The importance of high-quality core components

Dover Fueling Solutions® (DFS) explore the inside of the new Tokheim Quantium®, Wayne Helix® and Wayne Century™ 3 fuel dispenser ranges – available in Europe, the Middle East and Africa – to highlight the importance of high-quality core components and what fuel retailers need to know before they invest in a fuel dispenser.

Although fuel dispensers all essentially have the same function and purpose, to dispense fuel, it might surprise you to learn that not all fuel dispensers are created equal. Each dispenser varies drastically between models, as each are assembled with their own core components. This means each fuel dispenser is different in terms of quality and longevity, as those core components and the overall design impact performance, service interventions and total cost of ownership (TCO).

So, how important is core componentry within a dispenser AND why should fuel retailers pay attention?

Performance

Do you know the difference between vane pump and gear pump technology? It is a fundamental difference in design of the pumping unit that can have a big impact on its longevity.

Vane-style pumps are more likely to suffer a breakdown after long-term use due to parts that wear, and it is also more sensitive to dirt particles (found in fuel), which again can cause a breakdown and maintenance cost. A vane-style pump also causes more vibrations within the dispenser – not only does this cause a lot of noise, but the vibrations can also strain other internal components, increasing the risk of wear and leaks.

This is why the new EMEA dispenser ranges utilize the Dover Fueling Solutions® (DFS) gear pump. A gear pump design is more robust and assembled with high quality components to reduce risk of leaks, while ensuring reliable and durable operational performance. There is also minimal vibration within the dispenser, reducing noise as well as the risk of wear and leaks.

When it comes to a DFS dispenser, all components are specified to last for the expected lifetime of a dispenser to achieve reliable and durable operational performance. This is further enhanced by our strong corrosion protection using quality materials and our industry-leading paint technology to achieve C4 corrosion protection.

Meter Stability & Total Cost of Ownership

Designed for superior stability and accuracy over the lifetime of the dispenser, the DFS Piston meter ensures accurate metering with minimal drift of 0.04% over 8 million litres. In addition, each dispenser range features electronic calibration and benefits from an industry best resolution of 400 pulses per litre for enhanced accuracy across all flow rates.

The next generation of the iMeter™ fuel meter, commonly referred to as the iMeter 2 fuel meteralso has far fewer moving parts than other meters, meaning it is less likely the parts will wear, which improves accurate metering over the dispenser’s lifetime.

Not only does the DFS Piston meter provide stability and accuracy over the expected lifetime of the dispenser, it is also equipped for the future. Fuels evolve, and not every fuel meter is able to withstand several fuel types without variations or adjustments; however, the DFS Piston meter has a robust design which ensures optimal performance with all fuel types – now and in the future.

Service Interventions

The EMEA fuel dispenser ranges are designed with a hydraulic stack to provide better access and faster maintenance service interventions. More importantly, the design of the hydraulic stack has fewer potential leak points than other models that use a hydraulic tree system (a system where all components are connected by fuel tubes with compression connections). As such, this hydraulic tree design has much more room for human error resulting in leaks from incorrect assembly and makes field maintenance more complex, potentially resulting in longer remedial time on site.

The EMEA dispenser ranges use our patented double-bump connections throughout, which prevent any of the fuel tubes being assembled (or re-assembled after maintenance) incorrectly. This significantly reduces the risk of leaks within the dispenser, resulting in less maintenance call outs for better TCO. The double-bump connections also allow for much faster remedial time on site.

All these design features, combined with our overall selection of quality materials and robust componentry, mean DFS dispensers are designed to have less maintenance callouts than other models available on the market. If our dispensers do require maintenance intervention, the easy access design, quick-hose connectors, and patented double-bump pipework connections make onsite remedial work safer and faster. This minimizes disruption to trade and reduces maintenance costs as there are fewer parts and shorter labour time.

At DFS, we take care of the little (internal) details, so fuel retailers can make a big impact on the forecourt – little things, or not so little things, inside the fuel dispenser really can and do make a difference to forecourt operations.

More information on the website or in our podcast!