Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Fuel Purification, Polishing and Storage Tank Cleaning?

Fuel Purification and Polishing is the process of pumping aged, contaminated or dirty fuel through ChemKleen’s staged Purification and Filtration System to remove Sludge, Rust, Water, Microbes and any other contaminates present. Using our Industrial high power and high speed explosion proof pumps and Purification and Filtration Systems, we can Safely, Efficiently and Cost Effectively treat and process large volumes of fuel. ChemKleen Technicians using Industry Best Standards and following ASTM standards will leave you with a safe, clean, reliable and certified fuel supply. ChemKleen Environmental Solutions Inc. does not remove your fuel from site. ChemKleen utilizes the existing fuel present in your tanks to power our cleaning nozzles and ChemKleen’s cleaning nozzles pressure wash the interior sides, roof and bottom of the storage tank which will suspend the contaminates in the fuel as well as those previously stuck to the sides, roof and bottom of the storage tank which are then removed by ChemKleen’s Fuel Purification and Filtration Systems Zero Bypass Extreme Efficiency Filters. Your fuel is safely reclaimed and returned to the condition of as new manufactured fuel. Our Clients Storage Tanks are cleaned reducing and/or eliminatiing all risk of Cross-Contamination of the newly cleaned fuel by returning it into a Dirty Storage Tank. Reducing our Clients costs and environmental impact and footprint. If your Storage Tanks are not ChemKleened they are not cleaned.

 

Is Fuel Purification and Fuel Polishing Necessary?

Diesel Powered Engines basically need two essential supplies to be reliable: air and clean, uncontaminated Diesel fuel. If your Diesel fuel has been stored for any more than a few months with very little usage, there is danger of contamination. Diesel fuel begins to deteriorate as soon as its manufactured and Stored fuel will deteriorate over time.

 

What is ChemKleen’s Cleaning Process?

ChemKleen’s Purification and Filtration System is a Closed-Loop, Zero Bypass, Scaled Series Filtration System. ChemKleen Technicians first separate and remove water, heavy sediment and sludge from the fuel. The fuel is then pumped through scaled filters which clean down to One Micron. Emulsified water is then removed from the fuel and the Storage Tank. ChemKleen’s cleaning process is not like the other Service Companies that simply polish fuel and place a pipe in a Storage Tank and HOPES that it agitate the sediment and other contaminants at the bottom of the Storage Tank. ChemKleen’s Purification and Filtration Systems using Closed-Loop, Zero Bypass, Scaled Series Filtration(10, 5 and 1 Micron) along with proprietary scrubbers and nozzles provides our clients with a far superior levels of filtration and Storage Tank Cleaning. ChemKleen’s Purification and Filtration Systems provides cleaning of our Clients fuel in their Storage Tanks but more important the Storage Tanks interiors are cleaned by ChemKleen’s Technicians, who will use the existing fuel in the Storage tanks to Pressure wash the interior of the Storage Tanks. Using Chemkleen’s Proprietary Scrubbers and Nozzles to get the contaminates in the Storage Tanks suspended in the fuel and removed from the side, roof and bottoms of the Storage Tank/(s) then the suspended contaminates are filtered out of the fuel and the Storage Tanks. At the completion of ChemKleen’s servicing of the Storage Tank/(s) ChemKleen Technicians will resample the Storage Tank/(s), performing the ASTM “Clear & Bright” test to confirm the results of ChemKleen’s cleaning process. If the sample fails the ASTM “Clear & Bright” test for any reason, ChemKleen Technicians  will then prepare the sample for delivery to a certified laboratory for sample analysis. The certified laboratory will ascertain the reason of the sample failure and then ChemKleen Technicians will provide a solution to the problem based upon the result of the laboratory testing.

 

Do I Need To Bring My Storage Tank To ChemKleen’s Warehouse?

No!! ChemKleen’s equipment is self-contained and portable. ChemKleen’s system’s portability allows them to be flown by bush plane, commercial airline, helicopter, train, ship and/or truck to remote or isolated locations.

 

What Size Storage Tanks Can ChemKleen Service?

ChemKleen has successfully completed cleaning of storage tanks ranging from 50  to 16,000,000 liters. Please refer to our photos to see some of the projects ChemKleen has completed.

 

What Does ChemKleen Remove From The Storage Tanks?

ChemKleen mostly removes Water, Bacterial Waste and Sludge. ChemKleen also removes Metal Fines, Rust, Gravel, Twigs, Welding Slag, Sand, etc. 90% of the organic debris is bacterial waste (Cladisporium Resinae). This Algae blooms and dies in the Storage Tanks and create a residue in the Storage Tanks that are often acidic in nature which results in pitts, fissures and deterioration of the bottom of the Storage Tank/(s) from the inside out. At all times ChemKleen’s Technicians strive to remove the minimum amount of useful product in the Storage tanks.

 

How Do ChemKleen Technicians Access the Fuel in the Storage Tanks?

ChemKleen Technicians usually access the interior of the storage tanks by removing accessories on the storage tanks (air vent, fuel gauge, spare bung, etc.).

 

Why Do You Need To Maintain Emergency Power Systems Fuel?

• Typically Diesel fuel sits for years without being fully used.
• The Diesel fuel is vented to atmosphere so it is constantly being exposed to airborne bacteria and humidity.
• CSA 282-09 and the Alberta Fire Code dictates that the Diesel fuel be cleaned or replaced annually.
• During generator load testing only small amounts of Diesel fuel are being used from a fairly clean Day tank. Main fuel Storage Tanks are often difficult to access.
• Fuel Storage Tanks are prone to moisture buildup.
• The Pumps and Generators injectors are extremely susceptible to damage from fuel contamination and moisture.

