Weird, Unknown Diesel Creature Redux
Readers of my August 14 ‘Lectronic Latitude, Finding a Weird, Unknown Creature Living Inside My Fuel Tank, might want to know what that creature-like “thing” in the photos was that clogged my diesel fuel line.
Was it a real living worm or slug-like creature capable of living on its own in my diesel tank? Or, if not, what was it?
I turned over a small specimen sample of the “thing” to Greg Nelson, a chemist at Peak Analytical, Inc. in Golden, Colorado. Peak is a high-tech operation using technologies like gas chromatography, infrared and electron spectroscopy, and other analytical tools that allow chemical characterization of unknowns followed by identification using library searching against a database of over 200,000 references.
Without getting into the technical woods, here are the results and observations from Peak Analytical:
- The unknown material was received as a viscous/gelatinous semisolid material that, under a stereomicroscope, appeared to be HOMOGENEOUS WITHOUT ORDERED STRUCTURE. Living independent creatures must have a means of ingestion and excretion. The homogeneous specimen did not show such a structure.
- Spectrographic analysis, using a large data base indicated the specimen to be a mixture of organic compounds. Likely an ADHESIVE COMPONENT, OR A SURFACTANT. An adhesive may have slowly failed over time and collected in the filter. Surfactants are chemical additives, designed to reduce the surface tension between two liquids. Another possibility is that certain components of commercial fuel delivery use absorbent polymers which remove harmful fluids, such as water, from fuel.
It appears that “it” was not an independent living entity like a worm or slug.
The original aluminum diesel tank in my sailboat was replaced with a polyurethane tank 30 years ago. One possibility: Adhesive material within the tank became dislodged while motoring into moderate seas, clogging the fuel line.
Or, if the diesel conditioner I used contained a surfactant, its action may have created a congealed gel-like substance that clogged the fuel line.
It’s a polyestermite fer crying out loud.
Neither animal or plant, it falls into that origin of life category we can refer to as pseudo vida, or as is known by people who chew, as CRUD. A prefilter may assist with its removal if you use water separating fuel filters and a pump system that can efficiently polish the finished fuel down to 1 or 2 microns, while providing enough pressure for main engine and generator demands. This kind of systems can keep up with low pressure demands and heat the fuel as well as filter many gallons per hour. Generally with a standard biocide, you will no longer have any clogged fuel lines nor loose power due to immitation pollywogs free swimming the side stroke.