though, this Amsoil product says it cleans deposits left by this particular problem (at least I believe that is what it says)As these deposits are only dissolved by either acetone or chloroform (based on our actual tests)Does this Amsoil product contain either of those chemicals?
It would be nice, as the initial deposits within the generator power system itself are at the angstrom level, and agglomerate rather quickly. Initial cleaning of the system using the Amsoil product to keep those agglomerations from forming would be very helpful. Really not sure it can actually do that though.

Hawk,

You are welcome. You are correct, the AMSOIL product is both a ULSD stabilizer and fuel system cleaner.

I have found these chemicals listed on the AMSOIL Diesel Concentrate Performance Fuel Additive MSDS at http://www.amsoil.com/msds/adf.pdf?zo=1181889 :
Solvent naphtha (petroleum), light aromatic 64742-95-6 30 - 60%
1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene 95-63-6 30 - 60%
Solvent naphtha (petroleum), heavy aromatic 64742-94-5 10 - 30%
Mesitylene 108-67-8 5 - 10%
Benzene, diethyl- 25340-17-4 1 - 5%
Cumene 98-82-8 1 - 5%
Xylene 1330-20-7 1 - 5%
Naphthalene 91-20-3 1 - 5%

There are no additional ingredients present which, within the current knowledge of the supplier and in the concentrations applicable, are classified as hazardous to health or the environment and hence require reporting in this section.


For more technical information on this product, you may wish to contact AMSOIL Product Technical Services: (715)399-TECH.

If you would like to purchase some to analyze/test, contact me at 713-301-1872.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Tim Vipond,

Tim, having reviewed the MSDS on this product, I can see that there is neither Acetone or Chloroform in the ingredients.
I would assume that the other chemicals of high solvency may dissolve the asphaltenes and paraffins, Our labs have not mentioned the chemicals in this product as being able to dissolve those deposits.
Our aim is not to dissolve and remove the deposits within the fuel storage areas. They are inert and do not present a problem to stabilized fuel exposed to it. Save that the deposits would act as a catalyst to any new "Un-Stabilized" fuel introduced to the system, causing them to again start the repolymerization process, perhaps at an accelerated rate from the previous contamination process.
If such a solvent based product were to be introduced into the fuel storage system, where deposits have been forming for a period of time (not the generator system itself)I would believe that those deposits would then go back into solution, causing an interesting situation with regards to filter clogging and equipment shut down.
Cleaning the deposits should be undertaken while the contaminated tank has been isolated from the generator system. Then a proper and thorough cleaning could take place, without fear of the newly released contaminants being introduced into the fuel intake system.
Cleaning of the generator's diesel engine fuel system may be possible with this product, given that the solvents would indeed dissolve the particular contaminants involved, and if a "flow through" condition could be established to allow the product and fuel to move through the engines fuel system cleaning as it goes. Realizing that in most cases the engine has shut down due to fuel flow stoppage at various locations throughout the system, this may be problematical.
Disassembly and cleaning has been the case so far.
We believe that stabilizing the existing fuels with a non or very low solvent based product where the generator engine has not been involved in a shutdown situation as of yet, would be the most beneficial until the system fuel supply could be by passed and cleaned properly.

Allow me to post the information on the company we have been working with to allevate this problem. THey have developed an appropriate stabilizer based on testing of the actual contaminated fuel and deposits found within those affected storage tanks.
Brad Craig
MidContinental Chemical Co.
Corp: 913-390-5556
Fax: 913-254-1434
Cell: (714) 519-1808
bradc@mcchemical.com
www.mcchemical.com

Feel free to contact them with any questions or suggestions you may have.

Hawk,

Keep in mind a few things. The MSDS is not necessarily a list of all chemicals present. Only those that could present a health or environmental hazard at the concentrations used. If you add up all the minimum concentrations present of the listed chemical families, it is 87%. That leaves 0-13% possible unlisted chemicals which at that concentration have not been shown to be a health or environmental hazard. A GC/MS analysis of this proprietary product would likely reveal more of its chemical make up.

