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July 2010
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How many operators give due attention to the filtration aspects of their trucks. According to two major filter suppliers, not many and this is an area that needs increased attention especially given the fact that new modern engines are finding their way to our shores writes Andrew Parker. W ho, along the journey from the refinery to the injectors inside the engine, is ultimately responsible for the cleanliness of the fuel? This, according to Paul Kable at Cummins, is a sensitive question as there are a number of vested interests at stake along the fuel supply chain.In many instances, the solution is in the filtration, the very last chance to clean up what is a pretty dismal offering of fuel by First World standards. This is quite ironic as, according to the filtration companies, they were pretty much left out in the cold when the major truck engine manufacturers introduced high technology engines with radically different requirements in terms of fuel quality and cleanliness. FleetWatch spoke to both Cummins and Donaldson, both major suppliers of high quality filtration systems (Cummins owns Fleetguard Filters), on how they are coping in the increasing demand for ever cleaner fuels. Cummins, of course, is better known for its engine range. Both companies report that they are up to speed as far as being able to provide acceptable filters for the Euro II engine specifications introduced in January this year. As far as it powerplants are concerned, Cummins South Africa will retain the current EPA 98/99 engine range as both Freightliner and International trucks seem to have the handle on how to get the best out of the technology given the current standards of available fuel and filtration technology in South Africa and have requested Cummins to continue supplying them with these engines. Poor fuel holds back modern engines Kable says Cummins in America is keen to introduce the latest technology engines to the South and southern African truck markets but are unable to do so due to the poor quality of locally available diesel. He adds, however, that the current state of affairs, while being far from ideal, remains workable at the present time. “With the correct maintenance procedures in place, our EPA 98/99 and the Euro III engines already operating here will operate quite efficiently with local diesel.” A few minutes’ drive away in Long Meadow Office Park near Edenvale in Gauteng, Colin Farnworth, technical GM at Donaldson Filtration Systems, says engine makers have complied to increasingly stringent emission standards but as far as South Africa is concerned, he confirms that the efforts of engine manufacturers to bring the very latest engine technology here is hampered by the poor quality of the fuel. “These engines need very clean fuel in order for operators to achieve optimum efficiency and reduced emission levels,” he says. Farnworth says the latest engines have several factors that need to be considered. These include
While some filers available on the market are able to provide adequate performance, they do so with a much shortened useable life. Farnworth says Donaldson has developed what it calls Donaldson Electrostatic Reduction technology which is not only extremely efficient but provides extended filter life. “At the end of the day, maintaining fuel in pristine condition is not rocket science. It is a process. How you handle the product results in the quality of fuel you are able to maintain,” he advises
Take total approach Both Kable and Farnworth say fleet operators must take a total systems approach towards their fuel management which means being extremely vigilant as to how fuel stocks are managed from the moment they arrive in the delivery tanker all the way through to the injectors in the engine. They suggested the following procedures should be considered when developing a fuel contamination control programme for the vehicle fleet:
Speaking to Kable and Farnworth, one is left with the feeling that there are all kinds of inadequate procedures that simply pass unheeded and without comment. Many fuel tankers, for example, still do gravity drops when they deliver fuel. To speed the delivery process up, it is not uncommon for the driver to open the hatches on top of the tanker. There is simply no way one can expect clean fuel after that. Storage tanks should be rigorously cleaned and serviced at regular intervals. It may not be the most pleasant task in the company but it is one that can easily be overlooked and postponed almost indefinitely. One solution that comes to mind to tackle this problem is to make someone responsible and accountable to management for ensuring this task is done on time and done properly. Quite simply there are too many variances in the supply chain. Too many opportunities allowing for the ingress of dirt, water and other contaminants. Managing and maintaining fuel stocks in pristine condition is rapidly becoming a requirement for the longevity of the various fleets of machinery. And to think, when faced with all of this, that there are still fleet operators who want the smallest, lowest priced filter available and they want it to last as long as possible? On top of all this a longstanding and serious problem in the South African fuel market is the fact that paraffin is cheaper than diesel resulting in the widespread practice of diluting diesel by up to ten percent with paraffin. When paraffin burns, it leaves ash deposits in its wake which ultimately destroys the engine. Monitor filter usage Keeping an eye on the filter also pays dividends. While there is a trend in certain operating conditions that will result in a shorter useful life, the process remains the same. Essentially the more dirt the filter collects the more efficient it becomes. There is a cut off point and it is important that fleet operators monitor filter usage to determine where this point is. Some measure the change intervals in the number of hours of operation while others have remained with the traditional mileage readings. Still, from listening to some of Farnworth’s experiences out in the field, it is obvious that some of the less vigilant fleet operators have some way to go before they reach the high road to success. If the operators could fully comprehend that filter failure can rapidly result in catastrophic engine failure, they might make a bit more of an effort and up the ante in the art of vehicle maintenance and fuel management. It is the fuel, after all, that carries the dirt into the engine’s inner workings. It is not all doom and gloom out there. Farnworth says there are plenty of professional operators who, if you will excuse the choice of words here, run their operations like well oiled machines. The immediate challenge is that greater care and attention must be paid to the fuel at every link in the supply chain. Talking of which one has to wonder how much dirt and contaminants there are in one of those huge bowsers at fuel storage depots scattered all over the country. Does anybody even know how many of these things there are and how many fleet operators actually take the time and trouble to checks if their suppliers are supplying clean fuel? Obviously all the suppliers say they are but it could be interesting to see their reaction if one of their customers suddenly asked to check how clean the fuel was while it is still in the depot. Farnworth has certainly made some interesting observations and suggestions for fleet operators to ponder on. Perhaps, however, his parting comments say it all: “If South African operators want to run these modern engines - and it seems they have little choice in the matter - they are going to have to learn how to look after them properly.” What Farnworth is actually saying is that quite simply there is no time left for lazy fleet operators. |
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