Demonstration on Fuel Quantity Indicating System

Prepared by: Mirza Masroor Ahmed Murad Training Executive BATC

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CONTENTS:

Fuel types FQIS Float type Fuel Quantity Indicating System Capacitance type Fuel Gauge System Effects of Fuel Temperature Changes Measurement of fuel Quantity by Weight Construction of probes Ultrasonic FQIS Indication of fuel quantity Refueling and load control
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Fuel
Jet fuel is a specialized fuel blended from the light distillates fractionated from crude petroleum. All jet fuels must be pristine and free from oxidation deposits in high-temperature zones. Combustors require fuels that atomize and ignite at low temperatures, burn with controlled radiation and adequate heat release, do not produce smoke, and do not attack hot turbine parts. The most common jet fuel is a kerosene and paraffin oilbased fuel classified as JET A-1 , which is produced to comply with an internationally standardized set of specifications.
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Fuel
The only other jet fuel that is commonly used in civilian aviation is called JET B . JET B is an aviation turbine fuel that falls between 'gasoline' and 'kerosene' in distillation range and consequently compared to kerosene (JET A or JET A1), it has the properties of higher volatility (vapor pressure), lower flash point and lower freezing point. However, JET B's lighter composition makes it more dangerous to handle, and it is thus restricted only to areas where its cold-weather characteristics are absolutely necessary.

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Fuel Quantity Indicating System

Fuel quantity indicating systems vary in operating principle and construction, the application of any one method being governed by the type of aircraft and its fuel system. Two principal methods currently applied utilize the principle of electrical signal transmission from units located inside the fuel tanks.

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Fuel Quantity Indicating System

In one method, mainly employed in the fuel systems of small and light aircraft, the tank units consist of a mechanical float assembly which controls an electrical resistance unit and varies the current flow to the indicating element. The second method, employed in high-performance aircraft fuel systems, measures fuel quantity in terms of electrical capacitance and provides a more accurate system of fuel gauging.

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Float type Fuel Quantity Indicating System

Figure : Simple float type of fuel quantity indicator.

Main components : 1. Float (may be of cork specially treated to prevent fuel absorption, or it may be in the form of a lightweight metal cylinder suitably sealed). 2. Arm 3. Wiper arm 4. Potentiometer
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Float type Fuel Quantity Indicating System

As changes in fuel level take place the float arm moves through certain angles and positions the wiper arm or brushes to vary the resistance and flow of direct current to the indicator.

As a result of the variations in current flow a moving coil or rotor within the indicator is deflected to position a pointer over the scale calibrated in gallons.

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Capacitor Principle :
1 2

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Capacitor in alternating current circuits :

To apply capacitance principle to FQIS a flow of current is necessary to make the indicator respond to the capacitance changes arising from changes in fuel level. This is accomplished by supplying the tank probes with an alternating voltage. Whenever voltage across capacitor changes electrons flow toward and away from it and a resultant current flows at any Instant depends on the rate of change of voltage.

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Factors on which Capacitance depends:

Capacitance C = Permittivity is quoted being relative to that of a vacuum. Relative permittivity denoted by K , which is the ratio of the capacitance of capacitor with a given dielectric to its capacitance with air between its plates. The relative permittivity of some substance are as follows : Air Water vapor Aviation gasoline Aviation kerosene
Fuel Quantity Indicating System

1.00 1.007 1.95 2.10

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Simplified Capacitance tank circuit

Figure : Simplified Capacitance tank circuit

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Basic Indicating System

where,

CT = capacitance of a given dielectric CA = capacitance of empty tank/air

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Capacitance type Fuel Gauge System

Construction: It is divided into two sections or loops by a resistance R, both loops being connected to the secondary winding of a power transformer. Loop A contains the tank capacitor CT and may therefore be considered as the sensing loop of the bridge since it detects current changes due to changes in capacitance. Loop B, which may be considered as the balancing loop of the bridge, contains a reference capacitor CR of fixed value, and is connected to the transformer via the wiper of a balance potentiometer so that the voltage VB is variable.
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Capacitance type Fuel Gauge System

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Figure : Basic Capacitance type System Fuel Quantity Indicating System Module 13 level 2 Slide 15

Capacitance type Fuel Gauge System

The balance potentiometer is contained within the indicator together with a two-phase motor which drives the potentiometer wiper and indicator pointer. The amplifier, which is based on solid-state circuit techniques has two main stages: one for amplifying the signal produced by bridge unbalance, and the other for discriminating the phase of the signal which is then supplied to the motor.

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Self-balancing bridge circuit.

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Self-balancing bridge circuit.

As the tank unit capacitance increases or decreases because of a change in fuel quantity, it is necessary to readjust the bridge circuit to a balanced condition so the indicator motor will not continue to change the position of the indicating needle. This is accomplished by a balancing potentiometer connected across one-half of the transformer secondary. An "empty" calibrating potentiometer and a 'full" calibrating potentiometer are connected across portions of the transformer secondary winding at opposite ends of the winding. These potentiometers may be adjusted to balance the bridge voltages over the entire empty-to-full capacitance range of a specific system.
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Effects of Fuel Temperature Changes

Slide 13

From this it should be noted that K - 1 is plotted, since for a gauge system measuring fuel quantity by volume, the indicator pointer movement is directly dependent on this.Thus a volumetric gauge system will be subject to a small error due to variations in fuel temperature.
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Calibration of gauges :
For the calibration of gauges in terms of mass of fuel the

assumption is made that the relationship between the relative permittivity (K) and the density () of a given sample of fuel is constant.
Capacitive index =
1

The variation in value of permittivity and density can cause

the gauge to over read and under read i.e. at high temperature although k remain almost same but density falls which allows over reading.

