TEXTBOOK

Fuel system

020 00 00 00 AIRCRAFT GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

021 01 00 00 AIRFRAME AND SYSTEMS
021 08 00 00 Fuel system

LH
ENGINE

RH
ENGINE

FUEL
S
O
V

S
O
V
X-FEED

A
U
T
O

ELPMP

A
U
T
O

JETPMP

JETPMP

ELPMP

Vent float valves

Vent tank

Flush inlet

Overboard vent line

Fuel System

Table of Contents:

Fuel system __________________________________________________________ 3

Fuel tanks ____________________________________________________________ 4
Fuel feed _____________________________________________________________ 8
Fuel dumping system _________________________________________________ 16
Fuel system monitoring________________________________________________ 21

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Fuel System

Fuel system

An aircraft fuel system need to be able to store enough fuel for the type of
mission the aircraft is designed for and supply this fuel to the respective engines
at various attitudes, altitudes and temperatures.
We will look at three different aircraft types to compare the fuel systems designs
used to do the same job.
The main constructural difference you will notice is the location where the fuel is
collected before it is supplied to the engine.

Lets look on an example.

The Dash 8 a high wing turbo prop with a dihedral of 2.5 and has the collector
bay at the innermost, or lowest, portion of the tank.

The Fairchild Dornier 328 Jet has a straight high wing and collects the fuel in the
feeder tanks at the outermost portion of the tank.

The Embraer 145 a low wing jet with a positive dihedral utilizes fuel collector
boxes in the center wing section.

Each of the three designes has the collector or feeder tank at the lowest portion
of the storage tank to use the effects of gravity in addition to feeder systems to
keep the fuel collection area full at all times regardles of total fuel quantity , flight
attitudes and manoeuvers.

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Fuel System

Fuel tanks
"Dash 8 Fuel Tanks"
Fuel storage is provided by two separate integral wing tanks, one in each wing.
The capacity for each fuel tank is 1601 liters or 2882 lbs.
The tanks are interconnected through a refuel/defuel /transfer shutoff valve in
each tank by a single manifold.

REFUEL
DEFUEL
transfer
shutoff
valve

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Fuel System

The manifold is used for pressure refueling, suction defueling and fuel transfer.
Please highlight the manifold on the sketch at the previous page
The fuel tank in each wing extends from station YW171.992 to YW387.00 and
from front to rear spar.
The inboard end of each tank is walled-in to form the collector bay.
An over-wing gravity filling point is provided in the wing upper skin.
When fueling by pressure, all fuel is pumped into the collector bay.
Collector Bays
No. 1 Tank

No. 2 Tank

Fuel Manifold

Sumps at the low points in each tank contain a drain valve.

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Fuel System

The collector bay in each tank ensures that sufficient fuel is maintained above the
engine feed pumping system at all times, regardless of aircraft attitude.
A collector bay pumping system in the tank maintains the level in the collector
bay.
To allow fuel tank filling through the collector bay and to ensure complete tank
venting, the collector bay wall does not extend to the wing upper skin.
Three swing check valves allow fuel to flow by gravity into the collector bay, but
not out.

NO. 1 ENGINE
COLLECTOR BAY

NO. 1 TANK

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Fuel System

"Dornier 328 Fuel Tanks"

The fuel tanks of the DORNIER 328.
The LH and RH wing tank groups are located in the wing symmetrically about the
centerline of the aircraft.
Each wing tank group consists of an inner tank , an outer tank and a feeder tank.
The tanks are separated by the wing ribs as follows:
The inner tank extends from rib 0 to rib 11, the outer tank extends from rib 11 to
rib 19, and the feeder tank extends from rib 19 to rib 21.

The top and bottom surfaces of the tanks are formed by the upper and lower wing
skins.
The front and rear tanks walls are formed by the front and rear spars of the wing.
Primary sealing is achieved by mechanical attachment of the structural members.
Each tank is treated to prevent corrosion and is sealed with sealants that are
resistant to all approved fuels and additives.
Access to the tanks and to the internally-mounted fuel system components or fuel
lines is through access panels on the front and rear spars, and through panels on
the upper surface of the wing.

