Refueling aircraft with gasoline at airports. What do planes fuel?

A fairly common question that people ask both on the Internet and, to the extent possible, in real life is what fuel do planes fly on? In this article, without delving into the subtleties, but simply for general development, we will look at what fuels airplanes.

Jet fuel barrels

First, you need to have an idea of ​​what makes a plane take off in the first place and cover enormous distances. It happens thanks to jet thrust. Without delving into the laws of physics, this is the recoil force of the gas stream, which ensures the movement of the engine and the objects that are attached to it. In our case, this object is an airplane with passengers. A gas jet flows out of a turbojet engine nozzle. It pushes off from the air and sets the plane to move at a certain speed. The stronger the gas output, the greater the speed the airliner gains.

A turbojet engine has the following main parts:

1. Compressor. Compressor turbines capture air needed for oxidation reactions.
2. The combustion chamber. Aviation fuel is supplied here and combustion occurs here, which is accompanied by the release of a large amount of thermal energy.
3. Turbine. Hot gas is discharged here and directed by turbine blades into the nozzle of a turbojet engine.
4. Jet nozzle (exit device)

The process of obtaining jet thrust takes place in the jet nozzle, due to which the aircraft accelerates. Let's take a closer look at what kind of fuel the planes are fueled with.

Transportation of aviation fuel by rail

Aviation fuel

There are two types of fuel for aircraft - aviation gasoline And jet fuel(jet fuel).

Aviation gasolines are used for piston engines or as a solvent for aircraft maintenance. This fuel is not very different from ordinary motor gasoline, although it has some features related to the specifics of its application.

There are two types of aviation gasoline that differ in some characteristics, and one of them is the octane number. Since piston engine technology is still losing ground, aviation gasoline is also used much less frequently.

The most popular fuel for airliners is aviation kerosene, also called jet fuel. Used for devices with a turbojet engine.

Jet fuel is diesel fuel obtained through advanced oil refining. According to the rules for the effective use of turbojet engines, aviation kerosene must be as purified as possible from aromatic hydrocarbons and other impurities.

Aviation kerosene is produced in oil refineries. According to GOST, jet fuel is allocated for subsonic and supersonic aviation. What's the difference, you ask? The fact is that supersonic flight involves strong heating of the fuel. And, if the fuel is fine-grained, it begins to evaporate.

Supersonic aviation needs a “heavy” composition. This type of fuel includes aviation kerosene T-6 and T-8B.

Fine-grade fuel is also suitable for subsonic aviation. However, the greater the percentage of fuel that is light gasoline fractions, the lower the flight altitude it is designed for. This type of kerosene includes T-2 kerosene.

Kerosene T-1 is a fairly stable fuel that meets international quality standards. Aviation kerosene TS-1 does not fully comply with these standards due to the high percentage of sulfur in the composition.

We looked at what planes fly on. Now it is worth paying attention not only to aviation fuel, but also to special additives that improve its quality.

Airplane refueling

Special additives for aviation fuel

These include the following:

1. Antistatic additive. Increases the electrical conductivity of the fuel and minimizes the accumulation of static electricity, which, in turn, can lead to an explosion of the fuel tank.
2. Anti-wear additive. Necessary to increase the service life of automatic mechanisms in the fuel section of the engine.
3. Antioxidant additive. Reduces the level of oxidation processes in fuel, thereby preventing the formation of tars.
4. Anti-water crystallization additive. If there is at least a minimal percentage of water in the fuel, it crystallizes at an altitude of several kilometers. And small pieces of ice can severely damage the engine, even to the point of complete failure. The additive prevents such incidents.

We've looked at what kind of fuel airplanes are fueled with, but haven't yet mentioned how airplanes are fueled.

Many of us have flown not only with a well-known air carrier, but also with other airlines. Someone might I paid attention to refueling the plane before departure, but not many people know what route the fuel takes from the supplier to delivery aircraft. And the path is very interesting and challenging.

02. As they say, “I managed to get in,” but in fact I was invited to visit the fuel refueling complex of Moscow Domodedovo Airport. The main task of the fueling complex (refueling complex) is to ensure uninterrupted and safe refueling of aircraft with quality fuels and lubricants, taking into account the requirements of international standards.

