SPECIAL REPORT
New Developments in Flow Meter Technology
Bringing the Process of Fueling into the Twenty-First Century Aircraft Fuel Efficiency Fueling is a Team Effort The Importance of Measurement Big Data Makes Better Processes Possible
Sponsored by
Published by Global Business Media
SPECIAL REPORT: NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN FLOW METER TECHNOLOGY
SPECIAL REPORT
New Developments in Flow Meter Technology
Bringing the Process of Fueling into the Twenty-First Century
Contents
Aircraft Fuel Efficiency Fueling is a Team Effort The Importance of Measurement Big Data Makes Better Processes Possible
Foreword
2
John Hancock, Editor
Bringing the Process of Fueling into the Twenty-First Century
3
Total Control Systems Sponsored by
The Challenge Published by Global Business Media
Published by Global Business Media Global Business Media Limited 62 The Street Ashtead Surrey KT21 1AT United Kingdom Switchboard: +44 (0)1737 850 939 Fax: +44 (0)1737 851 952 Email: info@globalbusinessmedia.org Website: www.globalbusinessmedia.org Publisher Kevin Bell Business Development Director Marie-Anne Brooks Editor John Hancock Senior Project Manager Steve Banks Advertising Executives Michael McCarthy Abigail Coombes Production Manager Paul Davies For further information visit: www.globalbusinessmedia.org The opinions and views expressed in the editorial content in this publication are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily represent the views of any organisation with which they may be associated. Material in advertisements and promotional features may be considered to represent the views of the advertisers and promoters. The views and opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily express the views of the Publishers or the Editor. While every care has been taken in the preparation of this publication, neither the Publishers nor the Editor are responsible for such opinions and views or for any inaccuracies in the articles.
Design and Construction of a New Solution Users OEMS How TCS 3000 Supports All Parties Easy Upgrades Make TCS 3000 Future-Proof In Conclusion
Aircraft Fuel Efficiency
6
John Hancock, Editor
The Importance of Fuel Management The Fueling Process
Fueling is a Team Effort
8
Camilla Slade, Staff Writer
Parties Involved in Aircraft Fueling Safety of Supplying Fuel
The Importance of Measurement
10
Peter Dunwell, Correspondent
The Flow Meter Using the Information Conclusion
Big Data Makes Better Processes Possible
12
John Hancock, Editor
Making Use of Data Big Data Communication and Connectivity The Future for Aviation Fueling
References 14 Š 2019. The entire contents of this publication are protected by copyright. Full details are available from the Publishers. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. WWW.AIRPORTTECHNOLOGYREPORTS.COM | 1
SPECIAL REPORT: NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN FLOW METER TECHNOLOGY
Foreword O
ne of the more important activities that an
working environment and can meet the obligations
airport carries out is fueling or refueling
entailed. We then broaden our scope out to look
aircraft. It is vital, not simply in order for the
across the landscape of aircraft fuel efficiency and
aircraft to be able to operate but also because
the reporting requirements to which it has given rise.
air travel is now subject to a familiar range of
Following that, Camilla Slade focuses on the fueling
environmental concerns and obligations which
process, getting fuel from the store to the aircraft, the
mean that quantities of fuel uploaded must be
various participants in that process and how some of
carefully matched to the planned flight and that
the challenges faced are overcome.
airlines and airports need to be able to make
Peter Dunwell next considers the importance of
regular submission to regulators with regards to
measurement in its widest form, not just to know
their environmental performance and, in the case
crude quantities but also to be able to measure
of airlines, with regards to their fuel consumption
various other factors that will affect the quality as
and emissions management. The most important
well as quantity of fuel. Our final article is about the
function in all this is that of the fueler of the into-
technology that powers and supports the kind of
plane service provider at the point where fuel is
advanced systems that will be required in a twenty-
uploaded to the aircraft.
first century fueling process, big data and analytics to
We start this Report with an informative article from
turn data into useful information to support decisions.
the sponsor, Total Control Systems (TCS), that looks at how measurement systems, the register of the fueler, can face up to the challenges of this modern
John Hancock Editor
John Hancock has been an Editor of Airport Technology Reports from the start. A journalist for 25 years, John has written and edited extensively in the aviation sector as part of a wide-ranging portfolio of business and industry topics. Subjects have included aircraft and engine manufacture, aircraft Maintenance and Engineering M&E), aircraft Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO), aviation IT, auto-engineering and electronics, high value manufacturing, testing, materials engineering, weapons research, supply chain, logistics and naval engineering.
