Algae In Fuel

[Jon Wehrenberg]

After 20 years of ownership I saw my first evidence of algae in my fuel yesterday. While doing routine maintenance I changed my fuel filters and saw evidence of something in the sediment bowl in my Racor filter, and after removing the filter element saw it had pieces of algae trapped in it.

I removed and cleaned the sediment bowl and replaced both filters. Since I had no issues with the engine prior to the filter change I suspect I will not have any now. But I am sugesting to everyone that the conditions which led up to finding algae might parallel others.

I changed my oil and fuel filters just prior to a trip to FL in late Feb or early Mar. The bus sat from that trip until our use of it in late June for a trip to NY, a return, and then the trip to ME and back. I had just over 5000 miles on the fuel filters. Since I inspect my fuel filters the previous ones showed no evidence of foreign matter in them. The ones just removed after a little more than 5000 miles of driving had significant amounts of algae. The algae likely formed while the bus was sitting for 3 1/2 months in high temps and higher humidity.

The combination of environmental conditions and the long time between uses was all it took to contaminate the fuel.

Those of you who have driven little, or who have not changed fuel filters regularly should at the very least pull or check your primary filters. A plugged filter will either shut you down or greatly limit the engine's performance. Starving a diesel engine of fuel can make it very difficult to reprime the engine.

[Orren Zook]

Jon,

Are you planning to use a fuel additive to combat any further algae growth in your bus fuel system? If so which one are you going to use?

[Jon Wehrenberg]

No, I'm going to use it more often.

Not kidding about that.

[Woody]

The only way corporate jets stay in the air is with anti algae additive added at every refuel .

We may not have as far to fall when we loose our engine but we can learn from their practices.

Another point - a good old Detroit Diesel mechanic told me to never let the engine sit and to drive it for at least 40 miles every month. This will help the fuel in the tank as well as the engine.

[truk4u]

Jon,

Ditto! I had the same thing a few months ago in the Racor, looked like small black flakes of burned paper that you could only see while the engine was running. Once you shut down, they settled to the very bottom of the glass reservoir and didn't show themselves even by a periodic draining of fuel.

Like you, pulled the filter and it was solid black with icky algae. Took everything apart and cleaned and installed a new filter. My bus runs somewhere every month, I can't imagine what the Racor filter looks like on a bus that has set. I'm just going to change more often as a PM.

Pull your filter out boys, you may get a big surprise!

[GDeen]

Is there any downside to running a fuel additive? Anyone use it and have an idea on cost? Thus far my bus hasn't sat more than 4 or 5 weeks without some driving, but that day will come for sure.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

I believe there are algacides available to prevent algae. The real solution is to run a lot of fuel through the coach. This last month we ran 4000 miles so the old fuel was flushed out since I tended to run it down to the low fuel light trying to get to cheap fuel.

[jack14r]

If there is algae left in the tank and you fill the tank with fuel won't the algae grow in the tank?I thought that if one gets algae that an additive was required to kill it.

[Orren Zook]

Probably the best algaecide on the market is made by E-Zoil of Buffalo NY, its called BIO-BLAST and will kill bacteria, algae and fungus in diesel fuel. One pint can treat between 1000 gallons (initial shock treatment) and 2000 gallons.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

If I continue to have an algae attack I will know. I can see into the sediment bowl on the Racor where it showed up this last time. If it continues I will poison it, probably using what Orren has suggested.

[GDeen]

I am unfamiliar with the type of algae that grows in hydrocarbon only environment. I am very familiar with the type that grows in a salt water and hydrocarbon environment because we deal with them in the oil field. Once we discover we have bacteria or algae growth, we flush everything in the flow loop with biocide (tanks, vessels, pumps, etc). In tough cases, we even have to have scale physically removed from the bottom of tanks so the biocide can reach all the algae hiding in the scale. It is tough stuff and once it gets a foothold, it hangs on.

This stuff that grows in diesel may not be as tenacious, but I am betting once you find it in your system, it is worth running biocide through everything.

[gmcbuffalo]

Jack you are right what ever old fuel and algae is in the tank will generator new algae for the new fuel. I like an infection you got to get it all out and medicate it. Jon don't wait, TREAT.
GregM

[Jon Wehrenberg]

It's on my list of things to pick up on Monday.

