Anti-bio effects of low sulfur diesel

[JHZR2]

Was at the Military Fuels conference last week, to present on advanced materials for liquid-phase desulfurization of logistics fuels. A colleague mentioned that in water compensated tanks (i.e. ships), low sulfur fuels allowed greater growth of algae and other things at the interface, and biocorrosion was significantly faster. ULSD at 15 ppm doesnt have enough biocide activity to prevent this.

Unsure of how this relates to air-compensated (standard) tanks, but ULSD may potentially allow higher biological growth, especially in consistently humid areas. May want to consider treating for this.

Will provide info if I hear anything else.

JMH

 

[Shannow]

JMH, that's a good point, and one that I'd not considered before as Oz moves to lower sulfur.

Might start bringing blocks of sulfur (we've got an 80 tonne tank of molten sulfur at work) home and dunking them in my tank (as well as the dog's water bowl)

 

[Oldmoparguy1]

Originally Posted By: Shannow
JMH, that's a good point, and one that I'd not considered before as Oz moves to lower sulfur.

Might start bringing blocks of sulfur (we've got an 80 tonne tank of molten sulfur at work) home and dunking them in my tank (as well as the dog's water bowl)


80 tons of molten sulfur! Wow! I knew you lived down under, but I didn't realize just how far down that was....

(Is that standard tons, or long tons?)

 

[Shannow]

metric tonnes at 255F.

Oldmoparguy, that "far down" comment tickled my funnybone. Sorry but I'm gonna use that one day soon at work (once referred to as the "hellhole").

We burn it to create SO2, then run the SO2 through a vanadium pentoxide catalyst to make SO3.

The SO3 is run into the flue gasses, where it reacts with the fly ash, making it conduct better, and the precipitators pick the dust up better.

Adding sulfur to the flue gasses actually decreases our sulfur emissions.

It's neat to look into hades (the sulfur combustor), and see a liquid blue flame.

 

[allan5oh]

cool stuff!

 

[Oldmoparguy1]

Ha ha.. Sounds like a fun job.. Manufacture the worst kind of air pollution in order to reduce air pollution.

That stuff must be he!! on the plumbing...

 

[Shannow]

I've coppped a face full of SO2 a few times, and it's not the nicest.

Plumbing is all stainless...when it comes in contact with mild steel, it's not pretty.

 

[Dad2leia]

Shannow, I had no idea that you had such an interesting job. I can vouge for the SO2, as back in my Chem days at college, me, being the ever curious as to how everything smells type, decided to stick my nose into a ventilated hood where this gas was being produced in a test tube experiment...

It was a unique experience!

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: Dad2leia
Shannow, I had no idea that you had such an interesting job.


Been with the same employer (4 different incarnations) now for nearly 19 years now.

Started commissioning small pumps, built and commissioned a CO2 storage system, built and commissioned an electrolysis hydrogen plant (20MPa H2 storage), ran the contract for a couple of 660MW steam boilers (1200lb/sec 1005F, 2600psi), built and commissioned a coal handling plant, commissioned an MDF plant (they sold me off), became plant owner of coal and ash handling plants (including electrostatic precipitators, which is why we built the SO3 plant). Later introduced to milling, then my current gig as turbine engineer (last 6 years, except for 5 months of as Contracts Manager, and acting my boss for a few months), looking after two 500MW and two 700MW turbines (think 200 tonnes spinning at 3,000RPM. When it's maintenance time, I spend $750k/week.).

I've had the best technical journey of anybody that I know in the industry, being thrown in the deep end for a couple decades on every part of the power station, and having to swim.

Been suggested that I should go into management, but I get along best with machinery.

 

[Dad2leia]

I would want to stick with the machinery too. Would love to hear those turbines whine in person!