I like this product because it not only stabilizes the ULSD, but will clean up injectors and other parts, better separate water from the diesel fuel, and provide improved protection from corrosion and oxidation, which could be the root cause of your unstable ULSD.

Your chemical of concern might favor water over the ULSD. If that is true, then by removing the water from the ULSD might also remove that chemical.

Tim, Please explain the "Favor Water" statement.

All ULSD contains some amount of water. At low concentrations, the water is suspended in the diesel. As the concentration increased, it can begin to drop out of solution. What the AMSOIL product does, is separate the water from the diesel at low concentrations so that the water/diesel separator filter can remove the water more efficiently.

Have you identified the chemical component by name?

If your chemical component of concern is slightly polar, it may prefer the water phase over the hydrocarbon phase. Thus the chemical component might be removed by the water and filter.

I've never heard of this problem you are having with customers using the AMSOIL stabilizer in ULSD for 6 years.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Tim Vipond,

I take it you sell amsoil?

Yes, as I mentioned in the above posts and in my public profile. For 7 years, ever since I retired from Shell Oil company as a chemist. That is why I asked if you have identified your troublesome compound. It would seem to have some polarity as you said it is soluble in acetone and chloroform and might be attracted and held by the water.

What do you do?

Potential problems resulting from extended storage of unstabilized Diesel in Emergency Preparedness vaults and tanks:
May 7, 2011 William “Hawk” Howes SCILS
• Power Loss and deterioration of performance
• Fuel leakage through seals and hoses
• Coked/blocked injector nozzles, leading to poor atomization of fuel
• Filter plugging
• Lacquering/Varnish seizure of internal injection system components
• Sludge deposition on all internal tank surfaces (resins/varnish)
• Reduced service life
• Catastrophic equipment failure (Emergency generators) during high need situations

BioDiesel and BioDiesel blends will form high sediment levels when in contact with brass, bronze, copper, lead, tin and zinc.
This includes fittings, transfer systems and pumps. BioDiesel should NEVER be used in emergency and stand by generator systems.

Extended storage of any diesel fuel will degrade forming Varnish Pre-Cursors causing plugged filters, fouled injectors and fuel system failure unless it is properly stabilized through treatment. These Pre-Cursors are less that a micron on size. And are only filterable through Electrostatic filtration, Side stream filtration, or Kidney filtration.
These are a few of a very limited and expensive number of effective filtration methods for this type of material.


Fig 1

Resins/Varnish “bottoms” from extended storage in tanks of untreated diesel fuel will also form as the varnish precursors agglomerate and form larger free floating contaminates referred to as “varnish potential insolubles” (VPI). One fraction of VPI is the quasi-insolubles - or the incipient soluble portion; and the other is the already-formed insoluble suspensions - or the active (most destructive) form of VPI. As the pre-cursors agglomerate in stratified layers within the fuel they also will “fall out” and deposit as asphaltenes and paraffin on the bottom of the tank. These deposits are “Inert” and can only be affected by either Acetone or Chloroform.
The “Brown Stripe” on the tube (Fig 1) is “Water Indicator Paste”. It would turn purple in the presence of water. Notice there is no water present in this tank. The diesel Fuel degrades and repolymerizes on its own over time if left untreated.

To understand the source and nature of this material, it is helpful to know a little about how Diesel Fuel and other distillate products are made in today's modern refineries. In the "old days" (15 - 25 years ago) processing of crude oil into the light distillate products we all know as gasoline, Kerosene, home heating oil, jet fuel, and diesel was basically done through heating the crude oil. At different boiling points, the various fractions of the crude were evaporated then condensed and sent to a storage tank for distribution. The distillate product, diesel fuel included, were fairly stable products with shelf life measured in the several months range.

The residual oil left over after the distillation process, approximately 50% of the barrel of crude that we start with, is the very heavy oils that are used for large ships and power plants, along with other industrial applications e.g. manufacture of products such as plastics, pharmaceuticals, nylon, asphalt, etc.

The refining process is dramatically different today. Demand for these light distillate products has increased rapidly, forcing the refiners to find new ways to extract more of them from the crude oil. Catalytic or chemical cracking now allows the refiner to make more of the valuable lighter distillates from each barrel of crude, leaving only about 16% of the residual as heavy fuel oils. Environmental concerns have resulted in additional treatment of diesel, for example to lower sulfur content. This also contributes to instability of today's fuels.



