Thanks for the write-up. Figured there was a way to keep moisture out of the tanks and general system, but never knew the specifics.
Photography Credit: Erik Mclean
A hurricane just hit. Is that fuel sold at the local gas station still safe to use? So we talked with a trusted friend in the fuel business.
First, those vents that you see at every gas station? The openings sit well above ground level and feature check valves.
And the tanks themselves? Even though most of those tanks sit below ground, they feature water-tight caps and seals intended to prevent water intrusion. Those seals are designed to fend off both heavy rains as well as standing water from abnormal events like hurricanes and floods.
Should water enter the tanks, however, checks are in place: The tanks themselves have sensors to track any water intrusion. If water enters a tank, it will be detected as it collects at the bottom of the tank–remember, gasoline floats on top of water. Stations should then stop sales and investigate any abnormal water readings.
Another safety check: Stations also should be operating using filters designed to stop flow upon the presence of any water content. When those filters encounter a certain concentration of water, they stop the flow of gasoline.
And what to do if you think your fuel has been contaminated with water? If a water issue is suspected, a consumer should report it to the station immediately and also report it to the brand in question for investigation.
Thanks for the write-up. Figured there was a way to keep moisture out of the tanks and general system, but never knew the specifics.
What's dissolved water?
Cool info, I've wondered that before :)
SV reX said:What's dissolved water?
Ethanol in gas absorbs water.
10ml of ethanol and 10ml of water gives you 19ml total volume.
I wonder how idiot-proof this stuff is. Like, can a careless or incompetent operator easily contaminate their own supply by being careless around these safety measures, or is that stuff well-separated from unqualified hands?
In reply to JG Pasterjak :
It almost seems like even if you try to mess up the fuel, there are enough widgets in place that will prevent someone from filling up their car with watery gas.
That being said, I'm sure those safety measures are only useful if they are regularly maintained.
JG Pasterjak said:I wonder how idiot-proof this stuff is. Like, can a careless or incompetent operator easily contaminate their own supply by being careless around these safety measures, or is that stuff well-separated from unqualified hands?
Oh, I bet an idiot could find a way....
In reply to JG Pasterjak :
I worked in a gas station during the early 70s "gas crisis". I checked the tank levels so the manager knew how much fuel to order. Our tanks had provisions for locks and we locked them.
SV reX said:What's dissolved water?
Buzz Killington here... Technically, the term is Miscible. Dissolution indicates that the physical state of one substance changes, like sugar in water goes from a solid to being dis-solved. Soluble items also indicate having a saturation point. In this example, you can only dissolve X amount of sugar in water.
Items like water and ethanol don't have a saturation point and they don't change physical states when mixed, so they are referred to as miscible. Things like Vodka or antifreeze are miscible, meaning they can exist in any concentration of water.
In reply to Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) :
That's what I was thinking...
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