UV lights in Diesel tanks to inhibit growth

[sailingdog]

I'd point out that there is actually no need for killing off the bacteria if you keep the tank free of water... The bacteria can only grow and live at the water-oil interface—no water, no bacteria.

Properly monitoring your tank and draining off any water that does get in is a far better policy than putting UV lights into the tank. UV lights strong enough to actually work through gallons of diesel would suck up a lot of electricity...

I'd also point out that UV light is one of the major causes of asphalt and other petroleum based products breaking down...and that having strong UV lights in your fuel tank may cause the fuel to breakdown faster that it would otherwise.

 

[zeehag]

biocides work well--why not use those when fueling?? i have had diesel fuel --still usable and works great--in my ericson tank for 3 yrs--no problem....the diesel imy formosa is from previous owner--is still good---go figger---

 

[RichH]

The primary contaminating organism in diesel fuel is a fungus - cladosporium resinae.
Better to not top-off-the-tanks, keep as little as possible fuel in the tanks (plus some reserve), CLEAN OUT the tank periodically, buy your fuel from a truckstop (and 'jug it' to the boat).
Diesel fuel has a short shelf life when exposed (through the vent) to the atmosphere.

Why keep a full fuel tank which will only directly ABSORB water from the atmosphere and then let the fuel sit around in your tank for months/years? ..... a great place to incubate thriving fungus.

BTW --- once you get to a CLEAN tank and fresh fuel, you can store it for long periods .... if yoiu use an onboard recirculation polishing system: constantly removes and fungal spores that get aspirated into the vent and removes those spores that have become the 'filamentus' crud that eventually grows on the tank walls. If you remove the microorganisms before they have a chance to thrive, the tank will stay clean for very long periods.

 

[RichH]

I'd point out that there is actually no need for killing off the bacteria if you keep the tank free of water... The bacteria can only grow and live at the water-oil interface—no water, no bacteria.

Properly monitoring your tank and draining off any water that does get in is a far better policy than putting UV lights into the tank. UV lights strong enough to actually work through gallons of diesel would suck up a lot of electricity...

I'd also point out that UV light is one of the major causes of asphalt and other petroleum based products breaking down...and that having strong UV lights in your fuel tank may cause the fuel to breakdown faster that it would otherwise.

ummmmm
There are THREE phases of water uptake in fuels: 1. visible water that gravimetricaly settles to the bottom of a tank. 2. emulsified water that is in macroscopic form and held in suspension between the fuel molecules. 3. molecular water that is 'weakly bound' to the fuel molecules
Bacterial dont have to be at the 'interface' to thrive.

AND BTW ..... the chief contaminant in diesel fuel is NOT a bacteria but a FUNGUS (Cladosporium Resinae - etc. ... all 'resin formers' that dont really need much WATER to thrive).

 

[Witzend]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson
Why not just go sailing?
so sloshing of the fuel in the tank prohibits growth of Cladosporuim? Or do you mean go motoring and use up the fuel.

 

[catsailor]

ummmmm
There are THREE phases of water uptake in fuels: 1. visible water that gravimetricaly settles to the bottom of a tank. 2. emulsified water that is in macroscopic form and held in suspension between the fuel molecules. 3. molecular water that is 'weakly bound' to the fuel molecules
Bacterial dont have to be at the 'interface' to thrive.

AND BTW ..... the chief contaminant in diesel fuel is NOT a bacteria but a FUNGUS (Cladosporium Resinae - etc. ... all 'resin formers' that dont really need much WATER to thrive).

Water. Without free or emulisified water infection is possible but signifigant growth is unusual. That is why pollishing generally works. As a general rule, most tanks that have not been treated with bioocide are infected at a low level; pollishing keeps them in remission.

Organism type. There are more than one type, and there are both bacteria and fungus, so no single stratagy always works. Please see attached study showing variable results of biocides.http://sail-delmarva.blogspot.com/p/diesel-biocides.html

Light. This will certainly kill the orginisms. I know that dip slides that are not kept in a dark place never develop. But adding UV to diesel will cause some amount of gum formation. It depends on how much and how long.

Treat tank or treat piping. It must be both, or the infection will simply regenerate. Unless the fuel is treated, there will always be a colony somewhere. This is why UV water sterilization has mixed results, if any infection gets around the treatment unit it regenerates down stream. This is why it is required to leave a chlorine residual in potable water.

 

[markgoldfarb]

I had horrible diesel problems for a season and 1/2. I was told after spending almost 900 to flush the tank and lines I was going to have to rebuild my injectors and injector pump. That was until i found these guys in FL that make a fuel polishing system http://www.algae-x.net/2/5/Fuel Conditioners.html. I installed the Algae-x system, used some of their additive and have had 100% clean fuel ever since. When you talk with them they will explain why it works and why you have crap in your tank.