2 | WWW.AIRPORTTECHNOLOGYREPORTS.COM
SPECIAL REPORT: NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN FLOW METER TECHNOLOGY
Bringing the Process of Fueling into the Twenty-First Century Total Control Systems As with any process, those involved at all stages need to be able to measure what they have received and what they have delivered and that requires data
Y
OU MIGHT think that refueling an aircraft is a straightforward and simple matter; like refueling your car but on a larger scale. However, that is not necessarily so. The various businesses in the process of transferring fuel from a storage facility to an aircraft need to know a lot of information, information that can best be gathered as part of the transfer process. The people who manage this process are the into-plane service companies whose vehicles are equipped to move fuel from a storage tank to the aircraft.
year record of providing high quality and reliable transfer flow meters and accessories for the global aviation community. In summary, the TCS 3000 can control and automate a range of delivery and quality control points during the fueling process plus it can post, via a variety of connectivity solutions, all the data that it gathers to a cloud-based reporting website - the TCS HUB. Such information is an essential ingredient in airline fuel efficiency and emissions reduction.
COMING SOON!
The Challenge The obvious information that will be needed is the quantity of fuel transferred and how much it costs as well as to which airline and aircraft each transfer was made in order to provide accurate documentation for each customer and so that the airline knows how much fuel is on which aircraft and where it is, for weight and balance purposes. But beyond that, factors such as fuel density, water content, differential pressure, additive input, tank levels are all important… a range of data that has, in the past, been gathered through several different monitors. That’s fine except that different data gathering systems might mean variations in methodology and even accuracy whereas, given the huge amounts of money spent on fuel by airlines, up to one quarter of their operating costs, two things they really need are precision in delivery and accuracy in recording data. The key item of equipment that manages all of this is the register and, today, the application of technology and IT advances means that the best register will be one that is electronic.
Design and Construction of a New Solution Total Control Systems (TCS) has developed a powerful electronic register, the TCS 3000, building on the company’s near twenty-five-
ATEX-APPROVED TCS 3000 ELECTRONIC FLOW COMPUTER www.tcsmeters.com +1 260.484.0382 TS 3000
Designed with the task in mind But, more than even the safe and precise transfer of fuel and the accurate recording and reporting of key data, TCS 3000 has been designed to make the task of the operator better with multiple delivery screens incorporating a full color display featuring 2” high characters for ease of visibility in all conditions and at most distances. A large WWW.AIRPORTTECHNOLOGYREPORTS.COM | 3
SPECIAL REPORT: NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN FLOW METER TECHNOLOGY
The obvious information
the registration number of the aircraft, then for the airline code and the aircraft type as well as the flight number. That allows users to have choice of what they fuel, when they fuel, where they fuel and how much they fuel with. They can track and trace trends for what they’ve done at the end of the day or the end of the week or month, with complete analysis of what has happened.
that will be needed is the quantity of fuel transferred and how much it costs as well as to which airline and aircraft each transfer was made in order to provide accurate documentation for each customer and so that the airline knows how much fuel is on which aircraft
WATER WARNING
backlit tactile keypad ensures that the operator has sight, touch and feel for each button pushed, whether in the day or at night. The TCS 3000 register functions as a system built on product parameters, not for the overall measuring system. That means each product can operate the system input/output (I/O) individually for its own purpose, providing a universal system for a unique operation. The register is built with enough inputs/outputs to integrate and control the primary pump, control valves, additive flow meters, gear or piston additive injection pumps, water drain, temperature compensation, density correction, water content, true and corrected differential pressure, emergency stop and up to six onboard tank inventories. Multiple flow meters can easily be connected in a daisy chain, linking each client register to the host register in order to utilize one printer and communication modem. The overall result is a flow meter register that makes the process of fuel transfer more manageable, and a central resource that helps manage and draws together all the various measurements and information that both thirdparty fuelers and airlines need in order to: a) ensure they’re measuring and correctly recording the amount of fuel that they’ve uploaded; but also, on the other side, b) to make sure that they know how much they’ve done to feed into their efficiency programs which are so important these days.
Users The two biggest parties who have an interest in the use of flow meter registers are the ‘intoplane’ service providers and the airlines. TCS’s registration and flow measurement instruments are used on all the general aviation fuelers, delivering aviation gasoline and with additives. Airlines and into-plane companies also mandate the TCS measuring system.
Into-plane service providers For the into-plane service operators, the TCS 3000 also provides a means for collecting aircraft information at each delivery with fields such as customer identification fields being customizable. The software will first ask for 4 | WWW.AIRPORTTECHNOLOGYREPORTS.COM
Airlines Airlines need reliability in the fueling process but they also need reliable information about fueling to support their own accounting, fuel management and emissions management processes. Unfortunately, they sometimes receive unreliable data that cannot always be input into their own managing software. The third parties or VARs (Value Added Resellers) take the data inputs and upload that data into the airline’s software or talk back to the aircraft via ACARS. The VARs fulfil a critical role and provide an enormous amount of value with scheduling and dispatching: they know how to actually route the fuelers to aircraft that need refueling which, in turn, provides enormous efficiencies for the airports.
