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WHY FUEL RIGHT?
WHY FUEL RIGHT?

INTRODUCTION

The conventional fuel additive industry has evolved over many generations however, the focus remains limited to engine performance. Typical features of most conventional fuel additives includes cetane boost, fuel lubricity enhancement, corrosion inhibitors and oxidation stabilizers.

While these features are attractive to any company operating diesel equipment and in fairness offers some level of improved fuel economy and performance. Unfortunately, consumers are confused by the hype and the hundreds of different brands that are out there. What does a consumer select as there are many different brands and a very generic message presented on every package?

More informed consumers are aware that diesel fuel, while it has its advantages, also has is achilles heel - water! Many have experienced fouled filters, degraded fuel that has been sitting in storage for sometime, a standby generator that will not start or engine shut down due to fouled fuel strainers, fuel lines and filters. In these cases, many have used biocides to help correct the problem without a full understanding of how to properly deploy the use of biocides.

A surge in "fuel polishing" has received a lot of hype; this is simply the filtering and removal of heavy contaminants from fuel. Unfortunately, this may be good money spent on a very temporary solution. Fuel Polishing does not remove the conditioning/biofilm that is lining the tank and once the fuel is re-introduced to the tank, the process of microbial biomass development starts all over again. In some cases, it can bloom immediately given the right conditions.

This final consideration that most are unaware of is the phenomena known to corrosion engineers as MIC or microbially influenced corrosion. This topic has been researched extensively and is a well known problem in aqueous and petroluem based storage systems. An interesting note is that filming amines have been used in the water treatment industry for decades to help prevent MIC - hmmm??? why not the Fuel Industry?

WHY FUEL RIGHT?

Fuel Right does not deploy conventional fuel additive ideology. In the mid 90's, a great deal of research was done on the use of amines as fuel additives. They had many functions including lubricity improver, stabilizer, enhanced fuel atomization, surfactant (detergency properties) and more. These studies typically looked at single amine chemistries to assess their use in fuel.

Bob Tatnall set out to accomplish one thing - to eliminate the microbial issues related to sludge in diesel fuel and home heating systems. His 30 years at DuPont studying materials, corrosion and MIC was the foundation on which he began to research a solution to the problem. 19 years later, Fuel Right has evolved to become a technical leader in solving a problem that is now becoming more apparent with the shift to ULSD.

Bob experimented with hundred of amines and figured out how to "dissolve" the problem. That's not all, the combined research of amines as a fuel additive has resulted in an additive technology that holistically manages the fuel storage and supply, delivery through strainers, fuel lines and filters and enhances engine performances far superior to any conventional additive or biocide.

FUEL RIGHT:  FEATURES, ADVANTAGES & BENEFITS

  • Dissolves, Disperses & Prevents Sludge Contamination That Clogs Fuel Lines, Filters & Strainers
  • More Effective than Biocides or Conventional Fuel Additives - We have Test Data to Prove it!
  • Cleans Tanks, Fuel Lines, Filters and Strainers
  • Improves Fuel Economy
  • Reduces Exhaust Particulate
  • Restores Fuel Lubricity and Stabilizes Fuel in Storage
  • Provides a Filming Amine Microscopic Corrosion Coating to Protect Fuel System Components
  • Warranty Safe for all Diesel Engines
  • EPA Registered
  • Suitable for use in Diesel, Bio-Diesel and Marine Gas Oil

Along with Brookhaven National Laboratory, these tests were developed by Bob Tatnall to determine the effectiveness of fuel additives and intended to rank their relative ability to control sludge growth, keep metal surfaces clean and to protect steel tanks against corrosion.

See the results for yourself.

Fuel Right is now being used by major ferry corporations, workboat companies, mining companies, heavy trucking, standby generators in the communications sector (cell towers), recreational marine, fuel wholesale and as a premium additive in diesel fuel at gas stations internationally. We are currently operating in 10 countries and our presence is growing rapidly.

We are now embarking on our next chapter of engine performance research which includes a very detailed examination of ignition, combustion, emission, power and torque in the next generation of diesel engines on the market. Stay tuned as we expect this to be a serious game changer.

FUEL STORAGE, BACTERIA & SLUDGE

Bacteria are natural residents in diesel fuel. They are most commonly introduced through vent tubes, water intrusion, and fuel transfer. Chemicals from water in the fuel form a conditioning film on solid surfaces. This occurs within minutes after the fuel has been introduced to the tank.

This film allows free-floating bacterial cells to attach to the surface (Stage 1), at which point some of them begin to generate a starch like substance often referred to as "slime"(Stage 2). This is the "glue" that holds the sludge or biomass together. Soon, other bacteria start to move into the slime layer (Stage 3).

