Oilybits Super-Absorbing Polymer (SAP) Water Absorbing Gel Crystals

One of our own range of products, this super-absorbant polymer will absorb 130 TIMESits own weight in water, but it will not absorb oil (mineral or vegetable) and therefore can absorb any free water in the fuel preventing it from being passed through a standard particulate filter.

This product is most commonly used for removing water from domestic heating oil tanks, or diesel storage tanks, and is deployed by enclosing the polymer with a simple weight such as a stone into a 100 Micron Nylon Monofilament Filter Bag (by means of a cable tie around the top) and lowering to the bottom of the tank tethered to a string. Optimum absorbtion is reached after approximately 2-3 hours, or until it has grown to 130 times its original size, whichever the sooner. Bear in mind the potential size and weight of the polymer sack when it is fully saturated, with regard to its ease of extraction from the tank.

This product is not immediately effective with emulsified oil / water, however it will absorb emulsified water from diesel and biodiesel given time, how long depends on the difference between the volume of oil and the volume of polymer. Using 20ml of saturated biodiesel (in which the water was completely miscible - bonded to the hydroscopic Biodiesel), and 1G of polymer, the polymer dried the biodiesel in 24 hours.

The image on this listing is of a glass of vegetable oil, with a bed of approximately 3mm of polymer at the bottom, the expanded area to the right is where a droplet of water has been added, and has been absorbed by the polymer from the oil. When the oil is then passed through a 100 Micron Nylon Monofilament Filter Bag the water will stay behind with the polymer which is too big to pass through the filter mesh

If you have a major water contamination problem them we always recommend pumping the majority of the water out first with a simple self-priming pump such as our Drill Powered Pump, and a length of Hose