21, 2001) at 28.05.2001 15:58:55,
Serialize by Router on PDC-INFOAGRAR/INFOAGRAR/CH(Release 5.0.7 |March
21, 2001) at
28.05.2001 15:58:58,
Hi Europa fan community,
The fuel tank ventilation design seems to have at least to main weaknesses:
1) In case of an accident with a plane flipped on its back, fuel runs out of the
vent lines -> fire
hazard.
2) Slow filling and spillage, spraying and vaporizing of fuel due to poor airing
through the vent
lines -> annoying and again fire hazard.
In my XS I intend to modify the venilation system as follows:
1) To resolve the problem of loosing fuel when the plane is flipped on its back,
I will add a bleeding
check valve (Andair) in each vent line. They allow free flow of air and fuel
into
the tank, but very
slow and poor flow from the tank to the vent exit. It allows enough air to leave
the tank on a hot day
when fuel expands.
2) To improve airflow when filling the tank and to avoid spilling fuel, I will
use a vent line (hose)
---From the tank with a larger diameter, add a T about a foot above the tank's
upper
level, continue
the vent line (small diameter) to the check valve and to the vent exit. The T is
connected to another
hose of the larger diameter, about three feet long, with a little faucet at the
end. Before filling fuel
into the tank, the end of the tube is taken out of the plane, the faucet is
opened
and put into a
small can on the ground. During filling, venting air and overflowing fuel go
into
the can. After
filling, the hose is emptied, the faucet is closed and all is put back into the
plane.
This concept separates the venting during filling and the venting in normal
operation.
Any
comments, ideas for impovements, warnings ... by the large number of specialists
out there are
welcome!
Alfred
(# 097 Mk I wing XS fuselage)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Alfred Buess
Laenggasse 81
CH-3052 Zollikofen
Switzerland
Tel. +41 (0)31 911 63 32
Fax +41 (0)31 911 56 32
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