WATER INTERLOCK
TCS delivers the tool to get that done; the TCS register is the cash register on the vehicles which has to be there for transfer of the fuel. But airlines also value the information provided for consumption rates, best burns, load capacities, etc. However, in the past there have been multiple ‘brains’ on the refueling equipment for the tank inventory, for density, for differential pressure… but nothing to tie that information together, and certainly not to put it all on one delivery ticket or one fueling record. TCS brings all those data points in to one central resource that can be used to manage the refueling equipment and provide best efficiencies for the aircraft.
OEMS OEMs, manufacturers of fuelers, also value the TCS 3000 register because it can be offered with a prewired harness to reduce hours of manufacturing time. The OEM can also
SPECIAL REPORT: NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN FLOW METER TECHNOLOGY
simulate a delivery without putting a drop of fuel through the system, while observing the terminal board’s LED relay identification.
How TCS 3000 Supports All Parties The true value of the TCS 3000 register is within its main software features, such as the RFID/PIN Authorization, Density Correction, Differential Pressure, Water Analysis and much more.
chemical water detection tests for deliveries. The TCS HUB cloud-based reporting website allows users to track and record H20 PPM level trends for each delivery.
Communications and connectivity TCS provides VARs with many different capabilities including different means of communication using a weight and measures approved table certified as very accurate by Europe, Canada and the US.
Easy Upgrades Make TCS 3000 Future-Proof
PRESSURE INTERLOCK
Features and safety The RFID/PIN Authorization features multiple databases within the register that can be used for various controlled deliveries to verify the aircraft registration, asset management, employee identification or consortium loading facilities. To provide the airlines with their calculated load and lower their fuel costs, two technologies are incorporated into the TCS 3000 register: automatic temperature compensation (ATC) utilizes OIML (International Organization of Legal Metrology) approved temperature volume correction tables to provide net volume and a calculated weight per liter to dispense by mass. The other capability is to utilize a densitometer that is in the slip stream of the fueling to provide live density, displayed for continuous and accurate measurement. The fail-safe programing allows limit threshold shutdown of a delivery if the condition of the fuel is out of tolerance. Live filter differential pressure monitoring ensures safe aircraft fueling with automated shutdown if the ΔP reaches the programmable 15 PSI threshold. Also, the latest TCS 3000 register’s integrated technology will automatically detect, warn and stop deliveries when free water levels are exceeded. When integrated with an EI 1598 qualified water sensor, users can replace the
The aviation community is changing at a rapid pace and needs a flow computer to be capable of handling those changes for the future. TCS calls it future proofing and, in addition to the customization potential (see above), with the TCS 3000 register it is easy to upgrade software to include new features and options to download verification databases, copy ticket setups, backup restore and multi-level password protection. A useful TCS 3000 register exchange program is also offered to end-users to ensure continuity of service during refurbishment or to eliminate lengthy downtime during maintenance.
DENSITY WARNING
In Conclusion TCS’s job is to make sure that fuel delivery is actively measured and the fueling process is managed using the only digital record available. Everything from there goes to the VARs with which TCS must integrate and be business partners, depending on each other to make sure that they’re providing the right information: integrating the process of fueling into twenty-first century data requirements.
COMING SOON!
ATEX-APPROVED TCS 3000 ELECTRONIC FLOW COMPUTER www.tcsmeters.com +1 260.484.0382
Airlines need reliability in the fueling process but they also need reliable information about fueling to support their own accounting, fuel management and emissions management processes WWW.AIRPORTTECHNOLOGYREPORTS.COM | 5
SPECIAL REPORT: NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN FLOW METER TECHNOLOGY
Aircraft Fuel Efficiency John Hancock, Editor The importance of getting fueling right
Although the rate at which they use them has also changed with improved power plants and better managed operating processes, aircraft still burn a lot of fuel and, as a result, generate a lot of polluting, toxic greenhouse gases
F
UELING AN aircraft might seem the most routine and least important part of the whole operating process for an airline. However, any such thoughts would be wholly wrong. Fuel, its supply and its management, is right at the top of the agenda or airlines today.
The Importance of Fuel Management Air travel has arguably been one of the principle drivers of the modern economy but, like most areas of human endeavor, it has not escaped scrutiny as part of the environmental awareness now predominant in all areas.
Aircraft fuel and the environment Aircraft have, in the past, been noisy but that is now changing as new and better engineered power plants come on stream. Also, aircraft use carbon-based fuels. Although the rate at which they use them has also changed with improved power plants and better managed operating processes, aircraft still burn a lot of fuel and, as a result, generate a lot of polluting, toxic greenhouse gases. The list looks formidable: carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxides (NOX), sulphur oxides (SOX), unburnt hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter (PM) and soot1.
