Episode 056 - Back To School - Long Term Fuel Storage

In this episode of the Fuel Pulse Show, host Erik Bjornstad delves into the basics of long-term diesel fuel storage. He explains that diesel fuel begins to degrade almost immediately after refining due to unstable molecules and environmental factors like heat, oxygen, water, and microbial contamination.

Bjornstad discusses various tests to assess fuel health, including water and sediment, oxidative stability, and microbial testing. He recommends removing water and biomass, eliminating microbial contamination, and using fuel stabilizers to slow degradation.

The episode emphasizes the importance of early intervention and regular maintenance to extend the life of stored diesel fuel, providing valuable insights for fuel storage management.

Listen to the Full Episode:

What You'll Learn:

• The chemical processes that occur in stored diesel fuel
• Factors that accelerate fuel degradation during storage
• How to assess the health and stability of stored fuel
• Key tests for evaluating fuel condition, including water and sediment, oxidative stability, and microbial tests
• Methods to slow down fuel degradation and extend storage life
• The importance of removing water and biomass from stored fuel
• Why addressing microbial contamination is crucial for fuel stability
• The role of fuel stabilizers in preserving fuel quality
• Best practices for maintaining stored diesel fuel over long periods
• The significance of early intervention in fuel storage management

Ideas Worth Sharing:

Here are three notable quotes from the podcast episode:

• "Heat speeds up all of those chemical reactions linked to degrading the fuel. This kind of process always happens faster in hot weather than cold weather."
• "Using a fuel stabilizer is an essential step to stopping the oxidative and other chemical reactions that, if left unchecked, will result in stored fuel degradation."
• "Even if you could avoid every single one of these, you would still have reactive precursor molecules already in the fuel that would start to attack healthy fuel molecules virtually from day one."

Resources:

• ASTM 975 (referenced in relation to the water and sediment test)
• Erik Bjornstad: LinkedIn

Show Notes:

00:00 - Introduction and episode topic
00:59 - What happens when fuel is stored
01:59 - Factors that speed up fuel degradation
03:59 - Ways to assess fuel health and stability
05:59 - Key tests for evaluating stored fuel condition
07:59 - Methods to slow down fuel degradation
09:59 - Conclusion and recap