Hammonds offers new microbicide additive for marine applications

Posted November 17, 2009

Houston-based engineers and biodiesel blenders The Hammonds Companies markets the Biobor line of fuel additives and has several new products making their debut this month. Specifically, Biobor MD promises to enhance fuel performance and economy, aid in lubricity, which is extremely critical with the use of low sulfur diesel, clean up the engine by reducing sludge build up and prevent gelling of the fuel.

Biobor has focused on eliminating the microorganisms as the "industry standard for 30 years" but the new products-Bibor MD, Biobor EB and the Hum-Bug detector kit-are designed in particular for marine applications. "Biodiesel has more of propensity for growing bugs [because it attracts water]," Carl Hammonds, founder and president of Hammonds Companies, told Biodiesel Magazine. "But we're still early enough in the stages of use and care for biodiesel that we really don't know some of its long term effects."

Along with using additives, Hammonds said making sure tanks are clean and dry is the best way to protect against various types of contamination. Certainly the outfit is no stranger to biodiesel handling. The company currently provides blending services for a "major fuel marketer and distributor" but could not reveal that name of the company because of a nondisclosure agreement. "It's a travel plaza [business model] where biodiesel can be blended up to 20 percent right at the pump."

To supplement its additive line, Hammonds also manufactures in-line blending equipment so marketers and distributors can precision blend diesel and biodiesel fuels at various percentages "from the terminal to the hose," Hammonds said, as well as fluid additive injector systems.

"Biodiesel MD is more for marine applications, but the flagship product in the line, Biobor JF, is designed to accommodate over-the-road applications. "We see this sector as using the most biodiesel," Hammonds said. "In addition to being a microbicide, Biobor is a pour-point depressant that can keep the fuel from gelling at low temperatures."