Aircraft fuel and cost There is another issue with fuel and that is cost. Airlines operate on very tight margins and so fluctuations in any cost can make a significant difference to their bottom line. Estimates vary but coalesce around 15 percent to 25 percent of an airline’s operating costs being consumed (quite literally) in fuel. Globally, that will amount to $206 billion in 2019, according to IATA2. As an example, the fuel cost to fly a Boeing 737-300 from Los Angeles to New York approximately 2,500 miles was calculated in January 2019 to be about $6,600. It is possible to mitigate fuel costs with future contracts at fixed prices which will save money if prices rise but represent a loss if prices should fall as they did a few years ago.
6 | WWW.AIRPORTTECHNOLOGYREPORTS.COM
The regulation of fuel and emissions On top of all the above, regulatory authorities such as the FAA and EASA, as well as others, are now prescribing clear parameters within which fuel use and emissions must be managed, with annual reductions in both required each year. “In 2016, the ICAO finalized a performance standard for new aircraft that will mandate improvements in fuel efficiency and carbon dioxide emissions, requiring a 4% reduction in fuel consumption in 2028 over 2015 averages. The European Union has also implemented an aviation emissions capand-trade system for flights that originate in or fly into Europe.3” is how Transport Policy summarized the situation. The EU operates an EU Emissions Trading System which, not only prescribes as above, but also allows airlines to trade their unused emissions allowances with others who might have exceeded their own allowances4. There are more than one such system working including ICAO’s CORSIA program. This is not the place to explain them but Guido Harling, CEO of ETS Verification, wrote an informative article ‘Aviation and the Environment’ in Aircraft IT5 for those who want to know more.
The Fueling Process In these circumstances, one of the most important functions in determining airline viability and compliance with regulatory environmental requirements is the system that delivers fuel to the aircraft and, in this the flow meter is the key component where most of measurable information required can be captured.
Weight and Balance But there are also other factors for which the fuel delivery process is critical. Weight and balance are what they say. The FAA explains the importance of weight and balance6, “There are many factors in the safe and efficient operation of aircraft, including proper weight and balance control. The weight and balance system commonly employed among aircraft consists of three equally important elements:
SPECIAL REPORT: NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN FLOW METER TECHNOLOGY
COMING SOON! the weighing of the aircraft, the maintaining of the weight and balance records, and the proper loading of the aircraft. An inaccuracy in any one of these elements defeats the purpose of the system… Improper loading decreases the efficiency and performance of an aircraft from the standpoint of altitude, maneuverability, rate of climb, and speed.” Expanding on why Weight and Balance matters, SKYbrary explains7, “When the weight of an aircraft is increased, the wings or rotors must produce additional lift and the structure must support not only the additional static loads, but also the dynamic loads imposed by flight maneuvers. For example, the wings of a 3000 kg aeroplane must support 3000 kgs in level flight, but when the aeroplane is turned smoothly and sharply using a bank angle of 60°, the dynamic load requires the wings to support twice this, or 6000 kgs.”
Managing the fueling process In light of all the above and because fuel is a hazardous and inflammable substance, there are very strict procedures required around the fueling process. Airport authorities will routinely issue and update how they require fueling to be carried out.
There are several actors in the process in addition to the into-plane service operator and the crew undertaking the fueling. The flight planning department in the airline’s Operations Division will know how much fuel should be uploaded to the aircraft in normal operating conditions. But the final figure will also need to take into account the number of passengers and their luggage, any freight loaded and, of course, the weight of the fuel itself which will decrease as the flight progresses. Nearest to the action will be the flight dispatcher, a job with huge responsibilities including, “the computation of the fuel amount. The dispatcher has to consider the distance of the flight, the weather, winds, ATC constraints, limitations on maintenance, and other affecting factors to determine how much fuel each particular plane will need, and to be sure that it lasts them until their next stop.” Sheffield School of Aeronautics8. Finally, of course, as the person in command of the aircraft, the pilot must ensure that it is not flown unless the correct quantities and specifications of fuel have been uploaded. Aircraft fuel efficiency is a very important component in the smooth and safe operation of the airline industry.
ATEX-APPROVED TCS 3000 ELECTRONIC FLOW COMPUTER www.tcsmeters.com +1 260.484.0382
The dispatcher has to consider the distance of the flight, the weather, winds, ATC constraints, limitations on maintenance, and other affecting factors to determine how much fuel each particular plane will need
WWW.AIRPORTTECHNOLOGYREPORTS.COM | 7
SPECIAL REPORT: NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN FLOW METER TECHNOLOGY
Fueling is a Team Effort Camilla Slade, Staff Writer The process for getting fuel from supplier and storage to aircraft
Factors affecting an airport’s selection of systems for dispensing fuel are influenced by the airport size, types of aircraft being served, customer preferences and inherent logistics of the airport layout
I
N THE previous article John Hancock wrote about the importance of fueling with a brief reference to the process. This article will explore further into the process. Of course, not all processes or the systems that they use are the same. As The National Academies of Sciences Engineering and Medicine explains in its ‘Airport Management Guide for Providing Aircraft Fueling Services’9, “… factors affecting an airport’s selection of systems for dispensing fuel are influenced by the airport size, types of aircraft being served, customer preferences and inherent logistics of the airport layout.” What the article also helpfully offers is a list for the components of a full-service fueling system: storage tanks, supply pumps, filters, meters, pressure and flow control valves, fueler trucks, hydrant system, fuel hoses and nozzles, bonding equipment and cut-off switches and valves. That’s a considerable list most elements of which will produce performance data that will be useful to all users, if it can be captured and transmitted to a suitable analytics capability.
