ENERGY
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Winter Fuels
Quay Zander Petroleum Operations ( 952 ) 466-3727
quayz @ midcountycoop . com
With proper storage and handling techniques , you can expect trouble free operation of your diesel engines this winter .
Without a proper winter fuel strategy diesel fuel will gel in cold temperatures . # 2 diesel typically has a cloud point anywhere from 0 ° F to 12 ° F . The cloud point is the temperature at which wax crystals can be seen in the fuel with the naked eye . # 1 diesel usually has a cloud point of -40 ° F . However , during winter months , # 1 can cost 20-50 cents more per gallon than # 2 , and # 1 has a lower BTU content resulting in lower fuel economy . For these reasons we use cold-flow additives . The use of additives will not completely replace the need to use # 1 diesel , but can save you money by using less # 1 .
There are different types of cold flow additives , including cold-flow improvers , deicers and WASA . Cold-flow improvers help improve low-temperature operability of fuel by a process called “ wax crystal modification ” by inhibiting wax crystal growth and a term called agglomeration . De-icers help keep water in the fuel system from freezing . WASA ( Wax Anti-Settling Agent ) is an important component to a winter additive package . WASA keeps naturally occurring paraffin in diesel suspended in the fuel , preventing them from dropping to the bottom and plugging fuel filters .
A combination of these cold flow additives may give the best results for diesel and biodiesel blend winter operability . Biodiesel blends up to 5 % will behave the same as straight # 2 diesels and can be treated as such . In recent years , there were issues with blending bio diesel with # 1 , which led the State of Minnesota to eliminate the requirement of blending bio diesel with the # 1 portion of the fuel during the winter months . So technically , many winter blends with # 1 fuel are actually below the 5 % bio that is mandated by the state .
Besides blending fuel for winter , the elimination of water is the key to avoiding fuel related problems . Water is caused by condensation of air in warm weather and hot engines . When temperatures are consistently below 32 ° F , the water droplets will cause filter plugging and can damage injectors . It is important to check for water in your storage and vehicle tanks before the cold weather sets in . Because the viscosity of fuel increases in the winter months , it is recommended to install a new dispenser filter on your storage tank at the beginning of winter .
Mid-County offers fuels that that can be customized to your specific needs . Our summer premium fuels will protect you from algae . Our winter fuels are proven to operate at -30 ° F .
If you are in need of tanks , pumps , filters or hoses and nozzles , or maybe you want to have a fuel sample taken , Mid-County is here to help . Even if you have a specific fuel question , give me a call at ( 952 ) 466- 3727 .
SPCC on the Farm - It ’ s Time to Plan
SPCC is short for Oil Spill Prevention , Control , and Countermeasure program . As a farm operation in Minnesota , the EPA is requiring each of you to take the time to prepare a plan if you meet the below criteria . If you are wondering if you need a plan , here is a quick guide to help you determine the need :
1 . Do you store , transfer , use , or consume oil or oil products , such as diesel fuel , gasoline , lube oil , hydraulic oil , or other oil products ?
2 . Do you store more than 1,320 US gallons in above ground containers or more than 42,000 gallons in completely buried containers ? Count only those containers of oil that have a storage capacity of 55 US gallons and above .
John Hendel Sales & Marketing Manager
( 952 ) 466-3731
johnh @ midcountycoop . com
3 . If you have a spill , could the oil product end up discharging into waters of the US or adjoining shorelines , such as interstate waters , intrastate lakes , rivers , and streams ?
If you have answered yes to the above questions and you do not have a current SPCC plan , it is time to prepare your operation ’ s SPCC plan .
Depending on the type of storage you have and capacity of your storage , you will need to have your plan certified by a Professional Engineer . For those farms that store between 1,320 and 10,000 gallons and have a good spill history ( described in the SPCC rule ), they may
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Mid-County Coop in Cologne can assist landowners with the development of an SPCC plan . The goal of the SPCC program is to prevent oil spills into water . Oil spills can cause injuries to people and damage water resources needed for farming operations .
be able to self-certify their own plan . If the farm has more than 10,000 gallons , a Professional Engineer is needed . If you are looking for a good website , please check out : http :// www . epa . gov / emergencies / content / spcc / spcc _ ag . htm
It is time to prepare your farm ’ s SPCC plan ; the deadline for compliance is May 10 , 2013 . The staff at Mid-County has the resources to help you write and implement your SPCC Plan . Give us a call at ( 952 ) 466-3720 , we will come out and help you with your plan .