Fuel Tank Do328

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Fuel System

Fuel feed
The fuel supply system of the Dornier 328.
The engine fuel feed systems installed in the LH and RH wing tank groups are
supplied with motive fuel flow from the related engine fuel pump.

The engine fuel pump is located on and driven by the engine accessory gearbox.

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Fuel System

During the engine starting phase, the engine fuel pump receives low pressure
fuel from the feeder tank which is pressurised by the electrical booster pump.
When the engine is operating, the high pressure output from the fuel pump is
send back to the feeder tank to provide the two jet booster pumps with sufficient
motive fuel flow for normal operation.
In this phase, the engine fuel feed system is self supporting, and the electrical
booster pump is automatically switched off; it remains on standby if the pressure
of the two jet booster pumps decreases below an predetermined acceptable
level.
Identify the electrical booster pump and the jet booster pumps

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Fuel System

"Dornier 328 Fuel crossfeed and transfer"

The aircraft has two fuel crossfeed sub-systems:
The engine crossfeed system and the wing tank group crossfeed system.
The Engine Crossfeed System permits both engines to be supplied with fuel from
any one wing tank group, or any one engine to be supplied from both LH and RH
wing tank groups.
The engine crossfeed system components are the crossfeed valve 21QC and the
crossfeed pipeline between the LH and RH wing tank groups.

The crossfeed valve is controlled by the X-FEED switch 19QC in the FUEL
section on the overhead panel.

LH
ENGINE

RH
ENGINE

FUEL
S
O
V

S
O
V
X-FEED

A
U
T
O

A
U
T
O

ELPMP

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JETPMP

JETPMP

ELPMP

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Fuel System

The crossfeed valve is installed in the inner tank of the LH wing tank group.
In flight, the crossfeed valve is usually closed and is controlled by the X-FEED
switch, which does not permit fuel to be pumped from one tank group to the
other.
On the ground during the aircraft refueling procedure, the crossfeed valve can be
opened, permitting fuel to be pumped from the LH to the RH wing tank group.
The crossfeed valve is controlled by the refueling/defueling panel on the RH
wing.

LEFT RIGHT
LEFT
D
A
T
A
E
N
T
R
Y

RIGHT
HI LEVEL
WARNING

REFUELING VALVES
CLSD
OPEN

FUEL QUANTITY REMANING

PRESELECTED QTY

REFUEL
A
U
T
O
INC

3416
DEC

AUTOMATIC

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DEFUEL
INTERTANK XFER
TO

TO
LH

RH
OFF

MANUAL

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Fuel System

The fuel supply of the Embraer 145.

The fuel distribution system permits engine fuel feeding, APU fuel feeding, tank
pressure refueling and tank defueling.
For engine and APU feeding three DC driven centrifugal fuel pumps are installed
in every collector box.
They are designated as 1A, 1B, and 1C for the left side and 2A, 2B,and 2C for
the right side.
A check valve in the outlet of each electric booster pump prevents fuel flow
through the pump when it is not operating.
If a failure of all electrical pumps occurs a suction valve is installed to increase
the engine fuel suction.
The ejector pump receives motive flow from the electric pumps to send a larger
fuel quantity back to the collector box than the engines and APU fuel
consumption.

Please identify the DC driven centrifugal fuel pumps, the electric booster pump, suction
valve and the ejector pump

To FPMU /Engine 1

To FPMU /Engine 2

APU

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Fuel System

The engine fuel shut off valve is a two position valve with a 28 volt DC brushless
motor controlled by the fire handle.
When the handle is pulled down the engine fuel shut off valve closes and an
ENGINE ONE OR TWO SHUT OFF VALVE CLOSED message will illuminate on
the EICAS.
If any disagreement occurs between the valves current position and its
commanded position an ENGINE ONE OR TWO FUEL SHUT OFF VALVE
INOPERATIVE message will be displayed.