vehicles. However, production rates are currently low. That said, there is a program underway in the Netherlands with SkyNRG and supported by Air France-KLM Group to produce sustainable fuel using waste products from the Benelux area. Biofuels have the potential to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 85% and KLM has been flying aircraft using biofuel since 2011 plus, in 2019, “… has agreed to purchase 75,000 tonnes of biofuel a year from 2022…”10. In fact, several airlines are now investigating the potential for biofuels.
Into-plane service providers
As in any complex process, there are several players involved in aircraft fueling. One thing that they have in common is an interest in making the process as efficient, effective and safe as possible and, to this end, the more information they can gather about their stage in the process, the more they’ll be able to refine their activities. We’ll look at the key players.
These are the businesses that operate the transfer of fuel from storage to aircraft either by linking into underground pipe networks (hydrant systems) or using tanker vehicles. Repsol11 carries out aircraft fueling as an into-plane service at Portugal’s main airports and it description of the role is clear, explaining that the service varies, “depending on the type of aircraft and the vehicle used to supply it…” and that, “The fuel, in this case, is contained on the interior of the airport’s hydrant pit tubes, which are located under the aircraft parking apron. A series of pumps keeps the hydrant pressurized in order to propel fuel towards the airplane’s fuel tank when the dispenser connects to a hydrant pit valve. In this case, refueling will always be done underwing (pressure fueling).” Given their place in the process, into-plane service providers are at a key point to ensure the quality as well as the quantity of fuel uploaded. They are also at key points to gather much of the data that various actors in the process require to feed their own systems.
Fuel suppliers
Airports
Perhaps the obvious first involvement is that of fuel suppliers. The fuel used by airlines, aviation fuel, is a specialized product, petroleum-based but of a higher quality than most fuels. Aviation fuel often contains additives to address challenges like icing or explosion due to high temperature. Of course, this all plays into the environmental issue that John Hancock referred to in his article, but there are now efforts to address even that. Bio-fuels are a very clear alternative having already been adopted for use with road
Depending on their size and the available infrastructure, airports receive their supplies of aviation fuel from the oil companies’ storage terminals by truck, barge or over a pipeline connection. From the airport’s own storage facilities, the fuel is carried in tanker vehicles or pumped through a pipe network beneath the apron, (see above) from where it can be uploaded under pressure to aircraft. “… hydrant refueling, is considered,” according to ResearchGate12, “to be an optimal fueling method as it increases safety,
Parties Involved in Aircraft Fueling
8 | WWW.AIRPORTTECHNOLOGYREPORTS.COM
SPECIAL REPORT: NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN FLOW METER TECHNOLOGY
COMING SOON!
shortens the aircraft turnaround time and cuts the overall costs. However, at smaller airports, implementation of this system can lead to high investment costs.” Fuel storage is a whole area of expertise in its own right. As IATA Guidance on ‘Airport Fuel Storage Capacity’13 explains, “Fuel supply reliability has a major impact on financial and operational viability of flights. Airport fuel infrastructure forms a vital part of the fuel supply chain… The need to ensure fuel quality and safety could result in restrictions in fuel availability or even non-availability of jet fuel when storage capacity is insufficient. The knockon effect of non-availability of jet fuel or even restrictions in availability is huge…” As well as the obvious safety requirements pertaining to any handling of a volatile fluid such as aviation fuel, each airport will have its own set of instructions to ensure safety within the parameters of its own environment. A typical example would be Bournemouth Airports’ Airside Operational Instruction 20, ‘Safe Handling and Storage of Fuel and Dangerous Goods’14, with which
all those involved in the fueling process must comply. It is to comply with these important safety requirements that the vehicles used by into-plane services providers for aircraft fueling are such complex pieces of equipment.
Safety of Supplying Fuel Perhaps unsurprisingly, the main risk is ignition of fuel vapor, which can be caused by a spark. Also, the movement of fuel during the fueling process can cause a static charge to build up. If the charge is of sufficiently high potential, it might cause sparking either on the aircraft or in the fuel supply source. As SKYbrary explains15, “Electrical bonding must be used to eliminate this hazard. Coupling/uncoupling of hoses must not be undertaken unless electrical bonding is in place. Bonding cables should connect the installation delivering the fuel with the aircraft or installation receiving the fuel. All connections should be made before filler caps are removed prior to the start of fueling and then not broken until fueling is complete and the filler caps have been replaced...”
