Potential problems with low-sulphur fuels

Distillate fuels can cause blockages in fuel lines, damage fuel pumps and injectors, and in some cases contribute to the loss of engine power, warned Jonas Östlund, product marketing manager for marine chemicals at WSS.
“If you are aware of the fuel’s basic properties and limitations, and are prepared to treat your distillates in order to manage and maximise their performance, they pose few challenges,” he said.
Released in 2014 in anticipation of regulatory changes concerning emissions, WSS’s new range of fuel oil treatment products has been designed specifically for marine distillate, low-sulphur fuels and, according to the company, has been positively received by customers.
In a white paper published by Östlund, he said that uncertainty regarding distillates could easily be overcome.
“For many customers working within the constraints of the 0.1% ECA sulphur cap, this added complexity is totally unwanted and unnecessary, and instead they are choosing to fall back on additional fuel treatments. However, using proven products such as WSS’s DieselPower Lubricity will significantly improve the lubricity of low-sulphur distillate fuel, reducing component wear,” Östlund said.
He explained that in addition to lubricity issues, the refinery process also eliminated distillates' naturally occurring antioxidants, which could cause the fuel to deteriorate. In response, refineries treat distillate fuels with stabilisers to prevent deterioration and the formation of peroxides, the forerunners of soluble gums.
Unfortunately, these stabilisers have a limited shelf life, typically six months, after which deterioration can begin. If unchecked, this tends to lead to the formation of deposits, especially on the fuel injectors, but such fuel deterioration can also be tackled with additives, WSS noted.
Treatments such as WSS’s DieselPower Enhancer are multifunctional, maintaining fuel stability and improving lubricity while allaying concerns about the differing lubricity and stability of low-sulphur distillate fuels, the company said.