South Africa-based fuel cleanliness company Supa Fuel has developed a system that detects the presence of water and drains it from fuel storage tanks automatically, eliminating problems associated with the presence of water in fuel, which can result in engine failure, inefficient fuel use and harmful emissions, Supa Fuel CEO Chris Chow tells Mining Weekly.
He explains that water contamination can occur along the supply chain primarily through condensation in all bulk storage tanks.
Chow notes that, since the 1930s until currently, numerous studies and companies have highlighted that water contamination of fuel is the main cause of combustion engine damage.
“I have seen whole fleets of mining equipment going down due to water contaminated fuel,“ he recounts.
Moreover, Chow explains that water allows for bacteria and rust to develop that subsequently act as more harmful contaminants.
In a study conducted by Supa Fuel between 2007 and 2009, at a mine in Ghana, a saving of $5.9-million in one year was recorded as a direct result of cleaner fuel. Chow notes that the majority of these savings came from reduced unplanned stoppages, lower fuel filter usage and, ultimately, an increase in productivity.
Supa Fuel Solution
Supa Fuel‘s patented solution, which took 14 months to develop, is now ready to be introduced to the market.
Chow emphasises that this is a “world first” and a “game changing” solution in terms of improving fuel cleanliness levels and avoiding unnecessary maintenance costs.
The system development comprised two stages. Supa Fuel had to develop a method for establishing whether water was present and for removing it from the fuel storage tank.
Traditionally, a dipstick smeared with green paste, which turns pink when it comes into contact with water, is used to establish the presence of water in fuel, Chow explains.
This is an inadequate method to test for water because of the poor shelf life of the paste and the room for error that it allows, he notes, adding that the paste tends to wash off the metal dipstick.
Automatic tank gauging systems (ATGs) fitted with water probes are a high-tech water-finding alternative to the paste, says Chow. However, ATGs are expensive and become particularly expensive to retrofit, he argues.
Therefore, Supa Fuel developed and patented an explosionproof hand-held device that passes a sensor into the fuel tank. Upon contact with water, the unit’s warning light will turn red indicating the presence of water.
Supa Fuel also developed an automatic system that uses sensors to detect the presence of water or fuel.
The fuel is pumped out of the fuel tank through the water drain and the system automatically drains the free water from the bulk storage tank.
Current practice to remove water from fuel is either by water coalescing filters or by water separators. Chow argues that these systems require some kind of human interaction by means of regular filter replacement and manual water drainage, which may or may not occur on a regular basis leading to imminent failure.
Therefore, he believes that the Supa Fuel water detection system, coupled with the water draining system, is the solution to many maintenance woes.