[Alek&Lucia]

Jon,

Here below is a good algae killer:

http://www.mwfi.com/Fuel-Additives/Bionical.html

Alek

[BoaterAl]

Jon, One of the things I remember from the boating days on algae in diesel fuel tanks is water is the is the thing needed to grow it. We always added isopropyl alcohol to the fuel as that type will gather the water and dispense it. I'm told that is the only type used in piston type aircraft, not methanol as in brand "Heet". Maybe you could add that to your shopping list. And Xmas is coming for all of us. What a great gift !
AL
2005 Marathon XL II

[GDeen]

I am due for fluids and filter change, and will check out the fuel filters for signs of varmits.

Was just looking at my records, and we have run 10,800 miles since March so I haven't let diesel sit around in there too long. Will be interesting to see if we have some. Should show up in the genset filter also if it is present.

[flyu2there]

Although we refer to it as algae, it really is not, as algae only grows in water which would in turn generate an even larger problem than black flakes of asphalt in ones filter. This is a major problem in the boating world in fact many marinas have equipment to "polish" the fuel which by all appearance are a series of pumps and filters that pull fuel from ones tank, filter it and return it....takes some time, not a quick process.

My guess is that Jon got a bad load of fuel. I have attached a lengthy article that pretty much explains it all, there is a caution on additives.

"Diesel fuel is a very complex mixture of thousands of individual compounds with carbon numbers between 9 and 23 (number of carbon atoms per hydrocarbon* molecule) Most of these compounds are members of the paraffinic, naphthenic or aromatic class of hydrocarbons (HC)*. These three classes have different chemical and physical properties. The different relative proportions of the three classes is one of the factors that make one diesel fuel different from another. It influences fuel properties and affects its performance. Up until about 15-20 years ago, refineries used only about 50% of a barrel of crude oil to make distillates such as gasoline, jet fuel and diesel. The remainder of the barrel of crude oil went to "residual oil". Today, as a result of different refining techniques and additive packages, the refinery uses 85% or more of the same barrel of crude, which clearly has consequences for fuel stability. More than 90% of the debris on filter elements and the sludge in our storage tanks is organic material, fuel and oil breakdown residue. In most cases, this debris is acidic and not good for your engine. It causes corrosion in injectors, pumps and storage tanks. The solids that form as the result of the inherent instability of the fuel and the natural process of degradation will accumulate in the bottom of your tank. The sludge will form a coating or bio-film on the walls and baffles of the tank, plug your filters and impact combustion efficiency. Eventually it will clog fuel lines and ruin your equipment.
(*Hydrocarbons are organic compounds composed entirely of carbon and hydrogen divided in four major classes: paraffins, naphthenes, olefins, and aromatics. These classes share common structural features but differ in size, (number of carbon atoms per molecule) and/or geometry. While hydrogen and carbon are the predominant elements in crude oil, small amounts of sulfur, nitrogen and oxygen are also present and referred to as hetero-atoms (other-atoms). Compounds containing hetero-atoms are non-hydrocarbons. Typical non-hydrocarbons found in diesel are dibenzothiophene and carbazole, which play a large role in determining certain fuel properties. )
Filter plugging can have several causes. For example, low temperatures can cause wax crystallization, which can lead to filter plugging. An example would be using summer diesel in cold weather. Wax or paraffin is part of the diesel fuel. Chemical incompatibility may cause dramatic filter plugging. This may happen when fuels with incompatible additive packages are mixed. Contaminant build up resulting from excessive microbial growth and bio-degradation of fuel can cause filter plugging. Micro-organisms, bacteria and enzyme activity, fungus, yeast and mold cause fuel degradation and the formation of waste products. The process is similar to milk turning into cottage cheese, a different form of milk. Of all the microbial debris and waste products in the tank only about .01% is bugs. Even though microbes may cause and accelerate the process of fuel degradation, it should be clear that the waste products clogging your filter are not the microbes but fuel components which have formed solids.
Remember, algae are a life form found in water, similar to algae growing in an aquarium. However, for years, people have been referring to tank sludge and to the jelly, slime and other contaminants found in fuel filters as "algae". The colloquialism "diesel fuel algae" is widely used and understood. However, there is no relationship between the "algae" growing in your aquarium and the sludge "growing" (forming) in your fuel tank and showing up on your filter elements. There are three basic areas of concern in fuels and oil. They are: 1. water 2. in-organic debris (sand, dust, rust, etc.) and 3. organic debris (fuel breakdown products and waste products of fuel deterioration and re-polymerization). The organic debris represents more than 90% of all the contaminants found in fuels and oil. It is this organic debris, the sludgy, slimy, acidic material that people refer to as "diesel fuel algae". It could also be called polymer, tar or wax and asphalt!
Frequently, the application of a biocide aggravates the situation and turns bio-film into solids, creating a real fuel filter nightmare. Bio film develops through out the entire fuel system. It grows in the water fuel interface and on the walls, baffles, and bottoms of storage tanks. An unlucky end user may be filling up his tank and getting this debris delivered as a part of his fuel, for the same price as the fuel. Poor thermal fuel stability can plug filters. Fuel will form particulates (solids) when exposed to pumps and the hot surfaces and pressure of the fuel injection system. This will result in an increase in asphaltene agglomerations, polymerization and a dramatic loss of combustion efficiency. Fuel systems, in general, are designed to return a significant proportion of the fuel, not used for combustion, back to the tank. This return fuel is very hot and will promote polymerization and fuel breakdown. Eventually, more and more solids from the tank will reach the filter and over time, plug the filter. These problems continuously occur in commercially operated engines, such as trucks, heavy equipment, shipping, and power generation, but will also appear in recreational boats, RV's and all types of fuel storage tanks. Truck engines are used continuously and, in most cases, the tanks "appear to be clean". However, a 2-micron filter element does not last very long, in general 15,000 miles or less. It should be 30,000 miles or more. In the marine industry 400 hours is in many instances SOP while filters should easily last 1000 hours or more. Short filter life is quite remarkable realizing how "thin" diesel fuel actually is and knowing how clean the tanks on most trucks "appear" to be. Short filter life is symptomatic of polymerization, increase in the size of the fuel droplet, agglomeration of asphaltenes and the formation solids in fuel systems. The consequences are carbon build up in engines and exhaust systems, higher fuel consumption and excessive smoke."

