Thoughts on using air pressure to push fuel out of transport tank to machine.

[Captain Dirty]

Have you considered an accumulator (pressurized air storage tank) and an air driven pump?

 

[Industrial Toys]

Not sure what a pressure relief on a heater is set to. I don't recall it going open. I am not quite that dumb that I would just put my shop air to the tank. Either just give it little shots of air, or I used a regulator. In any event, dumb enough to ruin my tank. Maybe on the verge of starting to leak anyway, so maybe a blessing. Who knows?

 

[DEWFPO]

I agree that 3-5 lbs max. should be you target. Any more than that and you are really asking for trouble in a tank that is not designed for it.

DEWFPO

 

[Industrial Toys]

It always amazes me, how much squish there is in the air, before anything happens. And then having to relieve that pressure. It is a nuisance.



Pressure testing new Diesel Fuel tank Last year with various precautions. Regulator and appropriate bracing.

 

[LouNY]

3 to 5 psi would be getting close to too much pressure;
27.72 inchs of water pressure = 1 psi
or 1 psi will lift water in a column or hose up 27".
Fuel has a density of about 0.9 compared to water so 1 psi will lift fuel approximately 30",
so it you need to lift your fuel 6 ft or 72" you would only need just under 2.5 psi of air to do so,
as long as the volume of air does not exceed the volume of fuel leaving the tank and the tank can handle the pressure it will work.
I have see empty oil drum distort and rupture with 5 psi in them.

 

[tallfreak]

My only concern is the tank. Most likely its not designed for pressure. 3-5 psi is still a lot on a big tank. A 200 gallon tank would have 3900 pounds of pressure on each wall at 5 psi.

In my opinion you should find another way. If you have air pressure available, use it to run a pump.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Those things are super expensive. Like GRACO piston pumps, and some rotary air pumps. Often designed to eliminate explosion hazzards in industrial environments. Did I mention expensive?

 

[PAPPASMURF]

I have a 50 gallon fuel tank on my flatbed with a small air compressor (the type granny would keep in her trunk) and I run 5 to 10 lbs of pressure into the tank and refuel all of my equipment on worksites with it. No problems whatsoever. I do have the filter on it as well, but 10 lbs is more than enough to fuel anything you need. Just my 2 cents. It works great!

 

[Industrial Toys]

I see Princess auto has some Chinesium "Power Fist" air operted pump on sale that is good for oil, at $69.00 CDN. Probably a similar HF offering.