Some of these get their food from the fuel, while others get their food from the by-products of the fuel users. The result is a rather complex ecology of life forms growing in the sludge (Stage 4). Some of these bacteria produce organic acids, which may promote pitting corrosion of underlying steel. The pitting corrosion, only observed under sludge accumulations, accounts for most fuel tank failures.

As sludge builds up, bits of it slough off and travel downstream (Stage 5), where they adhere to surfaces (Stage 6) - perhaps a filter - and start to grow new sludge. The most common indicator of a severely fouled fuel system is complete filter plugging resulting in engine shut-down.

STAGE 1:
Sessile Bacteria Attaching to Surfaces Within Fuel System
Fuel Right Biofilm
STAGE 2:
Bacteria Excrete
Slime-Forming Bacteria
Fuel Right Bacteria
STAGE 3:
Complex Bacterial
Colonies Begin to Develop 
Fuel Right how it works
STAGE 4:
Complex Biofilm Development
Biocides are Rarely Effective
Against Established "Sludge"
Fuel Right Stops Corrosion
STAGE 5:
Biofilm Sloughing
Fuel Right Eliminates Corrosion
STAGE 6:
Sloughing - Redeposit on Filters, Fuel Lines & Strainers
Bacterial Sludge At The
Bottom of a Marine Fuel Tank
Tugboat Day Tank After
Draining Shows Excessive Bacterial Sludge
Racor Bowl Indicating
Sludge Contamination
MIC - Microbial Influenced Corrosion

Sludge in contact with steel or cast iron leads to corrosion. The exact role of the bacteria themselves is a matter of much research and conjecture, but it is clear that very high rates of metal penetration occur under biologically active sludge.\

Fuel Stability & The Presence of Microbial Contamination

The presence of biofilm in fuel systems impact the environment that the fuel is residing in. Corrosion by-products may act as catalysts in the reaction that result in the oxidation of the fuel. Free-floating acids are also a contributor to fuel oxidation.

Did you know that the presence of biofilm can affect the following?

  • Decrease in corrosion inhibitor additive effectiveness
  • Decrease anti-oxidant additive effectiveness
  • Reduce lubricity additive effectiveness
  • Decrease fuel's oxidative stability
  • Boost a fuel's peroxide number
  • Boost a fuel's total acid number (TAN)
  • Increase fuel's corrosivity
Filter Plugging

Bits of sludge that have landed on a filter will grow and slowly blanket the filter, sealing it off and stopping the flow of fuel. These growths may initially appear as tiny specs and not readily visible to the naked eye. As biofilm is transparent, the color of the contamination is a good indicator of what issues are going on in the tank. A black contaminated filter is evidence of degraded fuel while a rust coloured filter is evidence of severe corrosion. The three example below are samples of each case.

Filters removed from a boiler system. The filter on the far left is plugged with transparent biofilm - they progressively improve with Fuel Right treatment - the filter on the far right is operating normally after Fuel Right treatment. 
Racor 4 micron filter removed from a sailboat with severe
sludge problem.
Filter plugged with sludge carrying high levels of corrosion particles.
PERFORMANCE IMPLICATIONS

Diesel engine technology is evolving and fuel is changing. ULSD has been stripped of lubricity and oxidative stability has been compromised. Newer tier engines operate with a common rail fuel delivery system with piezoelectric injectors. Pressure are extremely high and the injectors operate with extremely tight tolerances.

Using dirty fuel in new and old engines leads to premature component failure, injectors operating inefficiently and reduced fuel economy. Conventional fuel additives today typically promote lubricity and performance using 2-EHN (2 Ethylhexyl Nitrate) cetane boost. While this helps performance at the engine, this ignores the issues in the tank and through the delivery system (strainers, fuel lines and filters)

Fuel Right takes a holistic approach at managing fuel completely through the system from the tank through delivery and performance.  Fuel Right offers total fuel coverage!

