Microbial Contamination of Diesel Fuel: Impact, Causes and Prevention
Author:
The DOW Chemical Company
Date: 15 April 2016
Abstract:
There is an interesting paradox regarding the microbial contamination of diesel fuels. Numerous papers, symposia and other reports have thoroughly documented the adverse impact of microbial contamination in diesel fuels. A variety of products and procedures are available for minimizing this impact. Yet, of the nearly 12 billion gallons of diesel fuel consumed annually in the United States,1 less than one percent is treated with an
antimicrobial agent. One explanation for this paradox is that few truck, ship or railroad fleet operators recognize the economic impact of uncontrolled microbial contamination. The effects of microbial contamination are often subtle, and are rarely identified by system operators as the cause of defined fuel-performance stability problems.
The purpose of this Application Profile is three-fold. The first section will address the impact of uncontrolled microbial contamination of diesel fuels. Its objective is to show the connection between a variety of performance problems and microbial growth in diesel systems. In order to control contamination successfully, operators must understand its causes and dynamics, which will be the focus of the second section. The remainder of the
paper will address approaches for preventing and curing microbial contamination.
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