fuel Flashcards
ideal characteristics for fuel
lubricity
flows easily
ease of engine starting
complete combustion
no damage to engine from combustion byproducts
low fire hazard
non corrosive
high calorific value (amount of heat released during combustion)
Energy from fuel is dependent on…
Energy is dependent on mass not volume
Octane
**Measure of fuel’s resistance to detonation when subjected to high pressure **
Fuels for Gas & Pistone engines
Piston Engine - Use Gasoline
1. Avgas (aviation gasoline)
2. Mogas (motor gasoline)
Gas turbine engine - Use Karosene
1. Avtur (aviation turbine fuel)
2. Avtag (aviation turbine gasoline)
AVGAS properties
Aviation Gasoline
Use for Piston engines
labelled in white print and red background
manufactured to conform with DERD 2485 specifications
Use High Octane because Piston engines are high compression engines
AVGAS 100 LL –> Blue –> Low Lead –> 100/130 Performance
Flashpoint -40C / Freezing -58C
AVGAS 100 –> Green –> High Lead –> 100/130 Performance
Flashpoint -40C / Freezing -58C
AVGAS 115 –> Green –> High Lead –> 115/145 Performance
Specific Gravity (density) = 0.72 at 15C
Octane rating
Higher octane is used with high performance engines having high compression ratios
MOGAS
Motor gasoline
used in certain airframe engine combinations
specs: CAP 747 GC2
low octane rating (below 100 octane)
high volatility - causes icing in carburettor - locks vapour
Gas turbine fuels are known as …
kerosene
‘heavier and less volatile than gasoline*
Avtur
For gas turbine engines
avtur (aviation turbine fuel)
Kerosene
JET A1 - SG 0.8 at 15C, flash point 38C & waxing point -47-50C - used worldwide
**Jet A **- SG 0.8 at 15C, flash point 38C & waxing point -40C - used in USA only
Avtag
not used in civil aircraft
avtur (aviation turbine gasoline)
Kerosene + gasoline mix
**Jet B **- SG 0.77 at 15C, flash point -20C & waxing point -60C
**Not used in aviation due to wide range flammability **
colour of gas turbine fuel
straw yellow - colourless
‘natural colour’
not dyed for identification
cloudy fuel indicates…
cloudiness usually indicates presence of water
however…
if cloud ‘rises quickly’ to the top = air
if cloud ‘falls slowly’ to the bottom = water
Jet fuel additives
Fuel is blended with additives in refinary or at the airfiled and storage/transfer
Why?
to improve its operating ability
Types:
FSII (Fuel System Icing Inhibitor)
* To avoid icing and fungus
* Jet A-1 has FSII
* Jet A - does not have FSII
- Icing inhibitor: with altitude, fuel is cooled and water droplets form and crystalize blocking fuel system components
- fungal inhibitor: fungus is always present and grow to form green long filaments that block fuel system components. Byproducts of fungus are also corrosive
HITEC
* Lubricity agent
* reduces wear in fuel system components (pumps, fuel control, etc)
Static dissipater
* **eliminates **harzard of static electricity
* which forms when **fuel flows through ‘high flow transfer system’ during fueling and de-fueling **
corrossion inhibitors
* protect ferrous metals in fuel handling systems
* pipelines, storage tanks
* also improves lubricating quality
Metal de-activators
* supress fuel oxidation caused by some metals
Water in fuel - how to manage it
1. manufacturer quality control & preventative measures
2. water drain:
* when fuel settles after fueling, water droplets sink in the tank and can be drained via water valve
3. Atmosphere exclusion:
* filling tank to full to exclude the atmosphere and avoid contamination with water/moisture.
Fuel heater:
* ice can form at high altitude
* fuel passes through engine heat exchanger with high compressor hot air to heat it and dissolve ice crystals.
* Systems utilize a** fuel cooled oil cooler**, this uses the hot engine oil to warm fuel but also cools the oil (heat exchange)
Waxing
Fuel has hydrocarbons
In low temperature they deposit in the form of paraffix wax cyrstals
To avoid:
- Refinery should keep low levels of hydrocarbons
- keep engine fuel warm
Boiling
- Temperature at which fuel boils varries depending on pressure.
- In climb –> pressure drops –> fuel burns quicker
- vapor is formed in the pipelines
- fuel supply to the engine is cut off –> engine stalls
Solution
* Fuel booster pumps:
* - pressurizes fuel in the pipeline from the tank to the engine -> pushing fuel towards the engine
* - instead of using enging pumps that suck fuel from tanks further reducing pressure
Specific Gravity
Ratio of density of solid/liquid to density of water
OR
weight of liquid / weight of equal volume of water
Specific gravity **varies ‘inversely’ **on temperate
it makes a difference when tank is full and mass of fuel load is taken into account
Fuel quantity measuring system also compensates for changes in Specific Gravitty
Aircraft fuel tank
Integral:
* inside wing, torsion box, horizontal stabilizers
* sealed & light weight
* in modern aircraft with mutli-engine
Rigid: light aircraft
* externally mounted in or on wing tip or fuselage
* heavier due to mounting structure needed
* on light single engine aircraft
* filled overwing method (open line thru filler cap)
* metal or composite construction
flexible
* bag made of sealed rubberized material - fuel bladder
* needs a structure inside the wing/fuselage to mount it
* self sealing in the event of damage
* high performance light aircraft, smaller turboprops, military aircraft