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Just to be more explicit the debris found in my Racor sediment bowl and on the filter element was somewhat like a very fine Spanish Moss.

It was not black or flakes, but appeared to be fine strands of material, that when removed from the sediment bowl looked like a dark brown or black blob, but while in the sediment bowl had the mossy or hairlike appearance and a brown color.

On the filter it looked less like hair or moss, but appeared more like semi rotted leaves.

Since I change fuel filters every 5000 miles the accumulation on the 30 micron Racor primary filter was nowhere near the point at which fuel flow would have been compromised. I first noticed the debris in the amber Racor sediment bowl several thousands of miles ago and did not react because it has been tens of thousands of miles since the bowl has been drained, removed or cleaned. My first reaction upon seeing it was that it was a build up of crud over time and I had planned to clean the sediment bowl on this service cycle anyway. I cannot say the amount collected in the bowl was recent or over an extended time period, but since I do examine my filters I can say I have never previously detected visible material in the pleats of my filters.

I have run the generator a lot since the last service, and while it is not due for a service now those fuel filters are going to be changed and I will be carrying spare fuel filters for the coach and generator.

With the exception of adding 70 gallons of fuel at a busy Hess truck stop on the way to Maine, I have not taken on fuel anywhere else during this last maintenance cycle at any place other than the Pilot that is 3 miles from the house. Whether I got dirty fuel there or not I cannot speculate. They flow a lot of fuel and have recent filters on their pumps so my guess is the problem is not with a bad tank of fuel.

I don't know if this relates to the issue, but since the change in fuels a couple of years ago my mileage has definintely gone down. Although there are many variables that impact mileage such as wind, weight of toad, hills, speed, generator usage, etc. I have recorded every gallon of fuel pumped into the coach and if I ever get bored I will tally my fuel usage per mile over 12 month periods which should reflect reasonably accurately the impact of the change in sulfur content. I can even pull data relative to generator hours so some compensation can be made for generator usage. Maybe the truck stops are delivering debris as part of the fuel.