ATEX-APPROVED TCS 3000 ELECTRONIC FLOW COMPUTER www.tcsmeters.com +1 260.484.0382
WWW.AIRPORTTECHNOLOGYREPORTS.COM | 9
SPECIAL REPORT: NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN FLOW METER TECHNOLOGY
The Importance of Measurement Peter Dunwell, Correspondent The flow meter is at the heart of aircraft fueling
In aviation the weight of the fuel itself is a factor in the aircraft’s weight and, therefore, in the amount of fuel burned. Therefore, airlines do not want to carry more fuel than will be needed for the planned flight
I
N ANY delivery process, both sides of the process (in this case: airlines and intoplane service providers) will need to know the quantity and quality of what has been delivered. But these days, a range of management systems will want to know a great deal more about the condition and quality of product that has been delivered as well as details about how the delivery progressed and where the product has gone. As the item of equipment at the point of delivery, the flow meter is the key player in this process and in the right place to capture all of these measurements.
The Flow Meter A flow meter is a piece of equipment that is used to measure the quantity of fuel, in the case of this subject, being delivered to an aircraft. As AZO Materials16 explains, “Flow meter sensors work in different ways, but with the same end goal: [to] provide the most accurate and repeatable flow measurements for a specific application.” In aviation, several flow meters are used, to monitor the flow rate at which different fluids such as fuel, hydraulic fluids, lubricants, are delivered. A lot of information is required to monitor correctly and record the uplift of aircraft fuel. Also, unlike when filling a car, in aviation the weight of the fuel itself is a factor in the aircraft’s weight and, therefore, in the amount of fuel burned. Therefore, airlines do not want to carry more fuel than will be needed for the planned flight. In this, the role of the flow meter is to ensure that the operator filling the plane is able to monitor the amount of fuel that has been uploaded. Because aircraft are often not filled completely for flights shorter than their full range but are only filled enough for the journey, the flow meter ensures the correct quantity of fuel and no more.
Using the Information Information the airline needs First of all, where the fuel is being delivered, this will entail recording the airline which owns the fuel, the aircraft type to which the fuel is being delivered and the tail number/registration of the aircraft – 10 | WWW.AIRPORTTECHNOLOGYREPORTS.COM
this will be used by the airline’s Maintenance & Engineering and Maintenance Repair Overhaul (M&E/MRO) provider to assess the aircraft’s performance and the condition, especially of its engines. The information will also be used by the airline’s Operations Division to calculate the aircraft’s efficiency and will additionally be needed in submissions to regulatory authorities in respect of fuel management and emissions reduction regimes. Information needed to manage the delivery Because there are two distinct types of aviation fuel, Jet fuel (Jet-A is the fuel used to power airliners) and Avgas (used mainly for piston engines), the flow meter needs to be able to confirm that the correct fuel is being delivered. Then there are additives. As Shell17 records, “Additives may be included in aviation fuels to improve fuel performance – generally by eliminating undesirable effects – or to meet specific requirements of certain aircraft or airline operators. They are added in quantities that are often only measurable in parts per million. The additive content of jet fuels varies considerably... Additive packages for Avgas, on the other hand, are fairly standard.” Also, very important for aircraft engines is water content. Dror Artzi of Aerospace Consulting18, in his presentation ‘Water contamination of Aviation Fuel’, tells us that while, “Piston engines don’t run well on water or anything other than what they’re designed to burn… Aircraft engines will tolerate a small amount of free water 30ppm = 30 gram per 1000 Kg. is usually considered to be the maximum. [Therefore] positive detection of water contaminated fuel is essential and even critical.” As one way by which water can be introduced into an aircraft’s fuel system is from a contaminated fuel source, the flow meter needs to be able to monitor that water content. Because an aircraft’s range is determined by the weight of fuel uploaded rather than the volume of that fuel, density is a very important consideration in the fueling of aircraft. Variations in density matter, particularly for long haul large
SPECIAL REPORT: NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN FLOW METER TECHNOLOGY
COMING SOON! airliners. Insufficient density and the tanks will become full sooner but will not have as much weight and, therefore, the aircraft range will be curtailed. Measuring the density of fuel being uploaded to an aircraft is a critical factor in ensuring that the dispatcher and pilot can be sure about the range available. Finally, as fuel is transferred from tank or hydrant to aircraft, the pressure following transit through each control valve and filter in the system might vary, especially if the valve or filter is worn or becoming clogged and, as aircraft fuel is under pressure, it is important to be able to measure that pressure differential. It can be measured and Science Direct19 describes, “A differential pressure indicator is a very useful addition to any control valve installation. Valve position can be checked, locally or remotely, but without some knowledge of the flow, the valve effectiveness cannot be judged. A differential pressure indicator shows instantly how much throttling the
valve is achieving. Also, valve wear or fouling can be assessed if a log is maintained of position and differential pressure. If a control valve is fitted with a filter it is essential the differential pressure across the filter is measured to assess the filter condition.� Given the number of measurements that are needed in the fueling process and given that those measurements are vital inputs to a range of safety and cost critical systems, the better equipped a flow meter is to capture and transmit the data to the various parties who need it, the better.