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Compensated gauge system :

If a gauge system can detect changes in the permittivity of a fuel as it

departs from its nominal value, then the density may be inferred to a greater accuracy, resulting in an even greater reduction of indication errors.

A compensator is similar in construction to a standard tank unit and is usually fitted to the bottom of a unit to ensure that the compensator is always immersed in fuel and cannot calculate error due to change of density.
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Measurement of fuel Quantity by Weight

The total power developed by an engine, or the work

it performs during flight, depends not on the volume of fuel but on the energy it contains, i.e. the number of molecules that can combine with oxygen in the engine.

Since each fuel molecule has some weight and also because

one pound of fuel has the same number of molecules regardless of temperature and therefore volume, the total number of molecules (total available energy) is best indicated by measuring the total fuel weight.

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Densitometer :

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Densitometer :
Two principal units (i) Emitter (ii) An electronics unit
Fuel density is determined as a ratio of radiation. No of pulses per time are a function of fuel density. Total mass of fuel = volume (tank probe) density(densitometer)

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Construction of Probes:
Probes utilizes tubes made of aluminium suitably protected

against the effects of corrosion, short-circuited and grounding.

The outer tube may be of aluminium while the inner tube is

non conducting plastic material that is coated with a metalized film on its outer surface to serve as a capacitor plate.
To suit individual tank shapes and sizes the concentricity is

varied throughout the length.

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Construction of Probes:
The concentricity

contd

is accomplished by having an inner tube whose diameter varies across its length, or by off-centering it by means of spacers which differ in length. The spacers are made of Teflon and are colour coded corresponding to length.

Probes are connected to the indicating system wiring harness

via terminal blocks which depending on design provide for either coaxial or screw type terminal connections.

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Location and connection of tank probes:

The number of probes required is governed by the fuel capacity

requirements and tank configurations of any type of aircraft.

In a typical aircraft higher number of probes are installed in both

wing main tanks, lower number of probes in both centre auxiliary tanks and one compensator probe is installed in each of tanks.
Attitude compensation and wing flexing effect compensation is

achieved by strategic placement of probes.

Concentricity can be achieved by a software program in processor

unit.
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Ultrasonic FQIS:
Principle of operation:
The concept of the B777 Fuel Quantity Indication System (FQIS) is ultrasonic, where the fuel level of the tanks is measured by a series of probes which Transmit an ultra sonic pulse towards the surface of the fuel and the time taken for the pulse to return to the transducer is an indication of fuel height at that point.
The GE ultrasonic fuel gauging system utilizes the linear relationship between time and the speed of sound (SoS). A series of ultrasonic transducers use wave reflections to determine probe / fuel heights. A pulse is transmitted out, which reflects of the fuel surface and returns to its source, the time to travel this distance is measured. If the time to travel to the fuel surface and back again is multiplied by the speed of sound, then the fuel surface height can be inferred.
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Ultrasonic FQIS:

Figure: Ultrasound to determine fuel height at a probe

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Ultrasonic FQIS:
However, as the temperature of fuel changes its density will change.
To compensate for this some fuel probes contain a number of sound reflective targets placed along the length of the Stillwell in order to maintain accuracy when computing Speed of Sound (and density). The Speed of Sound values are calculated using the (pre-recorded) known distance to each target and the return time from each target. Various filter and verification stages are also necessary to compensate for the effects of harmonics, outgassing, bubbling, ice and vibrations.
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Ultrasonic FQIS:
The FQIS comprises the following components:
Fuel Quantity Processor Unit Tank Units Densitometers Water Detector Temperature Sensor Cable Harness
Tank unit

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Ultrasonic FQIS:

Figure : FQIS Layout for use with B777-200 / -200ER / 300

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Ultrasonic FQIS:
The FQIS provides these functions:
Measures the fuel volume Calculates the fuel quantity Controls the refuel operations Indication of any water in the tanks

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Ultrasonic FQIS:
Advantages of ultrasonic FQIS : Less susceptibility to High Intensity Radiated Frequency (HIRF) Reliable Accuracy Greater immunity to cable length Each probe may be readily interfaced directly with more than one signal processing circuit to provide greater fault tolerance Lower in-tank average excitation and power dissipation Time-based measurements instead of analog capacitance bridge Self compensating probes for changes in temperature and density Immunity to water and contaminants.
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Indication of fuel quantity:

Modern aircraft use EFIS display to show fuel quantity at

different tanks. Besides an indicator also shows different tank fuel level at refueling station.
Totalizer indicator provide remaining fuel and gross weight

of the aircraft. This indicator either utilizes mechanical type digital counters or a segmented electronic display.
Each indicator comprises a resistance network with the

same number of channels as there are primary fuel quantity indicators appropriate to the particular aircraft.
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Refueling and load control :

In large aircraft for monitoring of fuel uplift operations and

refueling , load control panels are located adjacent to refueling points. This panel can function either manually where the operator have to check the dial of individual tank dial and manually terminate fuel flow in tanks. For automatic operation a volumetric top-off(VTO) system is used where automatically refueling terminates at a pre-set fuel level. On completion of a refueling operation the control panel is enclosed by a door which also actuates a switch that isolates all electrical power to fuelling system.
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Fuel Quantity Indicating System

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