CPS Fuels is proud to be the largest Phillips 66 JET approved partner in East Anglia and the South East, giving our customers the benefit of JET brand and product security, delivered by friendly people with great local knowledge. Even though we supply first class fuels from Phillips 66 which have been refined to strict quality standards (BS2869) we are sometimes asked if the performance of the products we deliver could be enhanced with additives.
You can get fuel additives for your car, your lorry, your boiler, your tank, and even your cooker. With so many fuel additives available for different applications its’ difficult to know which one you should buy, or if you should buy any at all.
Despite the many different types of fuel additives, the main reason for using fuel additives is the same across the board; to increase efficiency or performance so that you can reduce the impact of using fuel and save money on fuel bills.
Fuel additives are an investment and like any other investment, you want to see a return on the money you’ve spent. Ultimately, you want to make sure that using fuel additives is saving you some cash in the long run through increased efficiencies or performance from the device consuming the fuel.
Let’s look at some of the common problems in heating systems, engines, and tanks, and what type of additive can help solve these issues.
These include the following:
1. Carbon Build-Up with Heating Oil.
Carbon and other contaminants in your tank can flow through your system and clog the feedpipes, filter and injector. This means the system is unclean, making it slower and less efficient. To keep your system clean and reduce build-up, Topanol (for Agas) or Exocet Premium heating oil additive (for pressure jet burners) could be good choices, as they enhance the stability of your heating oil, improve lubricity, increase shelf-life, maximise burner efficiency and lessen overall system maintenance costs. A system operating at maximum efficiency will lower overall carbon emissions and so reduce your carbon footprint.
2. Water in Fuel Storage Tanks especially Gas Oil/Diesel.
Water can seep into the tank and lead to bacterial growth, rusting, and problems with the filtering system. Un-checked this can quickly result in contamination. To keep water and fuel separate, a demulsifier like Exocet Anti-Bug Protect will help to prevent bacteria growth by stopping fuel and water mixing. This will prevent infestation before it occurs and save you money in the long run, but if you already have contaminated fuel and are looking to kill the infestation, check out Exocet Anti-Bug Kill instead. Order Exocet Gas Oil Supreme additive as a robust all-rounder to protect Gas Oil from water contamination, improve lubricity, and enhance system performance.
3. Freezing in Gas Oil and DERV.
When temperatures drop, fuel can freeze and stop flowing easily through the system. This is also known as ‘gelling’. Exocet Anti-Wax Diesel Additive is a popular choice to prevent freezing and waxing of Gas Oil and DERV. This product enhances cold weather properties down to -22 degrees celsius, stopping freezing completely. It is used to ensure continued operation of emergency vehicles and power generators in winter, saving the customer costly downtime.
4. Sludge formation, filtration and impact on fuel supply.
When bacteria begin to multiply in the tank, sludge forms at the bottom. When your oil level is low, the sludge is forced through your system, clogs the filter and can induce fuel starvation. To prevent bacteria, use Exocet Anti-Bug Protect and Exocet Anti-Bug Kill to eliminate sludge that is already present. This will increase the shelf-life of fuel and improve system efficiency.
In boilers and in other applications, additives often act as a preventative measure, which avoids potential replacement, additional maintenance, and downtime costs and are a long-term saving strategy for fuel users, but it must always be remembered that they should not be used to replace proper servicing nor repair neglected systems or equipment.
Overall, general or targeted use, additives will not save you a huge amount of money initially, but they will save you on maintenance costs, increase shelf-life, and prevent your oil from degrading, keeping it fresh. When applied to running tanks they can ensure performance and reliability is maintained or if used in oil burning domestic space and water heating appliances, they can ensure optimum efficiency is maintained and carbon emission reduced.