Does dark fuel mean my fuel is bad?

This question has been  asked more than once. And what we really want to know is: “Will the dark fuel cause damage my engines?” Engines are expensive and damaging an engine can be costly so operating an engine on “bad fuel” is not wise.
We all know that most engine failures start in the fuel tank. When all mechanical parts are in good operating condition, the cooling and lube systems are working, the lube oil is clean and there is a sufficient supply of clean air getting to the combustion chamber, a diesel engine or turbine could  run just about forever. The only limiting factor is Fuel Quality. Dark fuel is symptom of poor fuel quality and even though, in most cases, it can be used, fuel in this condition will provide poor combustion and filter life problems.
“Dark fuel” is in a sign of oxidation and that the process of fuel degradation is in an advanced stage. Hazy fuel is indicative of water emulsified in the fuel. In general, dark hazy fuel will not damage your engine. It does however indicate poor fuel quality, which will definitely not provide you with peak engine performance.  And in turn cost you money by sending unburnt fuel out of the exhaust.
Using less than optimal fuel quality negatively impacts engine efficiency and accelerates the process that makes new engines old.
Diesel fuel can range from colorless, to amber or light brown color, depending on the crude oil and the refinery process used to produce it. In addition, dyes may be added to change the fuel color for tax identification purposes.
In time, stored fuel will darken due to oxidation, repolymerization and agglomeration of certain components. The darkening is accompanied by the formation of sediment that plugs filters and causes poor combustion. Fuel & Oil vendors suggest that if diesel fuel is stored for emergency use, it should be replaced with fresh fuel within a year, unless special precautions or remedial actions are taken such as fuel polishing.
The University of Idaho conducted tests on the life expectancy of fuels to determine the timeline on degradation of stored #2 diesel. The results indicated 26% degradation after 28 days of storage. Disposing of fuel and purchasing new fuel is a very expensive proposition. Many larger companies, government institutions, hospitals, etc. have the dumping of fuel and the purchasing of new fuel as standard and accepted practice.
The implementation of ALGAE-X® Technology eliminates these costly, wasteful, and environmentally unfriendly dumping practices. ALGAE-X® will preserve fuel integrity almost indefinitely and can help you put in place good housekeeping measures along with a quality fuel-monitoring program. For more information feel free to contact us, or visit Cleanfuelmanagement.com
Clean fuel.....it's what we do!

Your Diesel Engine Negatively Impacts Your Fuel

A diesel engine uses only some of the fuel it pulls from the tank. All of that fuel goes to the high-pressure fuel pump, AKA injection pump, and then to the injectors operating under enormous pressure and high temperatures.  Part of the purpose of this recirculating method of diesel engines is to provide a cooling affect from the cooler fuel moving through the injection circuit.

The surplus fuel the engine is not using goes back to the tank. This fuel is continuously re-circulated and exposed to extreme pressure and heat, which results in the agglomeration of asphaltenes, high carbon content, and heavy end fuel molecules. This then leads to the formation of larger and larger clusters of solids, which are very difficult to completely combust. These solids may grow so large that they will not pass through the filter element and become part of the polymer and sludge build up plugging the filter.

In addition, the hot fuel coming back to the tank will raise the fuel temperature in the tank, cause condensation and contribute to microbial contamination, fuel break down, bio fouling and the build up of sludge and acid.

Large fuel droplets and high asphaltene concentrations require more time, more energy and higher temperatures to combust than is available in engines during the combustion cycle and before the exhaust valve opens.

Any device in the fuel system exposing the fuel to stress (heat and pressure) such as pumps, heaters, or centrifuges will increase the formation of asphaltenes and negatively impact combustion.

So the next time you are running your engine think about how the stresses affect your fuel quality and how these stresses shorten the life cycle of the fuel.  Then call us for a solution....you'll be glad you did.

Clean fuel.....it's what we do!