Lesson 7: Fuels And Fuel

Systems
 Fuels And Fuel Systems

• Fuel: The energy source for the combustion

process

• Combustion occurs when fuel comes into

contact with oxygen, and the temperature of
the mixture is raised to its kindling point.

• The fuel and oxygen mix, and oxidation, or

burning, occurs.
 Air : Fuel Ratio

• Stoichiometric is a chemically correct mixture in

which all of the chemical elements are used and
none are left over. (15:1)

• Fifteen pounds of air to one pound of gasoline.

• 15:1 = 0.067
 Air : Fuel Ratio

What air - fuel mixture would be used to produce the

most power?
 Air : Fuel Ratio

• The design of the engine induction system and the

valve timing requires a mixture that is slightly richer
than chemically perfect in order to produce the
maximum power.

• This also runs cooler and prevents overheating and

detonation under high engine loads.

• Maximum power is normally considered to be

produced with a mixture of approximately 12:1 or
0.083.
 Exhaust Gas Temperature

• There is a direct relationship between the

temperature of the exhaust gas and the mixture ratio
being burned.

• As mixture ratio is leaned, the EGT rises until

peak temperature is reached, and then it drops
off.

• This peak EGT will always be reached with the

same air : fuel ratio regardless of the power.

• Used as a reference for adjusting the mixture.

Exhaust Gas Temperature
 Specific Fuel Consumption

• The number of pounds of fuel burned per hour for

each horsepower developed.

Pounds of fuel burned per hour

Brake horsepower produced

• Used to rate or to compare the performance of

aircraft engines.

• Used rather than thermal efficiency.

 Thermal Efficiency

• The ratio of useful work done by an engine to the

heat energy of the fuel it uses, expressed in work or
heat units.
Reciprocating Engine Fuels
 Reciprocating Engine Fuels

• Composition

• Aviation gasoline is a hydrocarbon fuel refined

from crude oil.

• Straight-run gasoline

• All gasolines are blends of different

hydrocarbons and additives.

• Annual US usage of avgas was approximately

0.14% of motor gasoline consumption in 2008.
 Reciprocating Engine Fuels
Fuel Grades
(grade = octane)
• Grade-80 RED

• Grade-100 Green

• Grade-100LL (Low Lead) Blue

• Grade-115/145 Purple

– The required grade of fuel must be placarded on the

filler cap of the aircraft fuel tanks.
 Reciprocating Engine Fuels
• Alternate Fuels

• STC’s which permit the use of autogas or

mogas in engines.

• Lower price

• No changes or adjustments to the engine are

required

• May be used interchangeably with avgas.

 Reciprocating Engine Fuels
• Fuel Contamination

• Solids

• Water

• Ice

• Microorganisms
 Water

• Water is one of the major sources of contamination.

– At altitude the temperature is low enough to

cause the water to condense out of the fuel and
form free water.

– The freed water can freeze and clog the fuel lines.

• Water is slightly soluble in gasoline.

– Fuel will hold more water in solution if it is warm

than it will if it is cold.
Fuel Metering Systems
 Fuel Metering Systems

• Principal Function is to sense the amount of air

entering the engine at any moment and meter into
that air an amount of fuel that will provide a uniform
air : fuel ratio.

• System will provide a uniform air : fuel ratio as the

airflow varies.
 The Aircraft Float Carburetor

• Airflow Sensing

• The air measuring unit is the venturi.

• Makes use of a basic law a physics:

As the velocity of a gas or liquid increases,

the pressure decreases.
 The Aircraft Float Carburetor

Simple Venturi
 The Aircraft Float Carburetor

• Fuel Metering Force

• Fuel from the aircraft’s tank is delivered to the

float bowl of the carburetor.

• The main fuel nozzle is located in the center of

the venturi.

• When air is flowing in the venturi a pressure

differential between the venturi and the float
chamber exist (Fuel Metering Force).
 Fuel Metering Force

HIGH LOW
 The Aircraft Float Carburetor

• Air Bleed

• Air bled into the main metering system

decreases the fuel density and destroys
surface tension.

• This results in better vaporization and control

of fuel discharge, especially at lower engine
speeds.
Air Bleed
Air Bleed
 The Aircraft Float Carburetor

• Air Flow Limiter

• Throttle Butterfly

• Venturi size
 The Aircraft Float Carburetor

• Mixture Control System

• Back Suction Mixture Control

Varies the pressure in the float chamber

between atmospheric and a pressure
slightly below atmospheric.

• Variable Orifice Mixture Control

Changes the size of the opening between

the float bowl and the discharge nozzle.
Back Suction Mixture Control
Variable Orifice Mixture Control
 The Aircraft Float Carburetor

• Mixture Control System (Idle System)

• Pressure of the air at edge

of the throttle valve and
above the valve is low.