86.5

CRZ

86.5

85.5
A

E 1/2 FUEL SOV INOP

EXTG

END

85.5

EXTG

730

730
PULL TO
SHUTOFF

95.0
735 KGH
1000 KG

PULL TO
SHUTOFF

95.0
735 KGH
1000 KG

UP UP UP
0
86 86

ROTATE
TO EXTG

Engine fuel
shutoff
valves

70 70

4000
7.0
0

OFF

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ROTATE
TO EXTG

Fuel System

The APU fuel shutoff valve opens when the APU master switch is set to ON.
The APU fuel shut off valve can be closed by either selecting the APU master
switch to OFF, by pushing the APU shut off switch, or by pushing the APU fire
extinguisher switch.

APU CONTROL

FIRE

ON
OFF

EXTG
START

EXTG
DET

STOP
MASTER

FUEL SHUTOFF

TEST

APU

BAGG

In these cases the EICAS message APU FUEL SHUT OFF VALVE CLOSED will
displayed for 10 seconds.
On ground the valve will close automatically after 10 seconds when an APU fire
occurs or when the fire warning test button is pushed for longer than 10 seconds.
If any disagreement occurs between the actual and the commanded position, an
APU FUEL SHUT OFF VALVE INOPERATIVE message will be displayed on the
EICAS.
If no fuel pump is running and the fuel pressure is below 6.5 PSI, the APU fuel
pressure switch will send a signal to the data acquisition unit #2 and an APU
LOW PRESSURE message will be displayed.

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Fuel System

DORNIER 328 JET REFUEL/DEFUEL SYSTEM

Pressure refueling is the normal method of refueling the aircraft.
This procedure is controlled by the refuel/defuel panel installed adjacent to the
2.5 inch refuel adapter on the right wing.
An additional fuel quantity pre-selector is installed in the flight compartment on
the center pedestal.
The automatic refuel control system monitors and controls the distribution of the
pre-set amount of fuel to the LH and RH wing fuel tanks .
To protect the wing tank group from overpressure, each outer tank has a
pressure relief valve installed in the rear wall.

REFUEL QTY

TREND

EXCEED

R
U
D

S
REFUEL
ADAPTER
P
O
I
L

IMT/FDR

G
N
D

L
I
M
I
T

Fuel quantity pre-selector

LEFT RIGHT
LEFT
D
A
T
A
E
N
T
R
Y

RIGHT
HI LEVEL
WARNING

REFUELING VALVES
CLSD
OPEN

FUEL QUANTITY REMANING

REFUEL
A
U
T
O

1200 1200
PRESELECTED QTY

INC

2400
DEC

AUTOMATIC

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REFUEL/DEFUEL panel

DEFUEL
INTERTANK XFER
TO

TO
LH

RH
OFF

MANUAL

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Fuel System

Fuel dumping system

Dornier 328 Fuel pressure dump, vent and drain systems

The fuel pressure dump, venting and draining systems of the Dornier 328.
There are five drain valves in each fuel tank group.
The drain valves are provided for draining condensed water and fuel samples.
The tanks can be completely drained through these valves.

The drain valves are installed on the underside of the LH and RH wing.
The drain valves for each wing are symmetrically located as follows:
LH/RH feeder tank, between ribs 20 and 21,
LH/RH outer tank (outboard valve), between ribs 18 and 19
LH/RH outer tank (inboard valve), between ribs 11 and 12
LH/RH inner tank, between ribs 11 and 12
LH/RH vent tank, between ribs 11 and 12.

LH - wing

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Fuel System

The drain valves are manually operated by forcing the piston valve in an upward
direction.
Small quantities of water are drained using a special drain tool.
Larger quantities of fuel or water are drained using a gravity defuel adapter.
When the force is released from the piston valve, the spring pushes the piston
valve downward to close and seal the drain valve.
The poppet O-ring seals can be replaced without removal of the complete drain
valve and without defueling the tank.

The inner and outer tanks of each wing tank group are vented to the atmosphere
using the following components:
Main vent line, Vent Float valves, Vent tank, Flush inlet and an Overboard vent
line.

