specific information, refer to Naval Ships'
separator elements and of prefilter elements if they
Technical Manual, chapter 541.
are used. Ensure that the centrifugal purifier bowl
is clean. Otherwise, the recirculation will be of
Receiving Fuel .--Just before replenishment,
little value.
tanks that were ballasted must be tested for water
Before placing the standby (or auxiliary)
contamination and stripped as necessary. At the
service tank in use, test the tank bottom for water
beginning, midpoint, and end of replenishment,
contamination and strip as necessary. Recirculate
as a minimum, draw a fuel sample from a test
the propulsion service tank using the centrifugal
connection and test for bottom sediment and
purifier for the maximum time available.
water (BS&W). The maximum allowable BS&W
of an acceptable replenishment sample is 0.1 per-
cent. You may use a "clear and bright" ap-
pearance during fueling as a secondary indication
Sample the filter/separator discharge and test
of acceptable fuel quality pending BS&W deter-
it 5 minutes after a service tank is placed on
mination. You may accept only fuels conform-
suction and at least once every 4 hours during
ing to MIL-F-16884G (F-76) or, as an alternate,
system operation. An acceptable sample contains
MIL-5624 (JP-5 and F-44). When fueling from
sediment less than 2.64 milligrams per liter (mg/l)
NATO sources, you can accept F-75 fuel as an
and free water less than 40 parts per million
acceptable substitute. F-44 is the NATO designa-
(ppm). Failure of the filter/separator to achieve
tion for JP-5, and F-75 is the NATO designation
the required fuel quality indicates either the need
for fuel that has a lower pour point than F-76.
for coalescer element replacement or insufficient
Lighter colored fuels, in general, tend to have less
service tank recirculation.
sediment (particulate matter) than darker fuels.
They present a lesser filtration burden. Test non-
compensated storage tanks for water contamina-
Tank Stripping .--At the earliest opportunity,
tion 24 hours after filling and strip as necessary.
the ship's force must determine (and record) the
height of the stripping tail pipe terminus relative
Service Tank Replenishment.--You must test
to the tank bottom. Stripping of noncompensated
nonseawater-compensated fuel storage tanks
tanks is conducted when the water level exceeds
(from which the service or auxiliary service tank
the height of the stripping tail pipe. Use a thief
is to be replenished) for water contamination.
sample, water-indicating paste, or a tank stripping
Before beginning fuel transfer, strip the tanks as
sample to determine the water level. Terminate
necessary. Sample the centrifugal purifier
stripping when the water level falls below the
discharge and visually test it 5 minutes after in-
stripping tail pipe terminus. This is evidenced by
itiation of transfer, and every 30 minutes
tank bottom testing or when the stripping pump
thereafter. An acceptable sample is one visually
discharge sample does not indicate significant free
determined to be clear and bright. When a sam-
water.
ple fails to meet the clear and bright criteria, this
You must test noncompensated fuel tanks,
indicates a need for tank inspection and/or
fuel gravity feed tanks, fuel head tanks, and JP-5
purifier cleaning.
emergency head tank bottoms weekly for the
Recirculate the service tank using the
presence of water. Strip them as necessary. In
centrifugal purifier for the maximum time
addition, strip these tanks before fuel receipt,
available, but no less than 3 hours, or for as many
transfer, or service.
hours as required to recirculate the contents of
the service tank. Recirculation reduces the amount
of solid contaminants in the fuel.
F-44 FUEL OIL (JP-5).--In this section we
Fuel contaminants may be less dense, more
will discuss the general procedures for receiving,
dense, or as dense as the fuel itself. As a result,
stripping tanks, and testing of F-44 fuel. As a
one pass through the purifier may remove as much
GSE3 or GSM3, you will be involved in one or
as 50 percent of the incoming contaminants or as
more of the above procedures on a daily basis.
little as 10 percent. Multiple passes can eventually
You will note that testing requirements for JP-5
remove as much as 90 percent of the total
fuel differ somewhat from those of F-76 fuel.
contaminants or at least reduce the level to below
While the test equipments used in propulsion fuels
that required for engine use. Reducing the level
are the same, the procedures and criteria are
of contamination in the fuel service tank can also
different. The sampling procedures and time
result in a reduction in the usage of coalescer and
requirements also differ.
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