A Common Rail Diesel engines typical fuel injector will open and close more than a billion times, the injection duration is only 1 to 2 milliseconds (mS), and fuel is injected into the pistons at approximately 2000km/h through the nozzles opening of less than .25mm2. The valve needle clearance is .002mm (2µm); by comparison, with a human hair being 30 times thicker (.06mm).
With tolerances, speeds and pressures of the common rail being so extreme, to maintain the engines running at peak performances, the fuel must be free from contaminations, moisture and fuel lubricity must be at maximum available.
Most operators and owners of diesel engines rarely think about the quality of the fuel they’re pumping into the tank, it would only be fair to think they are being supplied fuel to reach the standards now required by machinery.
I know from personal experience the type of fuel quality varies greatly when travelling across regional areas of many countries and fuelled boats sailing across the Pacific Ocean and Mediterranean a few times, bunkering 400 litres to 90,000 litres with very mixed results and a lot of headaches, and yes I sample in a clear dry container at start, mid-point and end of bunkers and let the fuel settle for a few days to see the water content………the fuel quality issues have occurred in the remotest areas and big cities
Fuel quality can vary due to many factors and the issues occur in many ways in one volume of fuel at any point of time.
This is just a short example of the issues that can occur from its leaving the ground to the injection nozzle.
• Source of crude oil used,
• Quality of refining of fuel,
• During shipping (did the ship used sail across a change in sea temp resulting in atmospheric moisture being drawn into the tanks),
• Quality of shore side facility,
• Were different suppliers fuel being blended in bulk stage facilities,
• Quality, and condition of underground tanks at local suppliers,
• Are all tanks and pipes clean and moisture free at all stages?
• What is the bacterial content levels in the fuel?
• Atmospheric or thermal conditions of storage all facilities involved.
• Age of fuel before use?
• Does the end user know the condition of the insides of the tanks they are filling?
In comparison to gasoline, diesel fuels have more impurities and contains dissolved water, free water, and now with modern Common Rail the reliability of the engine’s hinge on the fuel evermore.
Proven Fuel Management Ltd have researched and developed our units for you to provide the improved levels of fuel quality to diesel combustion engines, being constant speed like generators or heavy demand like tractors and transport engines.
Building both in-line units and recirculation systems we are confident we can assist in improving your operation, no matter of its size, helping you maintaining your fuels within the ISO Cleanliness Code range of 15/12/10 to 12/9/6 required by most new diesel injector manufacturers.