[BoaterAl]

John ....excellant read on all the variables. My quick question would be is it a good idea to add isopropyl alcohol on occasion to the tank ? In looking at my site glass yesterday it was clear. That was part of the pre trip inspection on the diesel boats was that Racor filter to give you a heads up on the condition of your tank fuel. A look see after the fuel had settled as the water would be at the bottom and visible as a clear fluid.
I think it is a must do in carrying a complete set of fuel filters as we travel. That will be the first thing to change when the engine quits. Buying them out on the road your not going to be paying the discount price.
My last comment is to never...never ..never fuel when the tanker is dumping fuel into the storage tanks. Thats when all that junk is in suspension and sucked into the pump. Those filters that hang on the outside of the pump are not going to catch all the trash.
AL
2005 Marathon XLII

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Although we refer to it as algae, it really is not, as algae only grows in water which would in turn generate an even larger problem than black flakes of asphalt in ones filter. This is a major problem in the boating world in fact many marinas have equipment to "polish" the fuel which by all appearance are a series of pumps and filters that pull fuel from ones tank, filter it and return it....takes some time, not a quick process.

My guess is that Jon got a bad load of fuel. I have attached a lengthy article that pretty much explains it all, there is a caution on additives.

"Diesel fuel is a very complex mixture of thousands of individual compounds with carbon numbers between 9 and 23 (number of carbon atoms per hydrocarbon* molecule) Most of these compounds are members of the paraffinic, naphthenic or aromatic class of hydrocarbons (HC)*. These three classes have different chemical and physical properties. The different relative proportions of the three classes is one of the factors that make one diesel fuel different from another. It influences fuel properties and affects its performance. Up until about 15-20 years ago, refineries used only about 50% of a barrel of crude oil to make distillates such as gasoline, jet fuel and diesel. The remainder of the barrel of crude oil went to "residual oil". Today, as a result of different refining techniques and additive packages, the refinery uses 85% or more of the same barrel of crude, which clearly has consequences for fuel stability. More than 90% of the debris on filter elements and the sludge in our storage tanks is organic material, fuel and oil breakdown residue. In most cases, this debris is acidic and not good for your engine. It causes corrosion in injectors, pumps and storage tanks. The solids that form as the result of the inherent instability of the fuel and the natural process of degradation will accumulate in the bottom of your tank. The sludge will form a coating or bio-film on the walls and baffles of the tank, plug your filters and impact combustion efficiency. Eventually it will clog fuel lines and ruin your equipment.
(*Hydrocarbons are organic compounds composed entirely of carbon and hydrogen divided in four major classes: paraffins, naphthenes, olefins, and aromatics. These classes share common structural features but differ in size, (number of carbon atoms per molecule) and/or geometry. While hydrogen and carbon are the predominant elements in crude oil, small amounts of sulfur, nitrogen and oxygen are also present and referred to as hetero-atoms (other-atoms). Compounds containing hetero-atoms are non-hydrocarbons. Typical non-hydrocarbons found in diesel are dibenzothiophene and carbazole, which play a large role in determining certain fuel properties. )
Filter plugging can have several causes. For example, low temperatures can cause wax crystallization, which can lead to filter plugging. An example would be using summer diesel in cold weather. Wax or paraffin is part of the diesel fuel. Chemical incompatibility may cause dramatic filter plugging. This may happen when fuels with incompatible additive packages are mixed. Contaminant build up resulting from excessive microbial growth and bio-degradation of fuel can cause filter plugging. Micro-organisms, bacteria and enzyme activity, fungus, yeast and mold cause fuel degradation and the formation of waste products. The process is similar to milk turning into cottage cheese, a different form of milk. Of all the microbial debris and waste products in the tank only about .01% is bugs. Even though microbes may cause and accelerate the process of fuel degradation, it should be clear that the waste products clogging your filter are not the microbes but fuel components which have formed solids.
Remember, algae are a life form found in water, similar to algae growing in an aquarium. However, for years, people have been referring to tank sludge and to the jelly, slime and other contaminants found in fuel filters as "algae". The colloquialism "diesel fuel algae" is widely used and understood. However, there is no relationship between the "algae" growing in your aquarium and the sludge "growing" (forming) in your fuel tank and showing up on your filter elements. There are three basic areas of concern in fuels and oil. They are: 1. water 2. in-organic debris (sand, dust, rust, etc.) and 3. organic debris (fuel breakdown products and waste products of fuel deterioration and re-polymerization). The organic debris represents more than 90% of all the contaminants found in fuels and oil. It is this organic debris, the sludgy, slimy, acidic material that people refer to as "diesel fuel algae". It could also be called polymer, tar or wax and asphalt!
Frequently, the application of a biocide aggravates the situation and turns bio-film into solids, creating a real fuel filter nightmare. Bio film develops through out the entire fuel system. It grows in the water fuel interface and on the walls, baffles, and bottoms of storage tanks. An unlucky end user may be filling up his tank and getting this debris delivered as a part of his fuel, for the same price as the fuel. Poor thermal fuel stability can plug filters. Fuel will form particulates (solids) when exposed to pumps and the hot surfaces and pressure of the fuel injection system. This will result in an increase in asphaltene agglomerations, polymerization and a dramatic loss of combustion efficiency. Fuel systems, in general, are designed to return a significant proportion of the fuel, not used for combustion, back to the tank. This return fuel is very hot and will promote polymerization and fuel breakdown. Eventually, more and more solids from the tank will reach the filter and over time, plug the filter. These problems continuously occur in commercially operated engines, such as trucks, heavy equipment, shipping, and power generation, but will also appear in recreational boats, RV's and all types of fuel storage tanks. Truck engines are used continuously and, in most cases, the tanks "appear to be clean". However, a 2-micron filter element does not last very long, in general 15,000 miles or less. It should be 30,000 miles or more. In the marine industry 400 hours is in many instances SOP while filters should easily last 1000 hours or more. Short filter life is quite remarkable realizing how "thin" diesel fuel actually is and knowing how clean the tanks on most trucks "appear" to be. Short filter life is symptomatic of polymerization, increase in the size of the fuel droplet, agglomeration of asphaltenes and the formation solids in fuel systems. The consequences are carbon build up in engines and exhaust systems, higher fuel consumption and excessive smoke."