03. One of the aircraft refueling operators in Domodedovo is Domodedovo Fuel Services - on this moment the largest operator in Russia and the CIS (about the others below). The discharge rack for receiving fuel is where the route of aviation fuel entering Domodedovo Fuel Services by rail begins.

04. The discharge rack ensures the simultaneous discharge of aviation kerosene from 22 railway tanks. Draining is carried out on average three times a day, i.e. 66 tanks per day, which is ~ 5000 m3 of aviation fuel. Fuel supplies are also carried out through the pipeline; the percentage of rail/pipeline deliveries is 70/30.

05. Where is the fuel drained? Domodedovo Fuel Services has two tank farms (receiving and supply) for receiving, storing and preparing aviation fuel before it is supplied for aircraft refueling. The capacity of the receiving and supply tank farms is 15,000 and 34,000 m3, respectively.


These facilities are connected to each other by a main fuel pipeline with a length of about 5 kilometers.

06. The supply and sale of fuel to airlines at Domodedovo Airport is carried out by various operators: LukOil, GazpromNeft, TNK-BP, Shell and Aerofuels and Domodedovo Fuel Services itself.

07. But let's go back a little earlier. How does our fuel feel? Did you just take it and pour it into the tank? NO! All fuel that arrives at the airport is already under control before being discharged into tanks. The first is incoming control. Upon receipt of each batch, samples are taken to identify the product received from the means of transportation. On average, this is three liters for laboratory research, as well as an arbitration sample.

08. All samples are sent to a high-tech laboratory. The laboratory is equipped with the latest equipment, some of which was purchased by Domodedovo for the first time among airports in Russia and the CIS. Some devices were specially installed by equipment manufacturing companies in the laboratory for testing. And after testing, this equipment was purchased for the laboratory.
The laboratory studies not only aviation fuel, but also special fluids (for example, anti-icing, anti-crystallization), aviation oils and hydraulic fluids used in aircraft systems.

09. Input check is not the only one. After the product is drained into the warehouse tanks, the fuel undergoes a second control - acceptance. Here the fuel is tested strictly in accordance with GOST according to 11 indicators: density, fractional composition...

10. kinematic viscosity, acidity, flash point in a closed crucible...

11.

14. Fuel, having arrived from the receiving tank to the supply tank, undergoes acceptance analysis according to 11 GOST indicators and, after checking, a Quality Passport is issued for it, which is the basis for issuing jet fuel for refueling in aircraft.

The third control - at the airfield - is an additional check of the preparedness and purity of aviation fuel before being issued to the aircraft. At this control stage, a dedicated tank in the second park - the consumable warehouse (total capacity of the consumable warehouse is 34,000 m3) - is checked for cleanliness and a Quality Certificate is issued to it. At this stage, fuel tankers and refueling units are checked, they are issued a control coupon, which confirms that the refueling facility is working properly and dispensing high-quality fuel.

15. How does jet fuel get into airplane fuel tanks? For this purpose, the airport uses special equipment: fuel tankers,

and refueling units that pump jet fuel into aircraft fuel tanks directly from the Central Aircraft Refueling Fuel Pipe System (located under the artificial turf of the airfield apron). At a number of parking places in DME, hydrant wells with fuel hydrants were found, to which a refueling unit is connected.

At Domodedovo Airport, tankers and refueling units are used in a 60/40 ratio.

16. To maintain constant pressure in the central heating system system, a pumping station operates.

17. There are special filters in the dispensing tank, in the pumping station, and in fuel tankers that provide additional filtration of fuel.

18. The fleet of fuel filling equipment includes vehicles equipped with a hydraulic suspension that allows height adjustment.

19. Refueling units, which are connected directly to the central filling station on the apron and refuel ships. The plans include additional equipping of aircraft stands with a central control system as part of the implementation of the program for the reconstruction of the airfield apron.

20. Refuelers with a capacity from 10 to 60 m3, providing refueling of all types of domestic and foreign aircraft, including the world's largest passenger aircraft Airbus airliner A380.

21. The fleet also has low-profile tankers that refuel A319 and A320 aircraft “in the wing” without the use of additional devices.

22.

23. Computerized fuel filling stations.

24. When refueling a tanker and then an aircraft, all parameters for filling fuel are displayed on a special control panel.

