AXI’s fuel sampling and testing equipment allows equipment managers to gain a thorough understanding of the fuel quality. With our sampling equipment, users are able to pull fuel samples from areas of the fuel tank where contaminants such as water and microbes reside. Once the fuel samples are collected, AXI offers a number of comprehensive options for fuel testing. AXI International recommends all fuel managers to adhere to the following simple 4-step protocol when it comes to regular fuel testing to maintain fuel reliability.
1. Sample
Sampling fuel from a storage tank is the only way to know the true status of your energy source. When sampling, be sure to pull fuel from problematic areas of the tank for the best represented sample. These areas include the bottom of the tank and between baffle walls.
2. Analyze
Analyze the fuel sample with a number of available testing methods. Fuel samples can be sent away for lab testing, but results can take a few days or more. For quicker results, testing can be done by yourself using FUELSTAT® or Kolor Kut® water finding paste.
3. React
Reacting to your fuel testing results can lead to a number of required actions. If fuel is found to be contaminated above ISO standards, it is recommended the fuel be brought back into operable spec using a fuel maintenance method to remove the harmful contaminants.
4. Repeat
This process must be repeated for maximum effectiveness. Fuel tanks can become contaminated after fuel testing and treatment through means of fuel filling/transfer of new fuel, condensation/humidity, and fuel degradation which will occur over extended periods of time.
Available Solutions:
1. Sample
- AXI's fluid sampling pumps are designed to easily pull fuel samples from hard to reach areas with high levels of contamination. Users can feed samples directly into a connected sampling bottle which can then be sent out for lab analysis.
- Fuel tank samplers (also known as "bacon bombs") are best used to sample fuel from the bottom of bulk tanks where higher levels of contamination are more likely to occur.
- It is best practice to routinely sample all fuel sources of emergency power to monitor fuel quality in order to ensure optimal reliability.
2. Analyze
- For analysis, fuel samples can be taken, bottled, and sent away to a lab for testing. This process typically takes a few days to receive results after the fluid samples have been sent.
- FUELSTAT® fuel testing is an ASTM D6469 compliant method for fuel testing that delivers on-site results on H-Res, bacterial, and fungal contamination levels in 15 minutes or less.
- To determine if there is water present in a fuel tank, KolorKut® Water Finding Paste can also be used to gain immediate insight.
3. React
- After analyzing fuel test results, it is important to determine which actions need to be taken to remove contamination and proactively prevent it from occurring in the future. AXI offers many solutions that are used to manually or automatically remove contaminants in order to restore fuel quality.
- AXI's Mobile Fuel Polishing Systems are a manual solution that can be used to quickly bring heavily contaminated fuel back to spec.
- AXI's Fuel Maintenance Systems are automated solutions that proactively filter the fuel supply on a routine basis to prevent periods of unreliable fuel.
4. Repeat
- It is extremely important to regularly test for fuel contamination, especially for mission critical facilities that manage large volumes of fuel for backup power purposes. Fuel needs to be treated as the critical component that it is to prevent any unnecessary downtime.
- Bringing fuel back to ISO 4406 specification does not mean that it will remain that way long-term. Fuel often falls out of specification through natural degradation, microbial growth, and the introduction of new contaminants through the transferring and filling of new fuel loads.
- Become proactive with sampling and testing to avoid larger cascading problems from fuel degradation and contamination, protecting the operability and reliability of your facilities and/or equipment that relies on it.
