If you could prevent a fire hazard or environmental harm, wouldn’t you? Overfill, a condition in tank trailers that are loaded without, in some instances, having fully dispensed previous product, is a flammable, environmentally-damaging threat to safety. Fortunately, there are technological solutions to stop overfill, but slow adoption is keeping the fuel supply chain at risk.
So, how does overfill occur? There are a few preeminent causes, many of which stem from retained fuel in a trailer compartment. These include an unlevel delivery location, premature closing of the fuel compartment and loss of air pressure during unloading. Because overfill is usually caused by retain, probes that detect when fuel is still present in a compartment are an extremely helpful asset.
Currently, about 20% of fuel trailers in the United States feature retain probes. One example of an effective retain probe, Civacon’s CivaStar, notifies drivers and terminal techs of a retain condition with an easy-to-read LED light. When the light is red for a particular compartment, it is apparent that there is still product left. This process not only combats overfill, but it eliminates guesswork in finding the source of the retain that is the root cause.
Beyond a probe system, there are also more advanced technologies for keeping tank trailers on the up and up. To give delivery drivers a hand, and keep the fuel supply chain running more confidently, Civacon introduced the CivaCommand Smart Tank System, a single interface that gives drivers digital tools to prevent and monitor retain, overfill and crossover, a mix of incompatible fuels. Drivers can use this new tool to stay aware of, and prevent, the most common costly mistakes facing fuel delivery.
Delivering What’s Next in Error Elimination
Civacon understands the needs of every party affected by the fuel delivery supply chain. This attention to detail serves retail stations, their customers and the drivers that service these stations. Get the full story on Civacon’s total tank trailer solution, CivaCommand, and stay on top of the latest products and industry news from Civacon at civacon.com, or on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.