061 - Back to School - Why Fuels Get Microbe Problems

In this episode of the Fuel Pulse Show's Back to School series, host Erik Bjornstad discusses the increasing problem of microbial contamination in modern stored fuels. He explains why today's ultra-low sulfur diesel fuels are more susceptible to microbial growth than older fuels, highlighting the role of water accumulation and fuel composition changes.

The episode covers the types of microbes found in fuel systems, where they thrive, and the problems they cause, including fuel degradation, corrosion, and filter plugging. Bjornstad emphasizes the importance of early detection and treatment of microbial contamination to prevent widespread issues in fuel storage and distribution systems.

What You'll Learn:

• Why modern stored fuels are more susceptible to microbial contamination
• Types of microbes commonly found in fuel systems
• Factors contributing to microbial growth in fuel storage tanks
• Problems caused by microbial contamination in fuel systems
• The importance of water management in preventing microbial growth
• How microbes contribute to fuel degradation and system corrosion
• The potential for microbial contamination to spread throughout fuel systems

Ideas Worth Sharing:

Here are three notable quotes from the podcast episode:

• "The stored ultra low sulfur diesel fuels of today are markedly different from the fuels of decades past. And nowhere is that more evident than the realization that today's stored fuels are much less resistant to microbial contamination than they used to be."
• "If you have a storage tank and you find a water phase of almost any size, then if you find that, then if you don't already have microbe contamination already, it's only a matter of time until you do."
• "Microbes cause problems because unless you kill them, they have the potential to spread just about anywhere the fuel goes."

Resources:

• Erik Bjornstad: LinkedIn

Show Notes:

[00:00:00] Introduction to the Fuel Pulse Show and the Back to School series
[00:00:30] Discussion on how modern stored fuels are more susceptible to microbial contamination
[00:01:00] Overview of microbes in fuel systems: bacteria, fungi, yeasts, and molds
[00:02:00] Reasons for increased microbial problems in today's fuels
[00:03:00] Where microbes thrive in fuel storage systems
[00:04:00] Problems caused by microbial contamination: fuel quality degradation and corrosion
[00:05:00] Issues with biomass/biofilm production and the potential for contamination spread
[00:06:00] Teaser for the next episode on detecting microbial contamination
[00:06:30] Closing remarks and call to action for subscribers and reviews

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Welcome to the Fuel Pulse Showpodcast, where we talk about all
things fuel for all kinds of people.
I'm your host, Eric Bjornstad,and I'll be your guide through
the ever changing world of fuel.
Today, we're continuing our series,the Fuel Pulse Show Back to School,
where we go back and we dig into thebasic building blocks of fuel care.

(00:24):
And, as we pointed out in a previousepisode, The stored ultra low sulfur
diesel fuels of today are markedlydifferent from the fuels of decades past.
And nowhere is that more evident thanthe realization that today's stored fuels
are much less resistant to microbialcontamination than they used to be.

(00:45):
That means we have to pay closerattention to them if we're not
going to be caught off guard bymicro problems that always seem to
show up at the worst possible time.
So we're going to try and do a realquick overview of the problem, why it
happens, why microbes are a problem.
Then if we have time, we'll go into whatare the signs of microbial contamination,

(01:08):
how do you diagnose it, and veryimportantly, how do you get rid of it?
So when we talk about microbes in fuelsystems, we're talking primarily about
bacteria, fungi or yeasts, and molds.
And we have those all around us.
Really, there's not a single placeon Earth where at least some kinds
of microbes won't grow and thrive,whether it's 4, 000 feet down at

(01:33):
the bottom of the ocean, uh, whetherit's in frozen oil pipelines up
in Alaska, or in the fuel tanks ofjet planes flying at 30, 000 feet.
Yet, it still surprises some peoplewhen they find out that microbes like
these like to live in fuel storageand fuel distribution systems.
I mean, they're surprised,but they really shouldn't be.

(01:56):
Now, why do today's fuels get moremicrobe problems than fuels of the past?
A few simple reasons.
For one, today's fuels develop more,water problems, for one, today's
fuels develop more water problems,not least in part because they hold
on to more dissolved water thanbefore, which comes back out of the

(02:16):
fuel when it cools down and thusbuilds up over time in the system.
, The composition of today's fuels has alsobeen changed to make them cleaner burning,
but doing that has taken out more of themolecules that microbes don't like to
be around while leaving in more of themolecules that they do like to be around.
And the water angle is especiallyimportant because most storage

(02:40):
tanks today build up free water overtime, and microbes will use that.
to contaminate a fuel system.
Now, microbes can live onjust about any surface.
I mean, they can live in just aboutany liquid, too, but just about
any solid surface, whether that'soutside of a storage tank or, for our

(03:01):
purposes, inside of a fuel storageor a fuel distribution system.
Microbes can live and grow Andthrive just about anywhere, but they
especially like living around where thatwater layer and that fuel layer come
together, what they call the interface.
And so that's why they say that if youhave a storage tank and you find a water

(03:25):
phase of almost any size, then if youfind that, then if you don't already
have microbe contamination already,it's only a matter of time until you do.
So, we know the fuel that we managedevelops microbe problems more
easily than before, but when we saymicrobe problems, what do we mean?

(03:47):
What are we talking about?
Without going too far into thetechnical vagaries, here are some
of the problems that microbes cause.
First, they degrade anddestroy fuel quality over time.
And this can happen because of the acidsthat many strains of microbes produce.
It can happen because of fuel wateremulsions that microbes cause to develop.

(04:13):
It can also happen by the microbesthemselves consuming elements of
the fuel as they grow and multiply.
Second, they participate in causingcorrosion damage to fuel tanks and
fuel distribution system components,and that doesn't just mean damage to
things below the fuel line either.
In the last 10 years or so, there'sbeen an explosion of reports of

(04:35):
vapor space corrosion damage to theelements of the fuel tank and fuel
system that are above the fuel line.
that fuel line in that vapor space.
And this happens when they get damagedbecause of the volatilization of
lightweight acids that microbes produce.
So there's that.

(04:56):
Third, microbes produce this biologicalmatrix material called biomass.
Some people call it biofilm.
And these can cause both filterplugging and if the biofilm settles
on solid surfaces in the system, itcan also speed up corrosion damage.
And then one last problematic element.

(05:18):
Microbes cause problems because unlessyou kill them, They have the potential to
spread just about anywhere the fuel goes.
So, if a microbial problem or a microbialpresence is detected in one area of
the system, it's only a matter of timebefore that spreads to anywhere and

(05:42):
everywhere else that that fuel goes.
So, there are plenty of good reasons.
to keep microbial contamination fromrearing its head in your system.
And there's equally good reasonsto do something about it if
you find that you have it.
Now, speaking of finding if you haveit, how do you know if you have it?

(06:03):
What signs can you watch outfor that confirm or point to
possible microbial contamination?
Well, there is a directway to confirm the problem.
There are also indirectclues that may point to it.
And that is what we're going to touch onnext time in the next part of our Fuel

(06:25):
Pulse show back to school episode onmicrobial problems in fuel storage tanks.
So that's it for today.
If you liked what you heard andyou haven't done so already,
feel free to subscribe at yourpodcast platform of choice.
Could be iTunes, Stitcher Googlepodcast or wherever you happen
to like to listen and leave us areview if you can because that does

(06:49):
really help other people find us.
So till next time, I'm Eric Bjornstedt.
Thank you for joining us and we'll see younext time at the Field Poll Show podcast.