Aircraft fuel tanks are designed only for fuel, not for water. However, water can still get into your aircrafts fuel tank despite your great quality control process. Every year, lives are put at risk due to there being an issue with the aircraft, which your QC team might have been neglecting for a long time.
Therefore, regular aircraft maintenance and checking for any such mishaps is necessary. Such steps can avoid contamination in your fuel tank and ensure a safer flight every time. This blog post highlights some common ways by which water can get inside your aircrafts fuel tank.
Check The Tanks Connections
The gauging hatch or the test cable port gasket for the floating suction can start to leak. This can cause water to enter into the aircrafts tank. Therefore, you must keep a check on the tanks connections and ensure they are tight and have proper gaskets. Check your sample fuel and make sure it is not mixed with water. Also, make sure there is no problem with your water controls, tank sumps, and vessel sumps.
Check For Leaks
Over time, your fuel tank can develop leaks and cracks. Such cracks are entryways for water which can cause contamination. You can resolve these cracks by periodically checking the tank and repairing it if possible.
In such cases, aircraft welding plays an important role. These cracks that cause fuel leaks and water contamination can be fixed with welding. As a professional aircraft welding company to repair it. If the condition of the tank is beyond repair, consider replacing it.
Check Your Tanks Caps
Sometimes, your refueler can become negligent towards their duty and forget to close the tank lid after refueling the fuel tank. Hence, before taking flight ensure the fuel lid is closed tightly. Going for a flight with the lid open can be hazardous. In some places, it rains frequently, the moisture from the air can get inside the fuel tank if the lid is left open, thus causing water contamination.
Also, check if the lid is loose. If it doesn't close tightly, rainwater can enter through those gaps and affect your aircraft's fuel. Refueling during rain or snowstorms is dangerous, as there are higher chances of water contamination with the fuel.
Other than the reasons mentioned above, water can enter the fuel tank via leaks in the seals of other parts such as your crafts dome covers, floating roofs, and hatches during rain or snowstorms, when equipment is being washed, by marine or surface transport equipment delivering fuel to the airport, and by condensation and precipitation of dissolved water.
Moreover, water can also enter through leaks in the vents or when the aircraft is washed from refueling system equipment. In such scenarios, it is necessary to have aircraft professionals on board to mitigate any water contamination issue and avoid it at all costs.
How To Test For The Presence Of Water In Fuel
Multiple tests can detect the presence of water traces in fuel. Some of them are:
- Vegetable dye is sometimes helpful to outline the free water in a sample.
- Testing with a clean and dry clean glass bottle. If fuel is acceptably dry, it will appear bright with a fluorescent appearance and not be cloudy or hazy. The clear and dry bottle test is known as the "clean and bright" test.
- The white bucket test also tests for water in jet fuel.
- Water-sensitive papers also change color upon detecting water in fuel.
- Water detectors are specially made for determining free or entrained water in aircraft fuel.
About Acorn Welding
Acorn Welding is a trusted and highly qualified aviation welding company in Edmonton. We have the latest product designs and manufacturing capabilities required for safe aircraft welding. We offer aircraft welding services to get your aircraft parts repaired with great professionalism. Contact us for further information.