FUEL RIGHT SUCCESS STORIES

Our unique Fuel Right® chemistry has NEVER failed our customers. Over the past 15 years, and more than 5 billion litres treated, many significant, vexing problems have been resolved. A summary from diverse applications is provided below – we welcome the opportunity to share additional “success” stories with you!
A fuel dealer was having to replace filters for a boiler system using ULSD every month to prevent the customer's filters from fouling. Fuel Right was introduced to the system with each fill of the customer's tank. After four tank fills with Fuel Right treatment, the filters were showing a reduced level of fouling with each treatment. These filters were weighed and showed a progressive decrease in weight (from left to right) due to the reduction in biofilm on the filter. The fourth filter was still suitable for service. Fuel Right resolved the fouling issue with four bulk treatments of the fuel system. 
“prior to Spring of 2010 we always stopped treating our diesel with Fuel Right® when winter ended. Then, after a tour of the Fuel Right® plant, I realized all that Fuel Right® could do to benefit our diesel customers so I decided to treat every drop of fuel that we sold. The result of this decision is that our fleet customers have consistently commented to me that their drivers are pleased with both the improved performance of their engines as well as with the improved fuel economy which I understand is a function of operating with cleaner injectors".

Mike Hinds, owner of Hinds Oil Company, Montrose Pennsylvania 
“We received a bad load of diesel and almost immediately started to see filter plugging in one of our boats. As a result of this we were changing filters every 24 hours. Shortly after treating the tank with Fuel Right® the problem disappeared and things were back to normal. Dries, had you not walked into my office that day and introduced me to Fuel Right® my next step would have been to dispose of the fuel and clean tanks, you saved me thousands of dollars”!

Vincent Borello, Moran Towing Company
"Late last year I received some badly contaminated fuel. As a result my boat had to be towed. To clean the 2500 gallon tank I used a vacuum truck after which we power sprayed the tank. Having done all of this, the lines were still clogged and the fuel looked like Pepto Bismol. With one shock treatment of Fuel Right® the lines cleared and we were good to go. Now we treat every other fill-up with Fuel Right®, and we have not had a single problem in the past four months".

Leo Bickham, Owner, Leo’s Boats 
"I was not a believer in products like Fuel Right®. I am NOW! Weeks will be re-powering 4 tugs starting in June and I am making Fuel Right® part of our diet when completed”.

Ed Hermann, Port Engineer, Weeks Marine
“In August 2008 we began treating the fuel in the Meredith with Fuel Right® and two months later we began treating the fuel in the Christian. Prior to the treatment both vessels were experiencing persistent issues caused by fouled fuel filters. Thanks to the Fuel Right® treatment we quickly eliminated the need to change our fuel filters every ten to twelve hours and the next interval was about five hundred hours. Then, in May 2010 both vessels were placed in dry dock for routine maintenance. When I inspected the fuel tanks I was pleasantly surprised to see that neither the walls nor the floors of the tanks were covered with sludge”.
 
Charles Crawford, Port Engineer, Reinhauer Transportation
“I meticulously maintain my diesel truck fleet so that these trucks are always able to refuel ships along the entire East Coast; this includes changing filters every 20,000 miles instead of the manufacturer recommended 30,000 mile intervals. When I was first introduced to Fuel Right® I scoffed at the idea that sludge could be a problem. Unfortunately, almost immediately, one of my trucks stalled on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Bob Tatnall (at Fuel Right) asked me to hold on to the filter and send it to him for analysis. When it was cut open, to my surprise, it was clogged with thick black sludge. Since then, Fuel Right® has become our standard treatment and we have had no stalling problems”.

Smitty, Atlantic Bulk Carriers, Middletown, DE
“My manufacturing plant is located in central Maine and our 10,000 gallon fuel tank is located outside the building. For years we used straight kerosene to heat the facility. In 2008 our fuel supplier told us about Fuel Right®'s Bulk Winter Diesel., In order to save money we decided to make the switch from kerosene to less expensive heating oil blended with Fuel Right® Winter Diesel. Fortunately, we have experienced very good results with the Fuel Right® treatment these past three winters one of which {2009} was quite severe. I am also pleased with the cost savings that we have experienced".

Jim Dingus, Pallet One, Livermore Falls, ME 
"The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania requires tank inspections every five (5) years. Treatment with Fuel Right® was started on a 20,000 gallon Mack Oil tank in Parksburg, PA; seven (7) months later the tank was inspected. Mack Oil was prepared to do the usual week-long cleaning, using 2 persons in environmental protective clothing. When the tank was opened, no trace of sludge was found and the cleanup consisted of mopping up a water puddle."

Bill Engle, Service Mgr., Berwyn, Coatesville, Parksburg, PA 
“We have treated with Fuel Right® for four years. Started first year with 50 customers – service problems were eliminated; all customers treated since then with Fuel Right® and service issues have been eliminated”.

Ken Reardon, Owner, Ken’s Oil Service, Danvers. MA
“ We have used Fuel Right® and Cold Flow products for more than 14 years and have maintained consistent positive results.  I would recommend Fuel Right to anyone in our business.”

Gary Steer, Service Manager, Fredericks Fuel - Oakridge, NJ
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