We saw a lot of generator dealers and suppliers at the PowerGen Show (the annual trade show for the power generation industry) in Orlando last week. It’s not unexpected, given that the power generation business is awash in generators, backup systems, and the like. Bell Performance has been treating fuel in power generation for well over sixty years, so we’re always excited to attend PowerGen.
When we were conversing with one of our California dealers who was also there, they said something that really surprised us. On the topic of treating infected fuel (getting rid of fuel microorganisms), they said that a competitor (who must stay nameless here) was marketing people on the notion that they had a biocide fuel treating system that would not only kill but also vaporize microbes in fuel. To put it another way, whatever they added to the fuel would make the microorganisms “disappear,” eliminating the need to filter the fuel.
If this is the case, we’ll extend our hand for a hearty handshake, because they’ve just brought alchemy into the twenty-first century.
When dealing with infected fuel, a biocide must be used to kill the active bacteria. But that’s only the beginning. The bacteria do not simply vanish once they have died. And whatever biocide you put in the fuel to kill the germs or fungus does exactly that. It doesn’t disintegrate, destroy, vaporize, or make them disappear in any way. The microorganisms are killed by the biocide. That indicates there are still a lot of dead microbe carcasses floating around in the fuel that you need to get rid of.
The following stage is to simply run the fuel through some filters as it is utilized. You might have to change the filters a few times depending on how bad the infection was, but ultimately all the dead bacteria will be gone, and you’ll have clean fuel to use.
It sounds amazing when this outfit talks of merely adding anything to the fuel to “vaporize” dead microorganisms, but it’s actually misleading advertising. There’s nothing you can do to make dead bacteria vanish from the fuel. That is why you must eliminate them. There’s no getting around it.
As a result, the light bulb goes off. The basic business of this company is to add a fuel treatment and then run the fuel through a patented equipment. Do you have any idea how that sounds to us? Filtration of the fuel
But why all the hocus pocus if all they’re doing is applying a fuel treatment and then filtering the fuel? Why don’t you just admit you’re doing it? Because it doesn’t seem space-agey enough; it doesn’t sound remarkable enough to distinguish them from the crowd.
We don’t appreciate hearing about firms making outrageous statements that we know they can’t keep. It reflects poorly on the industry. Consumers are smarter than they’ve ever been and have more knowledge than they’ve ever had. A corporation that continues to make statements like these will eventually be burned.
Is it true that gasoline kills bacteria?
FALSE: The SARS-CoV-2 virus, which produces COVID-19, can be killed by disinfecting surfaces and hands with gasoline or diesel. Explanation: There is no scientific evidence that gasoline or diesel can be used to disinfect surfaces, skin, or even masks. Inhaling gasoline and coming into extended contact with it might be hazardous to one’s health.
Is it possible to disinfect wounds with gasoline?
No. Gasoline and/or diesel should not be used as disinfectants since they do not work, have not been demonstrated to destroy the virus that causes COVID-19, and are potentially dangerous to human health. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in the United States, exposure to gasoline through the skin or eyes, drinking, or breathing can result in a variety of health issues, including the following: Irritation of the eyes, skin, or mucous membranes, or burns to the eyes, skin, or mucous membranes (i.e. the tissues in the nose, eyes, mouth, throat) Headache, weakness, blurred vision, dizziness, slurred speech, confusion, and convulsions are some of the symptoms you may experience. Pneumonitis caused by chemicals (when liquid gasoline is inhaled into the lungs and causes damage) Damage to the liver or kidneys is possible. Long-term exposure could result in cancer. Gasoline is combustible, and storing or using it incorrectly can result in fires and burn damage. Gasoline exposure should be avoided, and if it does occur, it is critical to wash the exposed area. When exposed to gas fumes, it’s critical to get out of the gases’ vicinity and into a place with fresh air or ventilation. Slurred speech, dizziness, disorientation, or other signs of neurological (brain and nervous system) issues should all be addressed by a doctor.
Is it possible for bacteria to grow in gasoline?
Fuel degradation induced by bacteria contamination is detected, tested, and measured.
