Mathilde Lacombe

Diesel generators are amongst the most robust, reliable, and reasonably-priced power supply machines that have ever been incepted. With that being said, it doesn’t mean that the machine can’t do with a bit of maintenance on the part of the owner. Australian cities that are fed up with the constant discomforts caused by the power blackouts have their trust firmly on having a diesel generator in place.

Most diesel generator owners who care who have their units maintained and cleaned at right intervals will continue to enjoy the fruits of their attention for years and years to come. However, if you feel that your generator’s performance is still not up to the mark then you might want to take a closer look at the quality of diesel fuel that’s fed into the machine.

Diesel fuel is an overall better generator fuel than most alternatives such as gasoline, biodiesel, NG, etc. but with continuous negligence and incompetent storage, the fuel will likely suffer from a number of potential threats, and we are going to study the 3 major threats to diesel fuel in a bit.

Hence, this article is going to focus on the importance of professional diesel storage on your generator’s performance and how to ensure the same. So without beating around the bush anymore, let’s start off with the potential threats to the quality of your stored generator fuel.

03 Biggest Threats To Diesel Fuel Quality:

1. Contamination:

Depending on the level of humidity, and the frequency with which the container comes in contact with water (moisture), the quality of your diesel fuel may drop by around 50% in a matter of five to six months. Over time, microbial action within the liquid may increase under ideal conditions, not to mention the chemical reaction that they cause, leading to contamination of diesel fuel.

Spontaneous microbial growth inside the container can be prevented by ensuring a seal-tight environment where the stored fuel can’t undergo reaction with the surrounding gases.

2. Hydrolysis:

Hydrolysis refers to the simple process of adding the water molecules to a different type of compound thereby leading to a chemical reaction. The addition of water molecules in significant quantities can easily break the chemical composition or chemical bonding of the other participant. In the case of diesel fuel, adding water will not only dilute the quality but also hamper the combustible properties of the fuel.

3. Fuel Oxidation:

Even inside a seemingly inert, stable storage container, a certain amount of uncontrollable oxidation is likely to occur quite so slowly that an untrained professional doesn’t account for it. The oxidation process leads to the degradation of diesel fuel and can severely impact the fuel efficiency of the generator.

Why Proper Storage Of Diesel Is Important?

1. To ensure maximum fuel efficiency of your diesel gensets:

The final power output you receive out of the generator has a lot to do with the standard of diesel fed into it. This is because poor diesel will not be able to undergo complete combustion, thereby causing a decrease in the level of chemical energy produced by the combustion, and then the alternator is left with little to turn it into electric current.

The fuel efficiency of a regular portable diesel generator is generally 40-50% which is significantly higher than gasoline units of a similar size and power. But the continuation of poor feeding can have a lasting impact on the generator’s power output capacity.

2. For saving on some serious bucks:

Impure or low-quality fuel doesn’t offer the best power output, and for that reason, the engine runs out of fuel quicker than expected. The owner then has to feed the machine with more diesel fuel and that issue when considered collectively for a period, say a year, can cost anywhere from $100 to $500 AUD more than what you should’ve if only the diesel was of good degree.

3. To ensure the best life-expectancy of the genset:

Diesel generators are the behemoths of offering longevity to their owners. A regular Genset is built to be able to serve a period of 15,000 to 30,000 hours when in operation. However, the poor diesel quality will cause the internal parts to suffer from overheating, overburden, and other issues, which can cause gradual wear and tear, thereby decreasing the lifespan of the machine.

4. Better diesel quality is more environmentally friendly:

Once again, if the diesel fuel doesn’t burn properly owing to its sub-standard quality, the remaining unburnt fuel, along with other soot particles, dust and smoke will be released into the atmosphere.

Diesel generators of today are quieter and cleaner than ever before. So if your modern Genset has suddenly started to produce an opaque trail of smoke from the exhaust, it’s a clear indication that you’re using diesel fuel that’s no longer of the required grade!

How To Properly Store Your Diesel Fuel?

You must not think twice before investing in buying a diesel storage tank, especially when you have business operations with demanding types of machinery that have high power consumption.

If you have to store a modest quantity of diesel fuel, you can keep it in regular 5-gallon containers that you can easily acquire from a nearby service station. For bigger fuel quantities, however, there is an absolute necessity for buying a professionally built diesel transfer tank with a minimum holding capacity of 60 gallons.

The larger diesel storage tanks are made of metal or even polyethylene. These transfer tanks can be installed over the ground or even underground so that they may not be easily reached by someone else or depending on the site and local storage guidelines. The specific size of the diesel storage tank is, obviously, reliant on how much fuel you have to store. Biocide additives are also added to prevent the fuel quality from deteriorating, but can’t be added in high amounts as it further dilutes the fuel standard.

Conclusion:

At www.krugerpower.com.au, we are at the forefront of our industry providing the most in-trend generator solution for our customers. When all is settled, perhaps the best choice is to allow the experts to handle the generator selection and installation services on your behalf. This is exactly where our professionals at Kruger Power come into play. For any diesel fuel generators you may be looking for, we have the one in your inventory that perfectly matches your requirements and expectations.