The Situation

Popp Excavating, Inc., a family-owned construction business, knows the value of reliability, especially during emergency response situations where downtime simply isn't an option.
The company operates more than 30 pieces of heavy equipment, including:

  • Track excavators
  • Off-road haulers
  • On-road flatbeds for transporting machinery

In 2007, to combat rising fuel costs and delivery challenges, Popp installed an on-site bulk diesel storage facility with over 189,270 litres (50,000 gallons) of capacity. While this move helped control fuel expenses, it also introduced a new challenge: longer storage periods and increased the risk of diesel contamination.

A plugged filter

Initially, a basic dispenser filter was installed on the main tank. But with numerous day tanks, jobsite tanks, mobile fuelling trucks, and dispensers in play, opportunities for fuel contamination were everywhere.

The Challenge

Before 2009, Popp Excavating typically got 100–150 hours of service from onboard equipment filters. However, after adding new equipment, things took a turn — breakdowns started occurring after just 6–8 hours of use.

Owner Kurt Popp did some troubleshooting but couldn’t pinpoint the issue. Neither the fuel supplier nor the equipment manufacturer could offer a solution, eventually referring him to Donaldson.

Upon visiting the site, Donaldson representatives discovered:

  • Onboard filters were clogging rapidly.
  • One of the main storage tanks was contaminated with microbial bacteria - fuel bug.
  • Diesel fuel had been stored too long, creating a breeding ground for contamination.
  • Microbial contamination had spread across the entire fleet.

Water in the tanks was providing the ideal environment for microbial growth — a major issue that had to be urgently addressed.

The Solution

Donaldson worked with Popp Excavating to clean up the contamination and build a robust, long-term defence against future problems.

The solution included:

  • Thorough manual tank cleaning to remove microbial growth.
  • Strict water-draining routine to keep tanks dry.
  • Biocide treatment to kill the microbial growth.
  • Donaldson bulk filtration systems were installed across the entire fuel storage operation to clean and polish diesel before it entered any equipment.
  • Donaldson T.R.A.P.™ breathers installed on jobsite tanks and service trucks to block water and airborne contaminants.

These measures ensured that diesel fuel stayed clean, dry, and contaminant-free, significantly boosting equipment reliability.

Clean: Manifold with four filters installed at the offload points, cleaning the diesel down to target cleanliness before it ever hits the Popp tanks. Clean: Manifold with four filters installed at the offload points, cleaning the diesel down to target cleanliness before it ever hits the Popp tanks.
Protect: T.R.A.P. breathers installed on all Popp tanks to prevent dirt and moisture from entering through the vents. Protect: T.R.A.P. breathers installed on all Popp tanks to prevent dirt and moisture from entering through the vents.
Polish: Dispensers were outfitted with dual heads utilizing two P568666 filters, an extra layer of protection for direct fueling or transfer to smaller tanks. Polish: Dispensers were outfitted with dual heads utilizing two P568666 filters, an extra layer of protection for direct fueling or transfer to smaller tanks.

Dust / Contaminant Soy Protein
Application Pneumatic conveying
Dust Collector Donaldson Torit RF Baghouse with 324 filter bags, Model 324RFW10
Air Volume 35,000 cfm
Dust Loading 5-8 grains/dscf
Air-to-Media Ratio 7:1
Hours of Operation 4-5 days/week, 24 hrs/day
Polyester Bag Life 6 months @ 6.5 8.5 ∆P
Dura-Life Filter Bag Life 1.5 years @ 4.5 ∆P
Emission Test Results 0.0028 gr/dscf (well below EPA 0.05 gr/dscf requirement)

The Result

The transformation was remarkable:

  • Equipment’s on-board fuel filters service life increased from 6–8 hours to up to 1,000 hours — in many cases, lasting an entire season.
  • This improvement saved Popp Excavating nearly $30,000 USD per year in direct material costs by reducing the number of filter changes from seven sets per vehicle per year to just one.
  • Today, Popp Excavating will not allow diesel into any tank or machine until it’s been filtered, protected, and polished by Donaldson systems.
Delivery Sample - ISO 23/22/18 Delivery Sample - ISO 23/22/18
Sample at Outlet Dispenser - ISO 14/13/11 Sample at Outlet Dispenser - ISO 14/13/11

Thanks to Donaldson’s filtration expertise, Popp Excavating keeps its fleet — and its business — running smoothly, even when it matters most.