Conclusion From its position in the process at the point of transfer, the flow meter is ideally suited to be able to collect and deliver most of the information that those involved with fueling need to run their own businesses and to meet the requirements of the regulatory authorities on fuel and emissions reporting.
Aircraft engines will tolerate a small amount of free water 30ppm = 30 gram per 1000 Kg.
ATEX-APPROVED TCS 3000 ELECTRONIC FLOW COMPUTER www.tcsmeters.com +1 260.484.0382
is usually considered to be the maximum. [Therefore] positive detection of water contaminated fuel is essential and even critical
WWW.AIRPORTTECHNOLOGYREPORTS.COM | 11
SPECIAL REPORT: NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN FLOW METER TECHNOLOGY
Big Data Makes Better Processes Possible John Hancock, Editor Using big data and data analytics has transformed many areas of business activity, including aircraft fueling
All of the software solutions powering these schemes need to start with some very basic data - the accurate quantity of fuel uploaded to an aircraft; and they need to be able to build on that data with a range of programs to turn it into decision supporting information
I
N OUR previous articles, we have tried to give some ideas about aircraft fueling, sometimes called refueling, the process, who uses it and what they get out of it. At several points in the articles, we’ve mentioned the data that can be gathered at the point of fueling, whether from a tanker or from pipes under the apron, and alluded to how different participants might use that data to generate useful information. In this article, we’ll look at the technology that is making data more extensive and more useful than ever before.
Making Use of Data One area in which accurate data is vital, is fuel efficiency. Fuel is a big cost for airlines and so anything that can reduce that cost will, for an airline, save millions of dollars in fuel costs. Airlines increasingly use sophisticated software solutions to help them understand where fuel is burned, how much fuel is needed for a planned route and how much contingency fuel is needed to cater for diversions and delays. These solutions apply algorithms to measure every moment of a flight and to supply information from which plans can be improved or even decisions made during a flight. Also, with schemes such as the EU’s EU-ETS (EU Emissions Trading Scheme) and the similar CORSIA (Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation) from ICAO, airlines have to use further systems to record the information required and submit it in good time. But, both schemes can be made to work to the advantage of an airline whose fuel efficiency and emissions are well managed. However, all of the software solutions powering these schemes need to start with some very basic data – the accurate quantity of fuel uploaded to an aircraft; and they need to be able to build on that data with a range of programs to turn it into decision supporting information. The good news is that the systems that can achieve this can also be useful to the fueling process. IATA calls it e-fuelling20. As well as the benefits set out
12 | WWW.AIRPORTTECHNOLOGYREPORTS.COM
above, IATA sees some purely business benefits in e-fueling for… • A irlines – accuracy, efficiency, on-time operations, reduce turnaround times; • Suppliers – accuracy, efficiency, improved cashflow, improved services to customers; • Employees – reduced tedious data entry, time to spend on value added activities.
Big Data SAS Insights21 informs us that, “The concept of big data has been around for years; most organizations now understand that if they capture all the data that streams into their businesses, they can apply analytics and get significant value from it… The new benefits that big data analytics brings to the table, however, are speed and efficiency. Whereas a few years ago a business would have gathered information, run analytics and unearthed information that could be used for future decisions, today that business can identify insights for immediate decisions. The ability to work faster – and stay agile – gives organizations a competitive edge they didn’t have before.” Big data is the large volume of structured and unstructured data that is generated in any business today. Much of it is as a result of the capabilities to monitor, using sensors, almost every function in a process, including flying aircraft. However, the amount of big data is of no value unless it can be analyzed for insights that will support better informed decisions and planning. Big data or, rather, the way in which it is used, is the fuel that powers many recent business and process developments. As Business News Daily22 put it in August 2018, “Data has become a major priority for businesses of all sizes. As technologies that capture and analyze data proliferate, so too do businesses’ abilities to contextualize data and draw new insights from it. The internet of things and artificial intelligence are two critical tools for companies in data capture and analysis…” We’ve already mentioned above that big data requires special programs to handle it. The reason, as Quora ‘What is Big Data processing’23
SPECIAL REPORT: NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN FLOW METER TECHNOLOGY
COMING SOON! explains is that, “Big Data means complex data, the volume, velocity and variety of which are too big to be handled in traditional ways. Handling means data storage, data visualization, data analysis – but data processing comes first on the list. To extract useful information from big data, you need to process it.” In short, there is a lot of big data and it is generated at a rate far in excess of past data generation. To look at aviation, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner generates 500GB (half a terabyte) of data each flight. As well as the fuel and emissions management that we have already mentioned, big data and big data analytics are the powers behind such valuable functions for an airline as predictive maintenance, flight planning and even enabling pilots to make decisions about what changes to a flight plan might be necessitated by a change of circumstances or conditions.
