Ensuring the aviation fuel quality when using anti-water crystallization fluids

Abstract

The addition of anti-water crystallization fluids (AWCF) in aviation fuels (AF) is a radical and relatively simple method to prevent ice formation in the aircraft fuel systems and aviation engines (AE). The anti-water crystallization fluids use is extremely important for our country. However, failures of fuel systems components due to icing also occur when the anti-water crystallization fluids are added to aviation fuel. The article shows that one of the most significant causes is a decrease in standard concentration of the anti-water crystallization fluids in aviation fuels after refueling due to mixing loaded fuel with the standard-anti-water crystallization fluids content with the remaining fuel in aircraft tanks, both with and without the anti-water crystallization fluids. At the same time, the anti-water crystallization fluids content control in aviation fuels after refueling is not carried out. It is shown that the solution to this problem can be a transition to variable anti-water crystallization fluids metering in aviation fuels, taking into account the remaining fuel in the aircraft tanks and the fuel in the aviation fuel supply technological equipment. Developing metering units with the variable anti-water crystallization fluids supply to aviation fuels is not currently associated with issues. The formula is proposed, and the calculation of the required anti-water crystallization fluids metering is shown to ensure its standard value in aviation fuels after refueling. It is also shown that the required metering varies long-range: from 0.18 to 1.31% vol., and in all the cases, exceeds standard metering of 0,125 ± 0,025% vol. for civil aviation. The improvement of the anti-water crystallization fluids metering procedure in aviation fuel is feasible to ensure the reliability of aircraft fuel systems and aviation engines operation as well as flight safety.