Diesel fuel refined with these new methods is far less stable than that made with simple distillation. This results in more rapid deterioration in the form of solids precipitating to make sludge. Key fuel components such as paraffin’s and asphaltenes begin to oxidize and re-polymerize resulting in dark coloration, clogged filters and tank sludge that is commonly called "algae". In reality, this stuff is actually paraffin and asphaltenes

When this condition is present, the fuel does not combust rapidly causing a loss of engine efficiency. When the exhaust ports open, still smoldering fuel clusters become smoke & soot, leaving carbon buildup in the engine and exhaust trunk. Eventually, when it precipitates to the bottom of the tank, or is trapped in your filter, these key components cannot contribute to transferring the energy in the fuel to power the engine.

The 15 minutes a month that is required to test emergency generators also contributes to the degradation of un-stabilized fuel. As the test is performed, unused fuel is returned to the storage tank via the return lines. This “Unburned” fuel is heated to a high temperature within the engine of the generator. Returning to the relatively cool storage tank, this returned heated fuel contributes to the further degradation of un-stabilized fuel within the tank.

So the cause of the so called "algae" and filter plugging is simply the result of un-stabilized ageing fuel, oxidation, and repolymerization (varnish formation) which can occur in as little as 60-90 days, and depending on the cleanliness, and maintenance of the tanks in which it is kept, possibly even sooner.

Catastrophic shut down of the emergency generating system may not always occur during the required testing phase. The VPI precursors being less than a micron in size (most filtration systems are between 5 and 2 microns) will enter the engine and filtration systems, deposit on all surfaces therein, and agglomerate, growing in size as they deposit upon themselves. When these deposits reach a sufficient size within the entire system they will then cause a complete shutdown of the system. The most likely time for this to happen is during high load in the event of an emergency power requirement.



Changing the filters may or may not return the system to an operating condition. As the interior of the engines components are affected as well. A complete engine overhaul may be required. And the filters would plug up again within a very short period of time.
The only way to prevent this is to stabilize the fuel with an appropriate additive. And maintained throughout the life of the system and fuel. A “Stabilizer” specifically designed for California’s Ultra Low Sulfur, Highly Refined Diesel Fuel.
Not a “Lubricity” additive, not an “Anti-Foaming” agent, nor a “Cetane” booster (although these may be required as well) A FUEL STABILIZER designed for this type of fuel is required to prevent the above discussed situation.
Use of the correct stabilizer on an already contaminated fuel storage facility, will result in a return to at a minimum of 92% reflectance ASTM test (formerly F-21 pad test) Where failure is at 80% reflectance.
Already formed varnish, asphaltene tank bottom deposits are inert, and should cause no problems with properly stabilized fuel. To actually remove these would require Acetone or Chloroform as a dissolving agent (therefore inert and insoluble to diesel).
ULSD fuel is only “Good” for 60 to 90 days. Not after delivery by your supplier, but as it is produced at the refinery! Rest assured your emergency long term fuel storage requires stabilization to serve its very important and life saving need.
Beck Oil Inc. Petroleum Marketers, not only supplies the necessary fuels additives and support equipment for these operations, we also provide a preventative maintenance program to ensure that emergency power is there when you really need it.



William “Hawk” Howes SCILS
Beck Oil, Inc.

Thanks for the info.

It looks like AMSOIL's ULSD Diesel Concentrate Performance Fuel Additive http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/adf.aspx?zo=1181889 solved those problems 6 years ago. Give it a try.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Tim Vipond,

Thank you, I will consider it.

OK, considered and rejected, We do not want a solvent based product in the systems at this time.
Maybe later.
Thanks for your input, good luck with your Am soil.
You guys are everywhere, at least on the net.

Thank you for your consideration.

I thought you were using acetone and chloroform solvents? What is it that you are using?

I didn't know retired Shell Oil chemists were everywhere, at least on the net. I also consult for a NASA contractor regarding rocket fuel catalyst.