Policarpio, Kaye Ingrid Poleen 02-28-2023

AMT-125
Assignment in AMT-125

1. Aircraft Fuel System Components

 Fuel Tanks - Aircraft fuel tanks are classified into three types: rigid removable tanks,
bladder tanks, and integral fuel tanks. The fuel tank installed in an aircraft is
determined by the type of aircraft, its design and intended use, as well as its age. Most
tanks are made of noncorrosive material(s). They are typically designed to be vented
via a vent cap or a vent line. A sump is a low area in aircraft fuel tanks that is
designed to collect contaminants and water. The sump has a drain valve that is used to
remove impurities during the preflight walk-around inspection. Most aircraft fuel
tanks have baffling to keep the fuel from shifting too quickly during flight maneuvers.
It is also common to use a scupper built around the fuel fill opening to drain any
spilled fuel.

 Fuel Lines and Fittings - Depending on the location and application, aircraft fuel
lines can be rigid or flexible. Rigid lines are typically made of aluminum alloy and
are joined using Army/Navy (AN) or military standard (MS) fittings. Stainless steel
lines, on the other hand, are frequently used in the engine compartment, wheel wells,
and other areas prone to damage from debris, abrasion, and heat. A synthetic rubber
interior with a reinforcing fiber braid wrap is covered by a synthetic exterior on a
flexible fuel hose. The hose is fuel-approved, and no other hose should be used in its
place. Some flexible fuel hose has a stainless-steel braided exterior. The fuel flow
requirements of the aircraft fuel system determine the diameters of all fuel hoses and
lines. Flexible hoses are used in areas where components vibrate against one another,
such as between the engine and the aircraft structure. Manufacturers will sometimes
wrap either flexible or rigid fuel lines to protect them from abrasion and, more
importantly, fire. Steel clamps at the end fittings hold a fire sleeve cover over the line.

 Fuel Valves - There are numerous applications for fuel valves in aircraft fuel systems.
They are used to stop the flow of fuel or to route it to a specific location. Light
aircraft fuel systems may only have one valve, the selector valve, in addition to sump
drain valves. It combines the shutoff and selection functions in a single valve. There
are numerous valves in large aircraft fuel systems. Most simply open and close and
have various names based on their location and function in the fuel system (e.g.,
shutoff valve, transfer valve, cross feed valve). Fuel valves can be operated manually,
by solenoid, or by electric motor. A means of positively identifying the position of the
valve always is a feature of all aircraft fuel valves. Hand-operated valves achieve this
by employing detents into which a spring-loaded pin or similar protrusion is inserted
Policarpio, Kaye Ingrid Poleen 02-28-2023

AMT-125
when the valve is set in each position. When combined with labels and a directional
handle, this makes it simple to identify the valve's position by feel and sight. Position
annunciator lights on motor- and solenoid-operated valves indicate valve position in
addition to switch position. The position of the fuel valves is also graphically
displayed in diagrams called up on the flat screen monitors on the flight management
system (FMS) fuel pages.

 Fuel Pumps - Except for aircraft with gravity-feed fuel systems, all aircraft have at
least one fuel pump to deliver clean fuel under pressure to each engine's fuel metering
device. The primary delivery device is engine-driven pumps. Auxiliary pumps are
also used on many aircraft. Auxiliary pumps, also known as booster pumps or boost
pumps, are used to provide fuel under positive pressure to the engine-driven pump
and during starting when the engine-driven pump is not yet up to speed to deliver
sufficient fuel. They are also used to supplement the engine-driven pump during
takeoff and at high altitude to prevent vapor lock. Boost pumps are used on many
large aircraft to move fuel from one tank to another. The majority are electrically
powered, but hand-operated pumps can be found on older aircraft. The post Types of
Fuel Pumps goes into greater detail.

 Fuel Filters - On aircraft, two types of fuel cleaning devices are used. Fuel strainers
are typically made of relatively coarse wire mesh. They are intended to catch large
debris and prevent it from passing through the fuel system. Fuel strainers do not
obstruct water flow. Fuel filters are typically fine mesh. They can trap fine sediment
as small as thousands of an inch in diameter and also help trap water in a variety of
applications. It is important for the technician to understand that the terms "strainer"
and "filter" are sometimes used interchangeably. On turbine-powered aircraft, micro
filters are widely used. This is a filter that captures extremely fine particles with
diameters ranging from 10 to 25 microns. A micron is one thousandth of a millimeter.