• Fuel rises from the bowl

due to the low pressure
above the throttle valve.
 The Aircraft Float Carburetor

• Acceleration System

• Picks up fuel from

bowl at idle and
discharges it through
the pump discharge
when the throttle is
opened.
 The Aircraft Float Carburetor

• Power Enrichment System

• Removes some of the heat by enriching the

fuel-air mixture at full throttle.

• Some only provide full power enrichment when

the throttle is all the way open.

• When takeoff power is required, throttle should

be opened fully.
 The Aircraft Float Carburetor

• Float Carburetor Preflight Inspection

• No fuel leaking

• Sump all drain points

 The Aircraft Float Carburetor

• Carburetor Icing And Heat Use

• Carburetor ice means ice at any location in the

induction system.

– Impact ice

– Fuel ice

– Throttle ice
 Carburetor Ice

• Impact ice

• Formed by the impingement of moisture-laded

air at temperatures below freezing onto the
elements of the induction system which are at
temperatures below freezing.

• Air scoop, heat valve, carburetor air screen,

throttle valve and metering elements.
 Carburetor Ice

• Fuel Ice

• Forms when any air or fuel entrained moisture

reaches a freezing temperature as a result of
cooling of the mixture by fuel vaporization.

– Cooler air holds less water vapor and the

excess water is precipitated in the form of
condensation.

– Condensate freezes.

– Can occur at ambient temperatures well

above freezing.
 Carburetor Ice

• Throttle ice

• Formed at or near a partly closed throttle when

water vapor in the induction air condenses and
freezes due to the expansion cooling and lower
pressure at the throttle.

• Temperature drop normally does not exceed

5° F.

• How is carburetor ice formation prevented?

Fuel Injection Systems
 Advantages

• Even fuel/air mixture distribution

• More power
• Less fuel
• Less problems with carburetor ice
 Differences from float carburetors

• Fuel Injection: Deposits a continuous flow

of fuel into the induction system near the
intake valve just outside of the cylinder.

• Carburetor: The correct amount of fuel is

metered into the airflow.
 Two Types

• Bendix RSA

• Teledyne-Continental
 Bendix Fuel Injection System

• Uses a venturi and air diaphragm to

develop a fuel metering force.

– Impact tubes sense total pressure of air

entering the engine. (Dynamic + Static)
– Venturi senses its velocity.
– Both combine to move the air diaphragm
proportionally to the amount of air ingested
into the engine.
 Fuel Metering Force

• Pressure drop across the orifice in the fuel

injector nozzles.

• Position of the ball valve in its seat.

 Idle System

• Constant head spring pushes against the

air diaphragm and forces the ball valve off
its seat. (at low air flow)

• As air flow increases the air diaphragm

moves over.
 Idle RPM/Mixture Control

• Limit the amount of air allowed to pass the

throttle valve.

• Limit the amount of fuel to flow to the

discharge nozzles.
 Flow Divider

• At idle a spring holds the flow divider valve

closed to oppose fuel flow until fuel
pressure off-seats valve.
• Creating down stream pressure for the fuel
control.
• Provides cut off of fuel at idle cut off.
The Teledyne-Continental Fuel Injection
System
• Meters fuel as a function of engine RPM.
• No Venturi
• Special engine driven pump produces the
fuel metering pressure. (constant
displacement pump)
 Mixture control

• Manual mixture control valve

• Variable selector

• Fuel is bypassed back to the tank.

 Throttle control

• Controls air valve and fuel valve.

• Fuel valve is variable orifice

 Fuel Manifold Valve

• “Spider”
• Similar to the flow divider of Bendix
• Distributes fuel evenly
• Provides positive shut off at idle cut-off
position.
 Starting Procedures (Bendix)

• Mixture idle cut-off

• Open throttle 1/8 inch
• Master on
• Boost pump on
• Mixture full rich until indication of fuel flow
• Return mixture to idle cut-off
• Starter engage
• At engine start move mixture to full rich
 Starting (Continental)

• Fuel on
• Crack throttle 1/8 inch
• Mixture full rich
• Boost pump on high
• Fuel flow indicated engage starter
• Boost pump off
 Starting HOT Engine

• Mixture idle cut-off

• Throttle open wide
• Boost pump on high
• Allow fuel to circulate 15-20 seconds
• Boost pump off
• Mixture full rich
• Throttle 1/8
• Engage starter
• Continue normal start
 Review

• Airflow Sensing/Air Metering Force

– Float Carburetor: Venturi

– Bendix: Impact Tubes and Venturi

– Teledyne-Continental: N/A
• Fuel Metering force
– Float: Pressure Diff. between venturi and
float chamber

– Bendix: Balance between the air and fuel

forces holds valve off its seat a stabilized
amount for and given air flow.

– Teledyne-Continental: Engine RPM

• Mixture Control
– Float: Back suction, Variable orifice, Needle
valve at idle.

– Bendix: Valve in the fuel control regulates the

amount of fuel that can flow to main metering
jet.

– Teledyne-Continental: Variable Selector.