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FUELS By GreG ehm, Two rivers markeTinG on behalf of renewable enerGy Group, inc bioheat in cold weather Colder temperatures require proper preparation and handling I t may only be September, but soon cooler temperatures will arrive and the heating fuel oil season will be in underway. Storing, blending and delivering a high quality product is important. Any breakdown in the system can lead to fuel quality issues, and that can impact your reputation up and down the value chain. The first step to ensuring high quality Bioheat® fuel oil (biodiesel blended with heating oil) or a non- blended heating oil is tank manage- ment. You can purchase the highest quality fuel oil in the market, but if you store the fuel in a dirty tank or neglect tank management, the potential for fuel contamination will increase. "It is always good to monitor tank quality, whether there is biodiesel blended with the heating oil or not. Your tank is what you are storing your fuel in, and a contaminated stor- age tank or sediment in the tanks will result in fuel quality issues down- stream," said Kelsey Erickson, team lead, quality support at Renewable Energy Group, Inc. Tank managemenT Tips Water seepage into the tank can be a significant issue, as this leads to impurities in the fuel. When water permeates the tank and mixes with the heating oil, it can lead to rust for- mation, fungal growth and accel- erated fuel degradation. "Make sure the tank bottom is dry and free of water. This can be done by simply pulling a fuel sample from the bottom of the tank. Also inspect the inside of the storage tanks for rust deposits, as rust can plug filters up and down the line," Erickson said. To solve any potential con- tamination problems, thoroughly remove any sediment or water from the bottom of the tank. Next, treat the tank with biocide. After the biocide has been used, incor- porate a new filter on the tank outlet and replace as needed until the filter is clear of contaminants. If water was present in the tank, it is also recommended that the tank be dried and vented to ensure the water deposits are removed to alle- viate the potential for future con- tamination issues. Another solution can be to use the tanks year-round, with a thorough cleaning performed in between the transition of one fuel type to another. "We recommend keeping storage tanks completely full, even in the sum- mertime. A full storage tank does not allow extra air to get into the head space, which then reduces the amount of moisture that can condense and settle into the bottom of the tank," Erickson said. Attention should also be given to the fuel transfer lines used when loading or unloading blended fuel oil to/from a tanker truck. The transfer lines should be inspected for structural integrity, cleaned and replaced if needed. UndersTanding cloUd poinT The next step to ensuring a high quality Bioheat blended fuel oil prod- uct is to understand the cloud point of the fuel and best blending practices. "The cloud point is the tempera- ture for when the biodiesel fuel will start to become cloudy, but not solid. We recommend that customers store B99 biodiesel 10 degrees above the point," Erickson said. To estimate the cloud point of an unadditized blended fuel oil, add the number in Table 1 to the cloud point of your unadditized petroleum diesel. This does not take into consideration the effect of additives. For example: REG-9000™/10 (REG biodiesel) uti- lized in a B11 Bioheat fuel oil blend will raise the cloud point of the blend- ed heating oil fuel by approximately 16 degrees. This means if the cloud point 16 SEPTEMBER 2014 | FUEL OIL NEWS | www.fueloilnews.com