Good Fuel = Good Profits

More than ever, emphasis on fuel quality — what goes in and what comes out — is a top agenda item of lawmakers and vessel owners alike. With ever tightening pressure on vessel owners to lower consumption and emission numbers, similar pressure has been applied to the maritime supply market to make engines, systems and products that help achieve this end. Algae-X offers a line of fuel conditioning products that it touts as helping owners, both large and small, to meet and exceed the rigors of running profitable, environmentally compliant vessel. "The Port of Everglades Pilots have been using the Algae-X unit for almost two years, and we can honestly say it works," said a letter from the Pilot Association's Boat Maintenance Department, distributed by Algae-X. "We use in excess of 50,00 gallons of diesel fuel each year for our pilot boats … we have found that fuel filters and fuel are much cleaner." Engine manufacturers, it can be assumed, build the best possible quality engines, incorporating the latest technology. However, engine manufacturers have no control over the stability and quality of the fuel going into the engines. Similarly, it is also generally assumed that the fuel supplier always tries to sell the best possible quality fuel. However, the supplier does not make the fuel and has no control over the storage and delivery systems of suppliers. Fuel that meets ASTM specifications at the supplier level, does not automatically prevent fuel related problems, such as poor engine performance, injector problems, loss of RPM, excessive exhaust, smoke, filter clogging and tank sludge at the end user level. Getting Good Fuel Poor fuel quality will increase maintenance, fuel consumption and emissions. Ultimately it will ruin engines, turbines and shut down emergency power systems. Just like any other organic fluid, fuel quality will deteriorate. Fuel quality and chemistry are affected by transportation, storage and as the result of factors such as oxidation, water, microbial contamination, incompatible additive packages, etc. Algae-X's Magnetic Fuel Conditioner is installed in the fuel line between the tank and the filter. It continuously treats and conditions the fuel directly before combustion and before it returns to the tank. The Algae-X product range to improve fuel quality includes: • LG-X units accommodate port sizes ranging from .25- to 2-in. with a flow rate between 25 and 2,500 gph. • The FC Series can accommodate port sizes range from 1.5 to a 48-in. flange and can handle flow rates up from 60 GPM to over 450 GPM. Larger equipment for pipelines and tank farms are built to customer specification. • AFC-705 Fuel Catalyst is a full spectrum additive designed to provide superior fuel quality for engines and storage tanks. It is designed to eliminate the build up of tank sludge, improves combustion and reduces harmful exhaust. • The MTC-1000 is a Mobile Tank Cleaning System that is designed to remove sludge and water that accumulates in the bottom of storage tanks for fuels and oil. • The Water Eliminator is designed to remove water from fuel storage tanks, reducing the potential for microbial contamination and accumulation of sludge in tanks. • Liqui-Cult test kits are designed to detect microbial growth in fluids, in the laboratory and in the workplace. Areas of application included metalworking fluids, circulating cooling and process water, hydrocarbons, and other liquids such as cleaners, cosmetics, liquid soaps and detergents, etc.