Author: Ann W. Burris

q Petroleum Recovery Services, LLC

Presents
the

FLOATube™

... fine tuning fuel management.

What if you could guarantee that the cleanest fuel in a storage tank is always delivered to your equipment? The result would be more efficient engines, less maintenance and lower emissions. The best method to accomplish this goal would be to use floating suction on fuel pick-up lines. To understand this reasoning you must know what happens to fuel in storage.

Petroleum is an organic compound that will degrade over time. Oxidation, re-polymerization, water, microbial life, rust, waxing, gelling, stratification, separation and outside contaminants have all been impacting the storage and operability of fuel since we began using petroleum products. As the major cause of contamination, water enters tanks through delivered product, condensation, damaged fill boxes, bad gaskets, loose fittings and various other non-water/vapor tight openings. Once water enters a tank, it will sink to the bottom because it is heavier than oil. At the bottom of the tank the water is trapped since it is non-soluble with oil.
Aerobic fungus, bacteria and yeast hydrocarbon utilizing microorganisms will begin to grow at the fuel/water interface. Sediments will form on the bottom as the organisms go through life processes. Unfortunately, these processes occur where current fuel supply lines are located—the bottom of the tank!
As the layers of sludge and water build towards the fuel pick-up lines, the quality of the fuel removed from the tank severely diminishes. The fuel may even become un-pumpable and non-combustible, which could have catastrophic consequences to the end user. It would be smarter to draw the fuel from a higher point in the column of fluid where no contaminants are found.
This can be accomplished by using floating suction where the fuel pick-up line floats in the fuel as opposed to being at a fixed point near the bottom of the tank.

fuel

water

FLOATube™ attached
to a submersible pump

Rises and falls with the level of fuel
Pulls fuel from area of least possible contamination
Extends the cleaning cycle of the tank
Improves system reliability

Until recently, floating suction lines were bulky and complicated, utilizing floats and tethers to suspend the fuel pick-up line. These floating apparatuses required a tank entry to be deployed.
There is now a new innovative floating suction system called the FLOATube™ that is capable of maintaining its position relative to the liquid as the volume changes within the tank.

FLOATube™

4310 Amsterdam St., N. Charleston, SC, 29418 ● 877-252-6396 ● 843-377-0412 fax
www.floatube.com ● www.petroleumrecoveryservices.com

The FLOATube™ is a fuel line and float combined into one! It can fit through a 4" riser. It can be specified for new tanks or retrofitted in existing tanks.
The FLOATube™ can work on a suction system (such as found on emergency generators )or be attached to a submersible pump (for gasoline, diesel, kerosene and aviation fuel dispensing).
Models range from mini-FLOATubes™ made for Day and Belly tanks or large FLOATubes™ made for large field erected tanks.
Because of the demanding requirements on today’s fuel delivery systems, particularly injectors, a clean fuel supply is extremely important.

FLOATube™

Mini-FLOATube™ for Day Tank

Call today to get a FLOATube™ installed in your tank and avoid the problems associated with contaminated fuel. 877-252-6396

qPetroleum Recovery Services

4310 Amsterdam Street
North Charleston, SC 29418
Phone: 843-225-1777
Fax: 843-377-0412
Email: steve@floatube.com