Fuel-management systems are used to maintain, control and monitor fuel consumption and stock in any type of industry that uses transport, including rail, road, water and air, as a means of business.
On-site fuel-management systems may employ fleet refueling services or bulk fuel tanks at the site.
They may also employ more sophisticated systems that utilize remote data collection to gather specific technical information about the vehicle usage and performance characteristics such as mileage, hours of operation and engine idling time.
With greater water content, there will be a risk of microbial growth – depending on the storage conditions, the fuel quality will deteriorate over time, leading to clogged filters and loss of productivity.
Second generation : A self-contained, electronic and/or microprocessor-controlled fuel-island control systems which has an ID reader (key, card, RFID etc.)
Fourth generation : The fuel-island controller is fully connected directly to a central Internet-based server which is updated in real time.
Continuous Internet connection can not be guaranteed and hence any fourth-generation system must have a fall-back white/black list, usually built in real time from previous authorizations.
The advent of real-time systems has much reduced the requirements of having printed reports, usually circulated and ignored, in favour of users looking at live and current data presented as and when they need it.
Having users interact with live and relevant data, rather than simply viewing lists of out of date information encourages a more active view of fuel management than was previously possible, so that active, timely interventions take place generating fuel savings - which is the entire point of the system.
The challenge facing manufacturers currently is to make real time data analysis tools which are relevant to the industry and are quick and simple to use by any operator with no technical background.
On the most simple systems, this may be an ID or registration number typed in through a keypad, but as this is open to abuse, offering no real fuel security, a physical token is most often used.
Hand Held Scanners : These are especially useful for Mobile Refuelling Solutions where the fueller is some distance from the pumping unit (eg Bowser) when fuelling takes place.