Seven critical requirements for selecting valves for fuel system shutdown
29 June 2021
Unlike the driver of a car equipped with an internal combustion engine, an airline pilot cannot restart a commercial aircraft’s engine immediately after landing.
(Image: Shutterstock)
It is critical to have fuel in the distribution manifold during engine start-up and during operation. However, residual fuel remaining in the engine’s combustion chamber following shutdown may adversely impact the engine and the environment.
Issues that may arise include:
• Possible damage to the turbine due to ‘hot starts’ caused by rich fuel
• Increased maintenance due to fuel coking inside combustion nozzles
• Environmental and safety concerns due to fuel leakage
• Negative impact on the airline’s earnings due to wasted fuel
These issues provide a sufficient incentive to recover residual fuel in an aircraft engine following landing. Additional reasons to do so are directives for fuel venting and exhaust emissions outlined by the FAA and the EPA Clean Air Act (see Federal Aviation Regulation, Title 14, Part 34). Thankfully, engine design engineers developed a solution: an ecology valve that allows for the safe drainage and storage of working fuel upon aircraft shutdown...
Read the full article in the July issue of DPA
Contact Details and Archive...