Diesel Fuel Additives ???

[Jim]

Maine Sail the mechanic are saying there is a problem with

ULSD. That said the best fuel is fresh fuel. The quest is how long does ULSD stay fresh.

I'll tell you the truth, I don't put much stock in what engine manufacturer say either and you already looked. Nor do I use fuel additive. Like you I use my fuel up fater than most sailors.

 

[Ross]

If you keep the fuel dry you can't have an algea

problem. I went to a local International truck and Kabuta tractor a couple of years ago to see what they sell to their customers. The pickings were very slim. I asked about them and was told that generally they stocked them on request but as a company didn't see them as necessary.

 

[RichH]

Ross -

Look up "cladosporium resinae". Its the primary microorganism that uses fuel oil as its nutrient source ... and doesnt need 'water' to thrive. Its dark green and often confused as 'algae' which ONLY grows in water perfused with sunlight.

 

[Ross]

RichH, An interesting organizm, rather large , so

easily filtered. Seems to be sensitive to temperature and agitation. I rather doubt that it is a large problem.
http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-Bio19Tuat03-t1-body-d4.html

 

[Jim]

Ross, Rich is right on and

algea can be a BIG problem. Yes it can be filter out but there is aways the chance you get a defective filter. A friend in a big powerboat put algea treatment and it killed all the algea. The dead algea, he thinks fell off the tank and gummed up his fuel system and injectors. This lead to engine damage. Cummings charge him about 25k for the repair.

 

[RichH]

C. Resinae

is the 'black crap' that forms on tanks walls, etc. Not a problem when its 'alive' but when these cells die and begin to release or sluff off from the walls is when all hell breaks loose in a mobile tank. No, these are NOT an easily filtered particle ... as they are soft/deformable particles that tend to 'slime-over' the pleats of a filter which drastically reduce the filters surface area -- difficult to filter because they tent to 'extrude' right through common filter media.

Constant 'recirculation polishing at 5-10uM is the best preventative ... you filter out the 'spores' before you have a massive infection. The constant recirculation through such filters renders the tank contents at essentially 'sub-micronic' particle sizes.

Single pass filtration in fuel oil is quite ineffective in comparison to constant recirculation ... where there is a 'problem'. But, I posted all those reasons before ............