Vent float valves

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Vent tank

Flush inlet

Overboard vent line

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Fuel System

The inner and outer tanks are vented by a main vent line which extends from rib
1 to rib 17, and is connected to the vent tank.
A check valve is fitted in the main vent line at rib 1. Outboard of the check valve
the main vent line is open ended, and terminates just below the upper surface of
the inner tank.
All other main vent line openings are controlled by float valves.

Four vent float valves are installed, one each at ribs 2, 3, 12 and 17.
They make sure that large quantities of fuel cannot flow through the main vent
line during extreme aircraft attitudes.
The vent tank is a cylindrical welded assembly with front and rear mounting
brackets.
The vent tank is mounted horizontally in the upper half of the outer tank and is
attached by screws to rib 11.

The fuel tank venting system supplies the inner and outer tanks with atmospheric
air pressure at all times regardless of whether the aircraft is on the ground or in
flight.
Bleed holes between the feeder, the outer and the inner tanks provide pressure
compensation within each wing tank group.

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Fuel System

When the aircraft is on the ground with the tanks fueled to capacity, air pressure
enters the flush inlet.
The air pressure is then routed through the overboard vent line and the vent tank
to emerge from the partially open top float valves at ribs 12 and 17.
Should a pressure build-up occur in the tanks, the pressure can escape
overboard through the same route.
If the pressure in the tanks falls below atmospheric pressure, the spring loaded
check valve at rib 1 opens under the influence of the atmospheric pressure.
The check valve remains open until the tank pressure equals that of atmospheric
pressure, and is then closed by spring pressure.

Check valve

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Fuel System

Should a fuel surge occur, the small amount of fuel that enters the open end of
the main vent line is collected in the vent tank.
When the engines are operated and the fuel level in the wing tank is reduced, the
fuel collected in the vent tank is automatically siphoned back into the wing tanks.
RH - Wing

During flight, due to the positioning of the four float valves in each wing tank
group, at least one float valve remains open regardless of aircraft attitude or bank
angle.
The identical float valves consist of a housing and a hinge type float assembly.
As the fuel level increases slightly due to change of aircraft attitude or bank
angle, the applicable float rises and subsequently closes the valve.
This prevents fuel flow into the main vent line.
At the same time another float valve either in the same or opposite wing tank
group opens to allow the air pressure to flow in an inward or outward direction, as
required.
Small amounts of fuel caused by surging can enter the vent tank during extreme
flight configurations.
This fuel is immediately siphoned back into the main tanks when the aircraft
returns to a normal level flight.

Vent float valve

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Fuel System

Fuel system monitoring

"Dash 8 Fuel indication and warning"

The fuel quantity indicating system is capacitance type, operating from the
aircraft 28VDC power supply.
Here are the main functions of the system:
It measures the mass of fuel in each tank and displays the contents on two
separate fuel quantity master indicators on the fuel control panel in the flight
compartment.

VALVE

CLOSED

FUEL

5 QTY 10
KGS X 100

15

OPEN
TANK I
AUX PUMP

TRANSFER
OFF
TO
TANK I

TO
TANK 2

QTY TEST

OFF

VALVE

CLOSED
FUEL

OPEN

5 QTY 10

TANK 2
AUX PUMP

KGS X 100

15

OFF

FUEL CONTROL

TANK 1

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TANK 1

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Fuel System

It also displays contents of tanks on two fuel quantity control and repeater
indicators at the refueling/defueling control panel.

FUEL10
QTY

KGS X 100 15

KGS X 100 15

OFF

0
SET

DUMP VALVE
OPEN

FUEL10
QTY

POWER ON

REFUEL

SET

DEFUEL

REFUEL

REFUEL

SHUT OFF

SHUT

TANK 1

DUMP VALVE

OFF

OPEN

REFUEL

TANK 2
PRE CHECK

TEST

MASTER
VALVE
CLOSED

TANK
1

TANK
2

GROUND
CREW
JACK

The fuel quantity control and repeater indicators also provide fuel level selection
and shutoff control during pressure refueling and defueling.
Magnetic dipsticks installed in each tank provide an alternate fuel measuring
device.