When given the correct conditions, aerobic and anaerobic bacteria thrive in fuel tanks. Fuel quality degradation and fuel system corrosion are frequently caused by undetected and untreated bacterial development in fuel systems. Fuel and fuel systems for diesel, biofuels, jet fuel, and other fuels are affected by bacterial and fungal issues. To help clients preserve their fuel supplies and fuel systems against microorganisms, Intertek offers fuel condition monitoring services.
The removal of water from the tank, filtration, and/or treatment of the tank with biocide chemicals are all common methods for preventing bacterial development in gasoline tanks and systems. The visual evidence of harmful bacteria development in fuel tanks has been investigated by Intertek. The information comes from a client-sponsored fuel condition monitoring program.
Intertek offers a variety of microbiological testing services and kits to assist clients in determining the nature of any microbial “bug” infestation of fuel and determining the appropriate course of action.
Is it true that chlorine dioxide kills fungus?
Chlorine dioxide is a powerful disinfectant that kills bacteria, viruses, encysted parasites, molds, and fungus quickly.
In a fuel tank, how do you destroy bacteria?
Microbes in fuel are an unfortunate reality for everyone who stores fuel for an extended period of time. They’re an even bigger problem now, with the introduction of ultra-low sulfur diesel (which lacks the bacteria-killing sulfur).
A diesel fuel biocide is the only item that will destroy bacteria in diesel fuel and prevent them from spreading (like Bellicide). However, dumping a biocide into a storage tank and then “setting it and forgetting it” is not an option.
They’re not difficult, but there are a few tiny yet crucial measures you should always remember to complete to ensure that biocide performs as expected.
This is optional, depending on whether or not you have to deal with fuel delivery schedules. However, adding biocide to the remaining fuel in the tank and then filling it up to capacity with extra fuel is excellent. You’ll need to apply enough biocide to achieve the required treat rate for all of the gasoline you’ll be using. For example, to shock and kill an existing fuel infection, Bellicide requires 1 ounce every 40 gallons. If you have 400 gallons of infected fuel in a 4,000-gallon tank, you should add enough Bellicide to shock treat all 4,000 gallons (which is 100 ounces, or about 3 quarts). It also helps to mix the biocide in when you fill the tank up to 4,000 gallons. It also ensures that biocide is in contact with all tank surfaces from the bottom to the top. Bacteria and germs can easily thrive on these surfaces.
The length of time is determined by the amount of fuel processed. Larger quantities should circulate for a longer period of time. Circulation of the fuel is necessary, if not fundamental, for the biocide to work well because it is the only method to ensure that it is completely mixed and reaches all of the bacteria’s hiding places. If a diesel biocide can’t make contact with the bacteria, it won’t operate. Simply sprinkling biocide on top of gasoline without circulating it will be ineffective.
This permits the treated diesel to settle in the tank, as well as any microbe bodies that have already died, to settle to the bottom. You might as well drain the sump at this time to get rid of any of them.
This has little to do with biocide effectiveness, but it does matter because the biocide will kill all of the bacteria in the gasoline, clogging the fuel filters with their dead carcasses. There’s nothing you can do about it, and no one can control it. It’s just how things are. You’ll be OK if you change the filters a little more frequently.
Don’t forget to use a fuel stabilizer if you’re keeping diesel fuel for an extended period of time. Look for a fuel antioxidant that will prevent the fuel from undergoing chemical reactions as a result of contact to water and air. Not only that, but any bacteria you killed will have secreted acidic byproducts into the fuel, which will hasten its decomposition over time. Using a fuel stabilizer such as Dee-Zol Life in conjunction with the biocide will provide the best long-term protection for the stored diesel fuel.
To kill bacteria, what gas is used?
WEST LAFAYETTE, INDIA (AP) According to Purdue University researchers, the same sanitizing agent used to clear government office buildings of anthrax, chlorine dioxide gas, may successfully eradicate harmful bacteria from apples and other fruits and vegetables. Long before anthrax was discovered in mail delivered to offices in New York and Washington, D.C. immediately after the terrorist attacks a year ago, Purdue scientists began experimenting with the gas to eliminate viruses found on food. The latest university study looked at how well varying potencies of chlorine dioxide (ClO2) gas killed Listeria monocytogenes cells on apples over different time periods.