Hospitals and emergency facilities across the U.S. are making provisions to accommodate the unprecedented spread of COVID-19. The current demand for emergency response puts an overwhelming strain on old and new infrastructure and the power system serving the life support demand. Backup diesel power systems are often relied on to support any system failures. However, FOI Laboratories, a diesel fuel testing laboratory in Vancouver, Washington, says these backup systems may fail for a number of preventable reasons.
Fuel contamination happens in many ways. Water is the most common fuel failure point. Biofuels, microbials and additives also play a role in contamination of fuel. A 2007 EPA Report identified serious deterioration and shortened life of distribution and storage infrastructures due to new abrasives in the fuel quality. Human error, staffing changes and lack of global data availability can all lead to a failure in a backup system considered healthy.