John, there is an awful lot of information here causing overload for me! Did you wright the article? If so I have some questions, if you don't mind.

The article states what is going on and happening in the fuel system and to the storage tank and warns of the dangers of additives to the fuel for prevention of the situation, but it does not offer any suggestions for the cure or prevention of the situation once it has taken over ones vehicle for instance.

Preceding the article you mention fuel polishing, is that the only remedy you know of?

What methods are used in the aircraft environment to prevent the situation?

Do jets require their fuel system be cleaned out thoroughly every so many hours?

If this fuel contamination (algae) is such a wide spread problem do you have any idea why the fuel is not formulated to prevent algae and or keep it more under control?


JIM

[flyu2there]

Probably the simplest cure to is a frequent change in fuel filters until the junk disappears that, of course, coupled with frequent use and more fresh fuel should work. I know that many marinas have the equipment to polish fuel which is nothing more than running it through a series of very large filters each finer than the previous and returning the fuel to the tank, sans additives. The process is supposed to clean the tank as well because of the high pressure of the fuel pumped back in stirs up the fluid and the process is continued until no debris is found. Caution here, polishing can also be interpreted by some as adding a jar of some kind of "snake oil" which in the final analysis may or may not work I can attest to the filter polishing, while I have not used the process on my bus, I have used it on boats. It takes longer than one may think, I do believe it took several hours to clean 200 gallons of fuel from my sailboat. I think I last filled that tank in the early 90's and it is still full....but that's a sailboat.

I do believe the the ultra low sulfur fuels have a lower cetane rating which may explain that issue, that can be overcome with a cetane boost. Alkyl nitrates (principally 2-ethyl hexyl nitrate ) and di-tert-butyl peroxide are used as additives to raise the cetane number. Look for it on the label.

Finally, jet fuel. Kerosene comes a bit higher on the cracking tower and with the exception of anti icing inhibitors I have never added anything to it. I would guess that I am personally responsible for burning at least a couple hundred thousand tons of that stuff and never a problem....however no jet sits on the ground very long.

