Clean diesel fuel is essential for an efficient and reliable engine. To achieve clean fuel is it necessary to use filtration – but CC Jensen asks, how do you choose the right and best filtration method?
The various ways of cleaning fuel oil on fishing vessels can be difficult to distinguish in between. The functional principles, efficiency and the cost of the filtration systems available on the market are so different that comparing them can be difficult.
Traditional centrifugal separators
Traditional centrifugal separators are installed between settling tanks and service tanks and clean by means of centrifugal force. This means that the efficiency is dependent on the flow, the time the oil is inside the bowl, and the mass of the contamination. If the specific weight of the contamination is less or the same as the oil then the contamination will pass straight through the centrifugal separator.
The CJC Filter Separator
The CJC Filter Separator, manufactured by CC Jensen from Denmark, is a mechanical filter retaining 98.7% of all particles below 3 micron and 50% of all particles below 0.8 micron in one pass.
The CJC Filter Separator is often the most preferred alternative to centrifuges and purifiers, as it offers a high degree of reliability and requires almost no maintenance. The CJC Filter Separator has, contrary to centrifuges, only one spinning part in a very reliable gear wheel pump. It requires no adjustments during operation and the only thing which needs to be changed 2-3 times per year are the filter inserts.
The CJC Filter Separator additionally separates water by coalescing, which is basically a technique that speeds up the natural settling process of water in oil. The Separator is able to continuously remove water from the oil down to 100 ppm (or 0.01%).
Case study
Shipowner Hatton & Westerman experienced a number of engine breakdowns on its fishing vessel called Natalie B. Further examination of the breakdowns showed that they all related to fuel contamination – and consequently the company decided to fit a CJC Filter Separator to filter the diesel fuel.
Once installed, the CJC Filter Separator continuously removed water and particles from the diesel fuel and since then owner Jim Westerman, has not experienced any further engine breakdowns.
Due to the success with the filter separator for the diesel fuel, Mr Westerman also installed CJC Fine Filters on both the engine lube oil and the hydraulic system.
After more than 18 months of the three installations being in operation there have been no breakdowns on any of the systems.
“The fuel has never been so clean. It is as good as red wine” Mr Westerman concluded.
