Not sure this is the correct forum for this, if not let me know if there is a more appropriate one.
Am working on a offshore platform where we are having serious power turbine reliability problems (on gas/diesel dual fuel machines) traced to dirty diesel.
The diesel piping is around 2m3 total volume with 200 m3of storage, we have a single nominal 1 micron filter and coalescer in the system.  The turbine vendor is asking for NO particles greater than 3 micron in the supply to his machines.  I cannot see this being at all practical.  Latest particle analysis give a result of about 23/21/18 to BS ISO 4406 so absolutly nowhere near and we've been flushing for weeks.  We're calling out filter specialist. Does anyone has any feel for what achievable or advise?

There are two problems to deal with for the sources of diesel fuel particulate contamination.First, the storage tanks and piping may have corrosion and rust.  Either lined carbon steel tanks or stainless steel tanks could eliminate the corrosion particles from them.  Piping of stainless steel, fabricated with low spatter TIG welding process, and cleaned with a pickling acid solution, will minimize any particles from piping.  That leaves only the diesel fuel itself as a source of particulate.  The grade of fuel needs to specify a maximum ash content, etc. Diesel #2 / Jet 'A' will be a lot better than No. 6 bunker fuel oil!
There was a turbine at APS utility with fuel oil backup to its normal natural gas supply.  They found turbine blades gone after a month burning fuel oil, while natural gas had no observable wear on blades.  Your offshore platform location has intake air with particles from salt spray.  Use and check the air filters along with the fuel filters.

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