The motor fuel supply continues to expand to include more biofuels.
Almost every convenience store sells gasoline containing 10% ethanol (E10) and many are considering expansion of their fuel offering to include fuels containing 15% ethanol (E15). According to the U.S. Energy Administration, biodiesel was second to fuel ethanol as the most produced and consumed biofuel in the U.S. in 2020.
Taking care to ensure that all fueling system equipment can reliably perform under the conditions presented in a biofuel environment is important for safety, environmental responsibility and customer satisfaction. With that in mind, here are three things every convenience store retailer should know about the reliability of their fuel dispenser filters.
Visit PetroClear at Booth 6616 at the 2022 NACS Show
To learn how fueling operations can benefit from PetroClear’s UL-recognized fuel dispenser filters, please visit PetroClear at Booth 6616 during the 2022 PEI Convention at the NACS Show expo Oct. 2-4 in Las Vegas, or set up a time to talk with PetroClear Sales Director Bob Ingham at robert.ingham@champlabs.com.
- Just because certain fueling system components are not regulated by the EPA doesn’t mean they aren’t regulated altogether.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency only regulates fueling equipment that is at ground level or above. As such, the agency does not stipulate requirements for dispensers or the components inside them. However, the EPA reminds fuel site operators that although dispensers are not part of the underground storage tank (UST) system, they face the same compatibility concerns as UST equipment. In addition, the EPA reports that compatibility requirements for dispensers and related components may exist in other local regulations, such as fire codes. The EPA recommends that fuel site operators check with their implementing agencies for such requirements.
- Biofuel compatibility is becoming an increasingly important consideration for all fueling system components, including fuel dispenser filters.
Fuels blended with biofuels in certain concentrations (as represented by the percentage of ethanol or biodiesel contained in the blended fuel) have been shown to be more aggressive toward some materials used in a fueling system. For instance, the EPA reports that incompatibility between equipment or components has been observed in “tanks, piping or gaskets and seals that have become brittle, elongated, thinner or swollen when compared with their as-installed conditions.” Fuel dispenser filters contain gaskets that need to withstand the properties of the fuel being pumped through the system.
- Every filter in PetroClear’s line of retail fuel dispenser filters is constructed to meet high safety, compatibility and reliability standards.
PetroClear spin-on dispenser filters are recognized by UL Solutions as meeting U.S. and Canadian standards for component service. PetroClear fuel dispenser filters are recognized as safe to use with E0 to E85 (neat gasoline to ethanol blends containing up to 85% ethanol) and for B0 to B100 (standard petroleum-based diesel to pure biodiesel).
Additionally, metal end caps on the top and bottom of the filter media feature a thermo-setting adhesive that creates a seal to prevent the bypass of contaminated fuel. PetroClear fuel dispenser filters are designed with threaded cover backplate assemblies constructed of thick steel. Each backplate assembly includes a nitrile rubber gasket that is resilient to blended fuels. The filter’s backplate assembly is roll seamed to the shell of the filter, contributing to leakproof operation. Finally, the shell’s exterior is coated in a textured paint that helps reduce spills during filter changes.
PetroClear regularly includes information about fuel dispenser filter best practices and industry trends in its newsletter, The Petro Post. To subscribe, sign up here.
This post is sponsored by PetroClear