3427 Guidelines on detecting, controlling and mitigating microbial growth in oils and fuels used at power generation facilities

Overview:

This guidance document focuses on addressing operational problems from microbial growth in turbine, lubricating, transformer and other oils and diesel fuels at power stations. The consequences of microbial growth in oils include additive depletion, tank and pipe sludging, filter plugging, gauging problems, corrosion, increased acidity, attack on paint surfaces, viscosity changes and smell and
discolouration.

This guidance document provides sufficient background information to the power generation industry stakeholders who are unfamiliar with microbiology as a tool to empower them to recognise and effectively control microbial contamination in fuel and turbine oil systems. It offers information about both turbine oil and fuel product and  system biodeterioration. Much of the fuel-related material derives from Energy Institute (EI) Guidelines for the Investigation of the Microbial Content of Liquid Fuels and for the Implementation of Avoidance and Remedial Strategies (EI Fuel Guidelines).