Clean Fuel. Reliable Systems. Zero Downtime.
Fuel Polishing and Filtration.
At LCM, we deliver advanced fuel polishing and filtration services designed to clean, restore, and maintain the quality of your stored fuel. Keeping your business running smoothly, safely, and in full compliance.
Contaminated fuel is one of the most common causes of failure in critical power and heating systems. Whether you’re powering a hospital backup generator, a data centre, or an emergency sprinkler system, your fuel must meet high standards to perform on demand. Our high-capacity, on-site fuel polishing and filtration systems help ensure it does.
Fuel Polishing Enhances Quality and System Reliability.
What Is Fuel Polishing?
Polishing fuel is the process of removing water, microbial growth, sludge, and particulates from stored fuel without needing to dispose of or replace it. It restores fuel quality, protects critical systems, and extends the life of your infrastructure – all without interrupting operations.
At LCM, we use state-of-the-art mobile filtration rigs to polish your fuel in place. Our systems can process over 100,000 litres of fuel per day, making us one of the most efficient providers in the UK.
Targeted Multi-Stage Removal of Water, Microbes & Sediment.
How Does Fuel Filtration Work?
We start by identifying and targeting the most contaminated areas of your tank – typically found at the base, where water and particulates settle. Using specialist probes, pumps, and pipework, we draw this contaminated fuel into our multi-stage filtration units.
These systems remove:
- Water and microbial contamination
- Rust, dirt, and debris
- Fuel degradation by-products
- Sludge and sediment
Once the fuel has been thoroughly filtered, we take a second, independent fuel sample for cross-check testing at a UKAS-accredited lab. Ensuring it now meets ISO 8217 and EN 590 standards for safe, compliant use in critical applications.
Fuel Polishing & Filtration Services | Combat Contamination & Save Costs.
Why Does Polishing Fuel Matter?
Stored fuel is vulnerable to contamination over time, especially if it’s unused for months or years. Left unchecked, this contamination can damage engines, clog filters, and cause emergency systems to fail just when they’re needed most.
Fuel polishing is a proactive way to maintain operational resilience.
By cleaning your existing fuel supply rather than replacing it, we save you the cost of disposal and new stock, while also reducing environmental waste.
Did You Know?
The bottom 10% of your fuel tank harbours more than 90% of your contamination.
That’s why our filtration systems are designed to target and extract this critical zone, using specialist probes and pumps. After fuel polishing and filtration, we take a second sample for independent lab testing. Giving you peace of mind that your fuel is clean, compliant, and ready for use.
Don’t wait for system failure to discover you’ve got contaminated fuel. Contact us today to book a site assessment or learn more about how our fuel polishing and filtration services can protect your assets and your reputation.
Contact the LCM team today to take control of your fuel quality with our expert fuel management team.
Our Values and Promises.
Our Service Solutions.
With over 35 years of dedication to delivering reliable, sustainable, compliant solutions that reduce your risk and increase your peace of mind. It’s why we exist; to ensure the wheels of the world keep turning.
Frequently Asked Questions.
Fuel filtration typically refers to removing solid particles like dirt and rust from the fuel. Fuel polishing goes a step further – it’s a multi-stage process that removes water, microbial contamination (like diesel bug), sludge, and other impurities. Polishing not only cleans the fuel but also restores its quality, making it safe and efficient for critical use. LCM’s equipment allows fuel polishing rather than surface-level filtration. However, both terms are commonly used to describe the restoration of fuel back to specification.
We recommend fuel testing and potential filtration every 6 to 12 months, depending on storage conditions, tank design, and usage. Regular maintenance helps prevent contamination from building up, ensuring your fuel stays compliant, reliable, and ready when needed.
While fuel filtration itself is not strictly a legal requirement, fuel used for critical infrastructure must meet ISO standards and environmental standards. If your stored fuel becomes contaminated and fails to meet these standards, you could face non-compliance issues, especially in regulated sectors like healthcare, transport, or emergency systems.
Yes – significantly cheaper. Fuel polishing can save thousands by avoiding the cost of disposing of contaminated fuel and buying fresh stock. It’s also more environmentally responsible, reducing waste and the need for large-scale deliveries.
Timeframes depend on the fuel volume and contamination level, but our high-capacity systems can filter over 100,000 litres per day. Most sites are fully serviced within a single working day, with minimal disruption.
In most cases, no downtime is required. Our mobile systems are designed to clean fuel in situ, allowing your site to continue operating as normal. We’ll work with your team to schedule the service at the most convenient time and avoid operational disruption. In some cases, we can provide mobile fuel tanks to temporarily connect to your generators and prevent blackouts or any other critical infrastructure failure.