[flyu2there]

JIM,

John, there is an awful lot of information here causing overload for me! Did you wright the article? If so I have some questions, if you don't mind.

I did not write the article it is in my library under fuel

The article states what is going on and happening in the fuel system and to the storage tank and warns of the dangers of additives to the fuel for prevention of the situation, but it does not offer any suggestions for the cure or prevention of the situation once it has taken over ones vehicle for instance.

My best guess is that long term sitting is the root cause and that sitting may well be in a storage tank rather than in your fuel tank; fuel, like everything else, breaks down to a degree with age. I think it is safe to say that it is prudent to only by fuel from providers who serve up copious amounts of the stuff, Flying J, etc.

Preceding the article you mention fuel polishing, is that the only remedy you know of?

Yes, of course frequent use would probably be preferred. I suppose the fuel could be drained and refilled with fresh as another alternative.

What methods are used in the aircraft environment to prevent the situation?

It does not appear to be an issue with turbine powered aircraft, although all a/c fuel providers have strict filtering requirements prior to dispensing. A jet engine is not nearly as "fussy" as an internal combustion engine. A jet will run on peanut oil, coconut oil, paint thinner, rubbing alcohol, Vodka (probably 100 proof minimum), whatever as long as it is clean enough to pass thru the fuel control unit and the fuel nozzles. We have a Dodge Diesel P/U Truck at the airport, since we have had it it has run very well on Jet A although the exhaust aroma is perhaps peculiar....Jet A does work in diesel engines although there are probably some other issues that develop in time

Do jets require their fuel system be cleaned out thoroughly every so many hours?

Yes and No. Most turbines are on a progressive maintenance program components are changed at regular intervals regardless of their condition rather than "on condition"; I might add that there may well be many thousands of hours between component changes. I do believe water is a bigger issue with jet fuel as more often than not tanks are only partially filled and condensation can be a problem; the jet engine doesn't seem to mind water but the fuel indicating systems do. All jets are usually sumped every 24 flight hours (Part of an A Check) to remove excess water. As I recall, most turbine fuel systems are filtered down to around 10 microns however the filters will by pass if they become clogged, the engine will contine to operate normally but it may well trigger a component change. As mentioned earlier, Kerosene is a higher refined product than Diesel so it appears not to be as big an issue.

If this fuel contamination (algae) is such a wide spread problem do you have any idea why the fuel is not formulated to prevent algae and or keep it more under control?

I think as the article indicates, it is the normal aging process of diesel fuel. Gasoline when left for long periods will varnish up the fuel system although the no lead thing has reduced that plus there are additives that help, Sta-Bil and the like. Again, in diesel fuel, it is NOT algae in the fuel, can't happen. It is junk that forms as the fuel is affected by a whole laundry list of items (mold, bacteria, water, corrosion, heat and age)..as they mentioned in the article, kind of like milk turning into cottage cheese. It is probably sage advice to carry at all times some spare fuel filters but aside from that, other than being aware, there is probably not to much one can do save use the bus. I have no doubt that there is something akin to Botox that could be added to the fuel at manufacture however it is probably a cost thing and for the most part has prooven to really not to be a huge issue

[PrevostNewbie]

I have a Powertech 17.5 KW, and a Racor 500FG S/S. Looks like the filter comes in 2, 10 and 30 micron. Which one do you recommend?

[Gil_J]

10 micron if it's your only filter, 2 is unnecessarily too fine, and 30 is used for primary filters.

[Fratto]

I would think that the Racor was the primary filter and there would be a spin on secondary fine filter.

[PrevostNewbie]

I do have a secondary spin on, i am using the Donaldson P550127 for the secondary, it says it is a 17 micron? Seems kinda high is that incorrect for a secondary? I replaced what was on there.
http://forum.prevostownersgroup.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=16866&stc=1

[Gil_J]

17 micron secondary on our generators is not surprising. These are old school very forgiving engines. It still would be good to check the engine manufacturers specification.

[Fratto]

I thought mine was 10 ... but honestly, I dont remember ha! That seems to happening more every day