Stanby and Backup Power that is safe and reliable is a necessity. Unreliable utilities and service interruptions along with the extreme weather conditions which are becoming more prevalent forcing more reliance on backup and standby power systems. Hospitals, data centres, federal and municipal facilities are all installing very expensive backup generators and support systems to prevent human loss as well as data loss. All of these systems have one common problem that they are susceptible to that is contamination and poor fuel quality. For peace of mind and proactive maintenance have your storage tanks cleaned by ChemKleen’s Technicians.

 

How Do I Treat A Fuel Problem?

If you are frequently changing filters and experiencing motor problems, immediately contact ChemKleen  and have your storage tanks professionally cleaned and certified. The cleaning process is typically done by agitation and filtration. ChemKleen is able to clean your storage tanks even if there is only a small amount of fuel in the storage tank. Using ChemKleen’s Fuel Purification and Filtration System as well as proprietary scrubbers and nozzles, ChemKleen Technicians are able to pressure wash the interior of storage tanks this will clean the storage tank and suspends the bottom interface layer and sludge into the fuel so that it can be removed by the ChemKleen Purification and Filtration System. It is important to note that just draining, pumping out, or burning off the fuel will not solve the contamination problem. All the sludge will remain in the storage tank sides, roof and bottom and will  cross-contaminate any new fuel placed into the storage tank during the refueling process. That is why it is vitally important to clean the fuel and the storage tank which is standard with ChemKleen’s cleaning process.

 

What Do These Microbes Do To Your Storage Tanks?

Different microbe colonies can occur in different areas of the Storage Tank/(s), floating islands of microbes attach to the Storage Tank/(s) side walls, roof and bottom and also are free floating in the standing water at the bottom of the Storage Tank/(s) and/or fuel. The microbial waste by products (dead microbes) accumulate on the Storage Tank bottom creating sludge. These growths and sludge can cause engine failure by clogging filters and fuel lines or degrading engine components and the fuel Storage Tank/(s) due to the acidic qualities of the sludge. Diesel also naturally degrades, dropping asphaltenes into the fuel.

 

My Generator Has Fuel Filters, Do I Still Need My Storage Tanks Cleaned?

Fuel filters are just there to capture particles that could damage your Generator. With clean fuel there is no problem but with contaminated fuel, the amount of particle can easily clog your filters, stopping your generator when it is needed in an emergency situation. This is why the CSA 282-09 criteria dictates that contaminated fuel be “full filtered to remove water, scale, bacteria and oxidized gums/resins in order to minimize filter clogging”. Contaminants and Microbial growths can clog the fuel lines before even getting to the filter. Either situation can leave your emergency backup and/or Standby Power System inoperable during an emergency situation.

 

Am I At Risk Insurance Wise If I Am Not Maintaining My Emergency Fuel System?

The insurance adjusters will decide this on a case by case basis. If you fail to keep your fuel in code compliance, as with any code violation it leaves you with a serious liability situation. A failure of your emergency system resulting in loss/claims would be investigated, and if proper documentation of fuel maintenance is not available or if not done, your insurance company may deny coverage.

 

What Are The Options To Clean Your Storage Tanks And Meet Code Compliance?

Two options for compliance are given. Option One is to drain the fuel in the Storage Tank/(s) entirely and refill with new fuel yearly. Option Two is to sample the fuel according to CSA criteria to check for contamination, and filter fuel which shows contamination. Both will meet code compliance for 12 months, but look at both options closely.

Option 1: Draining The Storage Tank/(s) Of Existing Fuel and Refilling With New Fuel:

• An unnecessary waste of fuel that is not environmentally responsible
• Not a cost effective choice (cost for plumbing for access /removal of waste fuel plus cost of new product)
• Does not address the main problem, which is accumulation of contaminates in the Storage Tank
• Refilling a Storage Tank/(s) just Cross-Contaminates the new fuels and adds fresh food for the microbes to continue growing in the newly added fuel.


Option 2: Fuel Polishing, Tank Cleaning, Sampling and Certification

• Fuel is sampled by ChemKleen Technicians pre-cleaning and post-cleaning, first to ascertain the level of contamination in the Storage Tank/(s) and last to ensure there is no contamination remaining in the Storage Tank/(s)
• Fuel Purification and Filtration removes contaminates, leaving a clean, safe, stable fuel supply.
• Polishing the fuel is an Environmentally Friendly solution saving the disposal of contaminated fuel and purchasing new replacement fuel, which saves resources and saves carbon emissions.
• Removal of contaminates, water and sludge reduces Storage Tank degradation and equipment and components wear, extending the useful service life of the Storage Tank and equipment operating off the fuel from the Storage tank/(s).
• Cost efficient and Smart. it’s clear that sampling and filtering is more advantageous than draining and refilling your Storage Tank/(s).

 

What Fuels Can ChemKleen Service?

Although a majority of ChemKleen’s service work is Diesel Fuel , ChemKleen provides fuel polishing for Gasoline, Kerosene, Aviation Fuels, Glycols as well as Lube Oils, Gear Oils, Hydraulic Oils, Turbine Oils, Transfer Oils. As well as Storage Tank API 653, API 510, etc. Inspections and Repair Services.