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Fuel System

The fuel quantity indicating system for each fuel tank is identical.
Each consists of six probes, the master indicator and the fuel quantity control and
repeater indicator.

The system also has a common

indicator self-test pressbutton switch
labeled QTY TEST and a
REFUEL/OFF/DEFUEL rotary switch
common to both fuel tanks.
The probes are mounted inside each
fuel tank, and one is housed in the
collector bay. The probes in each
fueltank are electricly connected in
parallel to feed the respective fuel
quantity master indicator.

The two master indicators and the QTY TEST switch are located on the FUEL
CONTROL panel in the flight compartment.
The

two

fuel

quantity

control

and

repeater

indicators,

and

the

REFUEL/OFF/DEFUEL switch are located on the refuel/defuel control panel.

The fuel quantity master indicators are single function, pointer-type display units.
Contained within each indicator is a closed loop oscillator which produces the
excitation voltage to the associated fuel probes.
Each master indicator also has a built-in self-test circuit which, when actuated by
the remote test switch, produces a test signal equivalent to indicator full scale
reading.
The indicators are calibrated from 0 to 1500 kg (0 to 3000 lb) in increments of
100 kg (200 lb). The indicators require 28VDC for operation.

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Fuel System

The fuel quantity control and repeater indicators display system is similar to that
of the fuel quantity master indicators.
Unlike the master indicators, the repeaters do not have an oscillator or a built-in
test circuit but do have a refuel/defuel control circuit, controlled by a SET knob to
position an index pointer in the dial to a desired fuel level.

VALVE

CLOSED

FUEL
QTY 10

KGS X 100

15

OPEN
TANK I
AUX PUMP

TRANSFER
OFF
TO
TANK I

VALVE

TO
TANK 2

QTY TEST

CLOSED
FUEL

OPEN

5 QTY 10

TANK 2
AUX PUMP

KGS X 100

OFF

15

OFF

FUEL CONTROL

Dash 8 Fuel Control Panel

Should the main fuel quantity indicating system fail, two magnetic dipsticks in
each tank provide an alternate method of measuring fuel quantity.
Each dipstick is positioned vertically in the tank, and consists of a fiberglass rod
which slides in an outer tube.
When the rod is released from the wing lower skin, it falls slowly until trapped in
the tube by a floating magnet.
The tank contents can be read from markings on the calibrated rod.
The dipsticks are calibrated in U.S. gallons and in liters.
If the quantity of fuel in the tank is such that the inner dipstick will not drop (i.e.
the floating magnet is on top of the tank), contents can be read from the outer
dipstick.

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Fuel System

Fuel low level warning for each tank consists of a simple float switch which
operates a TANK FUEL LOW caution light on the caution lights panel in the flight
compartment.
The switch is mounted in the collector bay section of the fuel tank.
Power for low level warning is derived from the right essential 28VDC bus and is
protected by a 7-1/2-ampere CAUT LTS circuit breaker.
The normally open fuel low level warning switch is float-operated to close when
fuel in a tank falls below the pre-set level, and causes the appropriate TANK
FUEL LOW caution light to illuminate.
NOTE: Operation of the fuel low level warning system is completely independent
of the fuel quantity indicating system.

#1 TANK
#2 TANK
FUEL LOW FUEL LOW

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Fuel System

The fuel tank temperature indication system consists of a temperature sensing

bulb and a fuel tank temperature indicator.
The system is operational whenever power is applied to the aircraft.
The temperature sensing bulb, located on the front spar of the left wing, is an
electrical resistance type in which resistance varies in direct proportion to sensed
fuel temperature.

The fuel tank temperature indicator is located on the engine instrument panel.
The indicator has an outer graduated scale which ranges from -60 degrees C to
+60 degrees C.

ENGINE INTAKE BYPASS DOOR

CLOSED

CLOSED

0
-30

30

-60
FUEL
TANK

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60
TEMP

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