Have you been considering whether to install a bulk fuel storage tank? You could save time, money, and effort by having a bulk fuel tank on hand. This purchase involves more than simply the fuel tank – you’re investing to leverage greater control of your operations.
Bulk fuel tanks are large storage containers that can hold fuel for extended periods of time. Although a bulk tank is a large undertaking and comes with a range of important considerations, there are a good deal of advantages. Let’s take a closer look at the four benefits of installing a bulk fuel tank.
Buying fuel in bulk can often result in lower per-unit costs, as opposed to purchasing smaller quantities more frequently. Fleets can typically save 30-50 cents per gallon with a 15,000-gallon tank receiving full truckloads. Refueling at retail stations means that you’re subject to consumer price swings. Taking control of your fueling in-house can help you negotiate better deals with bulk pricing, which can’t be done at a gas station.
A bulk tank ensures a steady supply of fuel, reducing the risk of running out of fuel during critical operations. You’ll have fuel on hand during emergencies when retail stations may be closed. You can also protect your fleet from fraud and theft associated with fuel purchased at retail stations. Bulk tanks offer greater visibility and better accountability.
Having a bulk fuel tank on-site eliminates the need for frequent trips to refuel, which can save time and increase productivity for your drivers. Successful businesses always prioritize their efforts on a more productive and profitable direction. Spare the time and hassle of going elsewhere for fuel and bring refueling to your home base. Drivers can fill up when they return to the lot instead of driving off-route during the day. Think about it – your fleet is wasting fuel just driving back and forth to retail stations when they could be focusing on the job at hand.
Do you know the quality of the product you are pumping in your fleets at retail stations? Do you know how often the tanks are cleaned or serviced? If you want to know the answer to those questions – bulk fuel storage may be the choice for you. Having a bulk tank installed lets you know exactly what is going in your fleet and what quality you are working with. Many bulk tanks are equipped with monitoring systems that can provide real-time data on fuel levels, and alert you when the fuel is running low, which can help you manage your fuel usage more efficiently. For fleets investing in sustainability, you can control whether you receive B5, B10, or B20 biodiesel blends. For those with fleets that need different grades of fuel for different purposes, this can be helpful for monitoring consumption levels and preventing waste.
Mansfield would be happy to assist you in evaluating your fueling alternatives if you are interested in accelerating your company to the next level. Call us today to get started.
Emergency generators must have their fuel source fairly close-by, since engine-driven fuel pumps have a relatively low suction capacity (and are therefore unable to draw fuel from a distant fuel source). To address this need, generators are usually installed with a supporting fuel day tank. This day tank can be freestanding (separate from the generator set), or integral to the generator’s skid (commonly referred to as sub-base tanks).
The sub-base tank approach is a popular choice for many projects for the following reasons. First, a sub-base tank offers the benefits of a compact and integrated package for facilities that will have a single emergency generator installed outdoors within its own weather-protected enclosure. With no separate fuel tank, all fuel accessories and piping are pre-installed by the gen-set packager. Permitting and installations costs are usually lower with this approach. Another reason is that, with the fuel tank located directly under the generator, space requirements are reduced.
Sub-base fuel tanks can be sourced in custom designs with storage capacities of several thousand gallons but, to avoid EPA registration requirements, they are often specified to store less than 550 gallons. When a facility requires a longer run-time than is possible with 550 gallons, the designer will usually specify a supplemental tank, installed remotely. This remote fuel tank will be intended to “supply” fuel to the sub-base tank on demand. Adding a remote fuel tank to supplement the sub-base tank has become very popular, but it changes things a bit, since the sub-base tank will now act as a “sub-base day tank”.
Serving as a day tank, the generator sub-base tank must now include controls to start and stop a fuel transfer pump (to refill the sub-base tank as needed). This transfer pump must also be sized and placed between the bulk (remote) fuel tank, and the sub-base tank. In some cases, a return pump is also required. A sub-base day tank design is not overly complicated, but I still see it tripping-up engineers and contractors from time to time.
Coordinating a sub-base day tank system
A typical design, as described above, will include a bulk tank, a transfer pump, a control panel, and the sub-base tank installed beneath the generator. While the components are simple enough, it is the procurement and coordination of these components that I think causes problems for generator vendors, contractors and engineers. If you review the specifications for a typical project, you will likely find that the supply of these components is split between mechanical and electrical contractors. This is where the trouble begins. I sometimes see the electrical contractor supplying a generator with a sub-base tank, unaware that it must tie into a bulk fuel source provided by a mechanical contractor. Even if fully aware of each other, problems still come up when attempting to coordinate the characteristics of the fuel transfer pump (such as the required flow rate) with the generator’s fuel demand rate. Fuel level controls and wiring are other areas that seem to fall into a gap between the mechanical and electrical contractors. Without a clear specification, the installer will sometimes find that a transfer pump was not furnished, or controls were not included on the sub-base tank, or that the tank is not able to accommodate the required sensors to measure fuel level.
There is an easier way!
For single generator applications requiring a sub-base fuel tank and supplemental bulk source tank, I would encourage the designer to follow these steps:
actual
generator that is selected for the project.As the designer, these simple steps will help you ensure that all systems related to the generator are based on, and compatible with the selected generator. When you receive shop drawings for review and approval, you should expect to see a complete system including the generator and all fuel-related components.
Need project-specific help?
This is an example of a bulk fuel storage tank, pre-packaged with a transfer pump and control panel, all pre-wired and shipped in a single skid. This system was designed to provide fuel, on-demand, to a generator sub-base tank. Once delivered to the job-site, the tank was installed in its concrete pad, and the electrician connected electrical power and the pump’s start/stop signal originating from the level control panel. At the sub-base tank’s location, a fuel level transmitter was installed in the tank, and subsequently wired to a wall-mounted level control panel (also furnished with the package).
If you have similar projects, and need help in specifying a fuel system for a generator, call or send us a note. We can support you with product selection and guide specifications, as well as sample drawings to help you complete your project plans. Our review of your project will look for ways to ensure a reliable and cost-effective system, but also one that can be purchased and installed with ease!
Have thoughts or comments on this subject? Please share or leave a comment below!