Pollution is now one of the most serious concerns of
global leaders. Efforts are being made across the world for decarbonising of
vehicles and factories erupting the black smoke in the atmosphere. Vehicles
running on clean solar energy or electricity are less efficient as compared to
vehicles feeding on petroleum and diesel. When the world is looking for some
eco-friendly and efficient alternatives to petroleum and diesel, biofuels are
said to have the potential of fulfilling the need of clean liquid fuel. And,
the good effects of biofuels have been seen in the study conducted by Renewable
Fuels Associations.
According to Renewable Fuels Association, over 232
million metric tonnes of carbon have been eliminated with the help of biofuels
since 2007. That amount of carbon can be eliminated by keeping 5 million cars
off the road.
Despite being a good friend of the environment,
biofuels have been ignored till now. However, biofuels are becoming common in
the petroleum industry. Both consumers and regulators are understanding the
importance of eco-friendly products. However, this awareness has surfaced many
questions in the minds of people who need to store biofuels. The very first
question is –
Are biofuels
compatible with steel fuel storage tanks?
This is what we are addressing in this blog. According
to researches and studies conducted so far, it has not been shown that biofuels
are incompatible with the extended range fuel tank or any other tank made from steel. The Steel Tank Institute also
finds the same in its studies. Here is the statement of STI –
“all makes and models of steel tanks manufactured in
any time period…are suitable for use with all blends of fuels meeting ASTM
(American Society for Testing and Materials) standards.”
However, components being used in the tank should be
from approved manufacturers only and the biofuels shall not interact with the
environment.
Is There Any
Risk Associated With Storing Biofuels In Steel Tanks?
Some owners of steel fuel storage tanks complain that
their tanks have been corroded due to biofuels. However, it is not because of
the composition of the tank. It is because of the nature of the biofuels. The
concentration of ethanol in newer biofuels is relatively high and therefore it absorbs
more water from the environment. This can trigger the formation of layers in
the tank. It is not the fuel that causes the corrosion; it is the way it
interacts with the environment.
You can store biofuels in the tank. However, you have
to prevent biofuels from interacting with the environment.
