Experimental study of fuel cloud formation inside aircraft fuel tank

The design of fuel tank flammability has relied on the flammability envelope of a homogeneous mixture. There are researches indicated that the presence of droplets could cause such mixture to be flammable even the fuel-to-air ratio was below the Lower Flammability Limit. This research aims to investigate the formation of fuel cloud/droplets by a condensation process and its effect on tank flammability. The center-wing tank is the main interest because the fuel vapor in the ullage space can condense when its temperature and pressure are changed. The Fuel Tank Test Facility has proven that a cloud or group of droplets is produced under normal operating condition of the center-wing tank. Results from the experiments show the number densities of droplets on the order of 103--105 and the maximum drop size being recorded is 18 mum. The experiments also indicate that Jet A vapor and droplets must have different properties from its liquid form because of the volatility difference among species in fuel. The new parameter for droplets flammability, i.e., non-dimensional droplet spacing, suggested by Hayashi et al. (1984) is employed for a flammability assessment. The non-dimensional droplet spacings from the experiments have found to be in the vicinity of the critical value. It points toward the high possibility of having flammable center-wing tank. The explosion strength calculation of droplets-vapor-air mixture implies the sufficient explosive condition if an ignition source is introduced.