Mission-critical fuel quality management — filtration, polishing, nitrogen blanketing, and SP001 compliance inspections for data centers, hospitals, and standby power systems.
Request a ConsultationWilkes Fuel is an experienced provider of quality fuel services to data centers, telecommunications, and other mission-critical applications. Wilkes was founded to respond to a growing need in the industry faced by all corporate consumers of diesel, biodiesel, gasoline, and ethanol-based fuels.
Filtration systems engineered specifically for your belly tank or bulk storage setup — not a one-size-fits-all solution.
Fuel polishing for belly tanks and bulk storage tanks of any size, restoring fuel quality and protecting your equipment.
Fast, thorough water removal from contaminated fuel, keeping your systems running clean.
SP001-compliant inspections and repairs, keeping your storage tanks within Steel Tank Institute standards.
"The decision to add the AN-1 system to our emergency diesel fuel tanks was one of the best moves we ever made. Our fuel is immaculate and our generators run smoothly. We no longer have to worry about the fuel messing up the generators during a hurricane."
"Wilkes Fuel Solutions has been providing me tank cleaning and fuel polishing/filtration services for the past few years."
Diesel fuel filtration is especially important considering the stringent fuel quality requirements of modern industrial engines, where fuel quality impacts engine performance, reliability, and emissions. Many studies have indicated poor fuel quality as a major cause of failure of standby power systems.
The Wilkes filtration, conditioning and maintenance system is designed for tanks dedicated to diesel engine generator sets, both above-ground and underground, ranging from 1,000 gallons up to 50,000-gallon tanks. Fuel is drawn from the bottom of the tank and returned at the opposite end with minimal disturbance of the settled strata, resulting in strong filtration performance and removal of contaminants and water.
Water and microbial sludge are the biggest long-term threats to fuel quality. If drawn into a generator, they cause filters to clog and injectors to fail — leading to a failure to start when it matters most. Wilkes systems run automatically, with monitoring sensors that safely shut the system down as filters begin to clog, and can dose the fuel with microbial treatment, cetane boosters, and stabilizers via precise metering pumps.
Our nitrogen-based AN-1 solution is a completely automated system that provides best-in-class fuel management, so you never have to worry about fuel quality, tank integrity, or reliability during a disaster event.
The AN-1 integrates with your existing tanks and continuously pumps fuel through the device and back into your tank. With the nitrogen module, oxygen is eliminated so condensation never forms inside the tank — a turn-key solution for ongoing fuel quality and tank integrity.
AN-1 configuration options include:
Remote monitoring of system performance is enabled by built-in pressure, humidity, and temperature sensors.
Fuel sampling and evaluation is the key to determining when a problem exists. While water at the bottom of a tank may be visible, the quality and stability of diesel fuel is not — and should be tested annually.
A good fuel evaluation includes visual findings and a complete lab analysis. Wilkes provides full in-depth lab analysis of your diesel fuel and solutions to correct fuel problems and maintain fuel quality over time. Proactive testing — pulling samples from incoming shipments, day tanks, or long-term storage — identifies problems before they affect equipment availability.
Regular fuel tank testing minimizes the risk of failure, which can cost thousands of dollars in hazardous clean-up, fines, and litigation. Wilkes helps facilities build a maintenance plan defining when and how often to inspect.
Law requires bulk fuel tanks to be non-destructively tested by a certified inspector to check their soundness, as outlined by your facility's SPCC plan. These inspections detect leaks and structural issues before a discharge event occurs and determine a tank's fitness for continued service. Wilkes holds SP001 inspector certification and can perform these required tests.
"Mission critical" describes business components fundamentally essential to the survival of a facility, operation, or organization. Wilkes provides proven mission-critical fuel solutions to mitigate risk and improve reliability for:
Good housekeeping and clean, dry fuel from a reputable supplier are step one. For mission-critical applications, Wilkes recommends the AN-1 automated fuel re-circulation/filtration system, paired with regular fuel testing and, where appropriate, stabilizer treatment. Wilkes uses nitrogen to eliminate oxygen so water never forms, preventing fuel issues before they start.
Temperature, humidity, and condensation are key factors. Free water enables microbiological growth, producing slime or acids that corrode tanks, pumps, and injectors. Heat and pressure from pumps, centrifuges, and heaters — plus fuel returned from the engine itself — also contribute to deterioration.
Optimal fuel quality means peak engine performance and longer engine life. Wilkes fuel conditioning eliminates organic solids, tank sludge, acid formation, and clogged filters, improves combustion, and helps bring equipment into compliance with the Clean Air Act.
Yes — roughly 90% of the debris that clogs filters is a byproduct of fuel breakdown, not sand or dust. Fuel filter media ranges from 30 microns for a prefilter down to 2 microns for a fine filter.
Filters and separators remove suspended debris, but they don't stop or reverse fuel breakdown, and won't remove sludge coating the walls of a storage tank. Biocides alone often make the situation worse. Wilkes fuel maintenance programs address the root cause.
Fuel is an unstable organic liquid that degrades over time and can be contaminated anywhere along its journey from refinery to end use. Heat and pressure during engine use increase asphaltene agglomeration, hurting combustion efficiency and emissions.
Whatever the challenge, we'll find a way to solve it.
678-354-1102 · info@wilkesolutions.com
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