Detection of Contaminants in Aviation Fuel

Fuel contamination from water and particulate matter can be problematic even under normal peacetime conditions. The most common contaminants are particulate matter and water. Although much of the fuel contaminants are separated out using filters and coalescer separators, these systems can fail to remove sufficient particulate matter and free water which can then reach the aircraft fuel tanks. An in-line monitoring system that can test the fuel for particulate matter and condensed water would be of great benefit both to military and commercial aviation. In-line sampling during the fueling process represents the most favorable approach since fueling can be terminated immediately upon detection of contaminants including particulate matter and water. Particles in the micrometer range including solid particulate consisting of rust, paint, material from pipes and hoses, dust, and sand are best monitored using light scatter detection methods. Furthermore, these systems can be built into a spool piece which would be installed in-line with the fuel flow and can monitor the fuel in real-time to acquire a representative sample of the contaminants. This proposal investigates light scattering methods for detecting and differentiating between different types of fuel contaminants and using this information for fuel shutoff during aircraft refueling.