De-Icer
Get the Water Out
These words ring more loudly for the diesel fuel user than Christmas bells. Cold weather can bring uneasiness and headaches to users of distillate fuel that are unsure of the protection provided them. They look to their fuel suppliers to provide a product that will not leave them stranded when temperatures fall.
Terminal managers and marketers know that all distillate (diesel) fuel contains a measureable amount of suspended moisture in the fuel. When temperatures drop below 32 degrees F this moisture will change into ice crystals and form a blockage of the fuel delivery system (fuel line freeze-up).
Diesel fuel "De-Icer" additives have been used for many years to chemically lower the freeze point temperature of moisture present in distillate fuels. Such chemicals have a very low freeze point temperature and when bonded with the diesel fuel water molecules these De-Icer additives will lower the freeze point of the resulting mixture.
Glycol Ethers (GCE) has been the fuel De-Icer of choice since the early 1980's. Most fuel additive manufacturers today use one (or more) of the available GCE products. GCE additives are not nearly as dry as the previously used Isopropyl alcohol products and some GCE products can actually impart a small amount of lubrication to the fuel system.
The amount of De-Icer formulated into a winter diesel fuel additive must be adequate to effectively de-ice a typical (normal) amount of dissolved moisture expected to be in the finished diesel fuel.
Generally a De-Icer treatment amount equal to 1 pint per each 100 gallons of diesel fuel will effectively lower the freeze point temperature of normal dissolved moisture content (100ppm or more) in a diesel fuel down to a fuel temperature of -40F or lower. This treatment volume represents the maximum dosage recommended by the equipment manufacturers to prevent any adverse effects on the fuel delivery system.