Fuel contamination is a most acute problem in diesel engines, because the fuel injection system can become clogged and adversely affected. Fuel contamination generally occurs in three forms: solid: water (free and entrained); and anaerobic bacteria, which are introduced into the fuel from the storage and ballast systems. Water is a particularly severe problem because it not only clogs injectors, but promotes anaerobic iron bacteria that digest fuel, releasing by-products of sulfur radicals, which attack ferrous tank materials and add to the particulate contamination. The innovative technology MDS proposes is in two stages. The first stage uses a pressurized cross-flow spiral wound ultrafiltration element with a hydrophobic polytetrafluoroethylene membrane (TFE) (.02u pore size). This membrane has been proven to reject solids greater than 02u, free and entrained water, and bacteria. The second stage element receives the ultraclean product from the first, but operates in a dead head mode. A pressure sensitive switch is connected across the second element for sounding an alarm signaling the presence of any fouling contaminants.
