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ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT, JCH FUEL SOLUTIONS, INC., JCH ENVIRO AUTOMATED FUEL CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE SYSTEM
Citation:
ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT, JCH FUEL SOLUTIONS, INC., JCH ENVIRO AUTOMATED FUEL CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE SYSTEM. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/R-02/103.
Description:
The verification testing was conducted at the Cl facility in North Las Vegas, NV, on July 17 and 18, 2001. During this period, engine emissions, fuel consumption, and fuel quality were evaluated with contaminated and cleaned fuel.
To facilitate this verification, JCH representatives obtained the contaminated fuel from a Nortel facility in Laughlin, NV, while servicing a storage tank. An independent hauler transferred the fuel from the service location to a 275-gallon polyethylene storage, tank and a 55-gallon drum located at JCH's South Las Vegas facility. Total fuel available for the tests was approximately 300 gallons; approximately 250 gallons in the polyethylene tank and 50 gallons in the drum. JCH transferred the fuel to a new 275-gallon polyethylene tank which was placed in a trailer. JCH cleaned the original polyethylene storage tank because it was to be used as the test day tank at the Cl test site. The Field Team Leader and JCH noted that both tanks were clean before any fuel was transferred into them. At the test site, the test day tank was placed on a scale, and the fuel was transferred into it. It was anticipated that some fuel would be consumed during test preparations. The fuel in the drum was kept in reserve to top off the test day tank immediately prior to the start of testing.
The Test Plan specified that a propeller-type stirrer would agitate the fuel during testing. This was to prevent stratification and to ensure that the mixed fuel supplied to the engine during testing was representative of the contaminated fuel. At the test site, however, JCH and Cummins personnel became concerned that a propeller could breach the walls of the test day tank and suggested using a recirculating pump for this purpose instead. GHG Center personnel concurred and, for both sets of tests, JCH installed a 10-GPM recirculating pump. When the pump was switched on, the Field Team Leader observed vigorous rolling circulation at the surface of the fuel. Once the fuel delivery system was in place and the fuel agitation pump was running, the GHG Center began testing activities.
At least three valid test runs were conducted for engine emissions for each fuel condition. The first particulate and instrumental analyzer run for contaminated fuel lasted 60 minutes, but the particulate sample volume was slightly less than that specified in the Test Plan (i.e., 31.45 instead of 31.8 dscf). The remaining particulate/instrumental analyzer test runs were 70 minutes each to ensure collection of sufficient particulate sample volume.
The NOx analyzer had excessive drift during Run 3 for contaminated fuel; the THC analyzer had excessive drift during Run 2 for contaminated fuel and Run 5 for cleaned fuel. Testers conducted additional instrumental analyzer runs (designated 3a and 6a for contaminated and cleaned fuels, respectively). Each of these runs was 30 minutes in duration.
Fuel quality sampling and fuel consumption determinations were conducted in conjunction with each test run. After completing the contaminated fuel testing, JCH personnel conducted fuel treatment activities using the Enviro System. The testing was then repeated the following day while combusting the cleaned fuel.