 Fuel Heaters and Ice Prevention - Turbine-powered aircraft fly at high altitudes with
very low temperatures. Water condenses and freezes in the fuel as it cools in the
tanks. Ice crystals may form in the tank or as the fuel/water solution slows and
contacts the cool filter element on its way through the fuel filter to the engine (s). Ice
formation on the filter element prevents fuel flow through the filter. When this
happens, a valve in the filter unit bypasses unfiltered fuel. Fuel heaters are used to
warm the fuel and prevent ice formation. These heat exchanger units also sufficiently
heat the fuel to melt any ice that has already formed. Air/fuel heaters and oil/fuel
heaters are the two most common types of fuel heaters. Warm compressor bleed air is
used to heat the fuel in an air/fuel heater. An oil/fuel exchanger uses hot engine oil to
heat the fuel. This latter type is also known as a fuel-cooled oil cooler (FCOC). Fuel
Policarpio, Kaye Ingrid Poleen 02-28-2023

AMT-125
heaters are frequently used on an as-needed basis. A switch in the cockpit can direct
or block the flow of hot air or oil through the unit. The flight crew determines when
to heat the fuel by using the information provided by the filter bypass indicating lights
and fuel temperature gauge [Figure 10]. Automatic fuel heaters are also available. A
thermostatic device built into the unit opens or closes a valve that allows hot air or hot
oil to flow into the unit to cool the fuel.

 Fuel System Indicators - Various indicators are used in aircraft fuel systems. All
systems must have some kind of fuel quantity indicator. Many aircraft monitor fuel
flow, pressure, and temperature. Valve position indicators, as well as various warning
lights and annunciators, are used.

2. Different Types of Material fuel lines that are used in aircraft

- Rigid lines also known as Metal tubing or flexible hose - commonly used for aircraft
fluid lines. Metal tubing is used in stationary applications with long, relatively straight
runs. They are commonly found in aircraft fuel, oil, coolant, oxygen, instrument, and
hydraulic lines. They are usually made of aluminum alloy and are linked with
Army/Navy or military standard fittings. these are also commonly used in areas where
components vibrate against one another, such as between the engine and the aircraft
structure.
- Stainless Steel Lines - Stainless steel tubing is a material that is commonly used in
structural applications. Stainless steel tubing sizes and varieties vary significantly based
on the application requirements and are commonly utilized in an array of industrial
sectors. Steel, and — particularly stainless steel, is one of the strongest metals. Austenitic
alloys can be work-hardened, permitting for significant strengthening options. Stainless
steel, particularly certain high-strength duplex grades, seems to have a high strength-to-
weight ratio, which is an important consideration in aircraft.

The different types of aircraft fuel pumps

1. Hand-Operated Fuel Pumps - They support the engine-driven pump and transfer fuel
from tank to tank. The so-called wobble pumps are double-acting pumps that deliver fuel
with each stroke of the pump handle. They are principally vane-type pumps with bored
passages in the center that allow a back-and-forth motion to pump the fuel rather than a
complete rotation of the vanes as is common in electrically or engine-driven vane-type
pumps
2. Centrifugal Boost Pumps is the most commonly used type of auxiliary fuel pump used
on aircraft, particularly large and high-performance aircraft. It is powered by an electric
Policarpio, Kaye Ingrid Poleen 02-28-2023

AMT-125
motor and is typically submerged throughout the fuel tank or located just outside the
tank's bottom, with the pump's inlet extending into the tank. If the pump is installed
outside the tank, a pump removal valve is usually installed to allow the pump to be
separated without draining the fuel tank.

3. Ejector Pumps - Fuel tanks with in-tank fuel pumps, like centrifugal pumps, are intended
to maintain a constant supply of fuel at the pump inlet. It further ensures that the pump
doesn't really cavitate and that the fuel cools it. The section of the fuel tank designated for
pump installation may be divided with baffles containing check valves, also identified as
flapper valves. During maneuvers, these allow fuel to flow inboard to the pump while
preventing it from flowing outboard.

4. Vane-Type Fuel Pumps - The far more popular type of fuel pumps found on
reciprocating-engine aircraft are vane-type fuel pumps. They are used as both primary
engine-driven fuel pumps and auxiliary or boost pumps. Despite, a vane-type pump is a
constant displacement pump which then moves a constant volume of fuel with each pump
revolution. An electric motor rotates the pump shaft when used as an auxiliary pump. The
vane pump is typically driven by the accessory gear box in engine-driven applications.

The different types of fittings are used in aircraft fuel lines.

1. AN Fitting ( ARMY/NAVY) - AN fittings are a type of fitting used in order to connect

flexible hoses and fluid-carrying metal tubing. The name is derived from a normalized
negotiated settlement between the Army and Navy concerning the length and width
specification of the fitting during World War II. As a result, A-N stands for Army-Navy.
2. MS Fitting (MILITARY STANDARD FITTING) - The MS-type fitting eliminates the
requirement to prevent tube flaring while also still providing a secure and dependable
connection. An MS fitting is made up of three parts: a body, a sleeve, and a nut. As the
body and nut are joined, the sleeve crimps into the OD of the tube because of the internal
design of the body.

Fractional distillation of refining petroleum products

Fractional distillation of crude oil seems to be the process by which we acquire nearly
every one of the petroleum products that we depend on from crude oil, be it internal combustion
engine fuels like petrol or diesel The process of refining petroleum is known as fractional
distillation, and it takes place in a distillation tower or fractionating column. Outside of the oil
Policarpio, Kaye Ingrid Poleen 02-28-2023

AMT-125
industry, fractional distillation is a method of separating a mixture of two or more fluids of
different densities by heating the mixture to boiling. The 'distillates' are the separated fluids.