seawork Exhibition Debut for the Workboats Friend
A first time exhibitor at seawork2003, West Sussex based Expresslube UK Ltd has developed and built a portable separator system which is taken to site for treatment of contaminated fuel tanks. Contaminants diminish engine performance and reliability and can lead to failure at critical times.
Expensive maintenance and repair costs can escalate if these conditions cannot be controlled.
The Expresslube separator acts much like a dialysis machine, extracting the fuel and removing water which the Hormoconis Resinae bug requires to breed and survive. The machine operates at a high rate, agitating tank contents with the fuel return.
This helps to release any biomass and sludge, which is then removed as the cycle continues.
The fuel is recycled through the separator until 100% of the water content is removed, both water settled at the bottom of the tank and any lying suspended within the fuel itself. Biomass and other foreign particles are also removed and contained within the machine. Access to tank contents is gained via the filler or inspection plate, or even the sender unit if fitted.
For a relatively new company, Expresslube has already attracted the attention of some major players within the maritime industries. Late last month Dean & Dyball’s 14m workboat ‘Buffalo’ was experiencing continuous problems with blockages of its fuel filters. The problem was diagnosed as water and a fungi growth in the diesel, blocking the filters. Dean & Dyball called Expresslube.
Mobilising quickly, Expresslube accessed the Buffalo’s twin 7,000 litre tanks through the side inspection plates. Some 3,000 litres of fuel from each tank was recycled through the separator until all the water and a substantial amount of biomass was removed.
Upon completion the fuel is treated with an environmentally friendly, non-biocidal additive which breaks down any dead bug residue into micro-particles which pass through filters and pumps/injectors without harm.
The additive also prevents a recurrence of moisture build-up which the bug requires for survival.
Dean & Dyball were impressed with the prompt and effective service, which was far less costly than fuel removal, disposal and replacement followed by tank cleaning. Downtime for the Buffalo was kept to a minimum and the process left no mess.
The Expresslube separator will quite appropriately be on display in seawork2003’s Innovations Showcase and will also be available for demonstration by the Expresslube UK team on Stand S46.
MJ Information No: 18117