Communication and Connectivity Of course, no amount of data will be of any use unless it can be transmitted to the various users
and in good time – some data has a useful life of only hours before unfolding events render it redundant. That requires good communications and connectivity to use the data. In the fueling process, the sooner a client knows what is happening with the into-plane services’ delivery of fuel, the sooner the operations people can start to feed that information into their flight planning systems. And the sooner the pilot knows, the sooner he can also complete his procedures prior to take-off. Similarly, with the flight dispatcher.
The Future for Aviation Fueling The developments such as biofuels that we have already mentioned will make a huge difference to commercial aviation but, whatever fuels might be used, that basic function of all participants in the system needing to know what has happened will be the same. That will mean that fuelers and flow meters will still be required. However, given the growing weight of requirements from the aircraft fueling system, one area where progress will be very important is with the Register, the technology that makes it all work.
Whatever fuels might be used, that basic function of all participants in the system needing to know what has happened will be the same. That will mean that fuelers and flow meters will still be required
ATEX-APPROVED TCS 3000 ELECTRONIC FLOW COMPUTER www.tcsmeters.com +1 260.484.0382
WWW.AIRPORTTECHNOLOGYREPORTS.COM | 13
SPECIAL REPORT: NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN FLOW METER TECHNOLOGY
References: 1
EASA, ‘Emissions’ www.easa.europa.eu/eaer/topics/overview-aviation-sector/emissions
2
IATA www.iata.org/pressroom/facts_figures/fact_sheets/documents/fact-sheet-fuel.pdf
3
Transport Policy www.transportpolicy.net/standard/international-aviation-efficiency/
4
European Commission ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/transport/aviation_en
5
Aircraft IT, Guido Harling, ‘Aviation and the Environment’ issuu.com/aircraftit/docs/aircraft_it_ops_v7.3?e=32914911/62962100
6
FAA, ‘Weight & Balance Handbook’ page xiii www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/media/faa-h-8083-1.pdf
7
SKYbrary www.skybrary.aero/index.php/AP4ATCO_-_Weight_and_Balance
8 Sheffield School of Aeronautics, ‘Airline Career & Aircraft Dispatcher Certification’ www.sheffield.com/articles/five-basic-reasons-aircraft-dispatcher-important-job 9
The National Academies of Sciences Engineering Medicine Chap 3, page 36 www.nap.edu/read/25400/chapter/3#36
10
Flight Global www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/klm-signs-up-to-10-year-bulk-biofuel-commitment-458516/
11
Repsol www.repsol.com/en/products-and-services/aviation/into-plane-services/index.cshtml
12
ResearchGate www.researchgate.net/publication/285387226_Hydrant_refueling_system_as_an_optimisation_of_aircraft_refuelling
13
IATA Guidance on Airport Fuel Storage Capacity, page 9 www.iata.org/policy/Documents/guidance-fuel-storage-may08.pdf
14
Bournemouth Airport www.bournemouthairport.com/content/uploads/AOI-20-Safe-Handling-and-Storage-of-Fuel-and-Dangerous-Goods.pdf
15
SKYbrary www.skybrary.aero/index.php/Refuelling_and_Defuelling_Risks
16
AZO Materials www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=15055
17
Shell https://www.shell.com/business-customers/aviation/aviation-fuel/aeroshell-performance-additive.html
18
Aerospace Consulting www.aopa.org.il/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/water-contaminated-fuel.pdf
19
Science Direct www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/differential-pressure
20
IATA, ‘e-Fuelling’, page 13 www.iata.org/events/wfs/Documents/wfs17-track-presentation-e-fueling.pdf
21
SAS Insights www.sas.com/en_us/insights/analytics/big-data-analytics.html
22
Business News Daily https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/10625-businesses-collecting-data.html
23
Quora www.quora.com/What-is-Big-Data-processing
14 | WWW.AIRPORTTECHNOLOGYREPORTS.COM
SPECIAL REPORT: NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN FLOW METER TECHNOLOGY
Notes:
16 | WWW.AIRPORTTECHNOLOGYREPORTS.COM
Airport and Airline Professionals find solutions to their business challenges with Airport Technology Reports
For the past decade, Airport Technology Reports has been helping airports, airlines, and their service providers to find new solutions to their technical, commercial, and operational challenges. Our Special Reports provide readers with an unparalleled depth of information on specialist subjects, which receive limited coverage in the mainstream airport and airline media. Each report is designed to facilitate more informed purchasing decisions, with a unique mix of: • Subject specific technical information • Advice and guidance from internationally recognised key opinion leaders • Independent data and analysis • Unbiased editorial content
subscriptions@airporttechnologyreports.com www.airporttechnologyreports.com