25. A small digression. Fueling an aircraft isn't as simple as sticking a hose in and waiting for the fuel to flow from the tanker. When refueling an aircraft, it is mandatory to ground the aircraft and the tanker. The tanker operator (see right hand) holds the DEADMAN operator control device. After a certain amount of time, the operator must press the button, thereby confirming that everything is fine with him. If the operator does not respond, refueling is stopped.

As promised, today I show and talk about how planes are refueled using the example of Rosneft at Vnukovo airport.

Fuel is supplied to the fuel and lubricants receiving warehouse in two ways:

By rail.
It all starts from the terminal railway, where trains with aviation kerosene arrive, which is delivered from the oil refineries closest to Vnukovo in Ryazan and the plants of the Samara Group and YANOS (Yaroslavl);

Via a ring pipeline directly from the refinery.

2.

3. Fuel is pumped from tanks and through pipelines into these huge 5-thousand-ton (m3) tanks.

4. View from an airplane of the Rosneft fueling complex and Vnukovo airport. Below are thousand-ton tanks; five-thousand-ton tanks remain behind the engine.

5. Each such tank contains a maximum of 4.25 thousand liters of aviation kerosene. At the bottom there is piping - it serves to receive and dispense jet fuel.

6. The Vnukovo logo is placed on the roof of the 5,000-capacity tank.

7. Jet fuel enters the supply tanks through the pipeline.

8. We move to the pre-loading point, where kerosene is directly filled into tankers at the white and red striped loading points.

9. The hose is connected to the fuel tank fitting.

In the TZK, the procedure is as follows. About 10 liters of kerosene are drained through a special tap and a sample is taken into a clean jar for more detailed analysis.

11. First, visual control occurs - the kerosene is untwisted in a spiral until a funnel is formed and inspected for bubbles or sediment.

12. The second stage takes place using a special device (POZ-T).
POZ-T is washed twice with kerosene, and then a test is carried out. The used kerosene is then drained into an underground tank.

13. Special indicators (ICT) are installed inside the POZ-T, through which jet fuel is drawn for 8-10 seconds.
If the kerosene contains water or mechanical impurities, three spots will appear on the indicator. If there are mechanical impurities, 3 black spots will appear, if there is water, three blue spots will appear.

14. Everything is clear, it’s time to refuel the plane!

15. In Vnukovo, Rosneft fuels the airlines Transaero, Rossiya, " Turkish Airlines", Nordwings, Yakutia, UTair, Lufthansa, Fly Dubai, Hainan Airlines, Air Arabia, as well as Federal consumers.

16. I was lucky; on the morning of the shoot, a Transaero Boeing 747 was refueling.

17. Such a large aircraft can be served simultaneously by two tankers.

18. The fuel tanker, depending on the size of the tank, can hold 60 thousand liters.

19. On the other side there is one more.

20. This is a new tanker - it has a lifting platform behind the cabin to make it convenient to get to the wing to connect the fuel hose.

21. Refuelers are equipped with 2 independent bottom filling nozzles, this will make the process go faster...

22. Fuselage Control and Refueling Control Panel
From the indications: a toggle switch for setting the amount of fuel, a toggle switch for turning on/off the automatic refueling mode, as well as valve controls in the case of manual refueling.

23. Refueling module of the tanker.

24. Refueling the 747 lasts about an hour, the plane takes on board up to 241,140 liters of kerosene and to completely refuel it, you will need 6 tankers.

25. Range with maximum load 14200 km. Almost to Melbourne (14400), Buenos Aires 13500, Santiago (Chile) 14100. Almost the whole world - with the exception of the western coast of Australia.

26. The gas station operator controls the approach and departure of the fuel tanker, helps the car to position itself correctly under the wing, controls differences in the filter elements, controls the pumping unit, and also monitors the quality of the fuel.

27. While the 747 is being refueled, let’s drive around the airport and see where else the planes are being “fed.”

28. They found a Boeing 737 and it’s Transaero again.

29 Here the wing is lower and the hose is connected using a stepladder.

30. What is most interesting is that information about how much fuel to fill into which aircraft now occurs not on paper, but through modern means of communication.

31. In our case, this is a specially trained telephone with a program, to which the dispatcher sends all data on the amount of fuel for a specific aircraft.

32. And the employee can only monitor the readings of the sensors.

33. For example, here is a device that needs to be pressed every minute and a half for safety.

34. This is a differential pressure gauge. It serves as a pressure drop indicator. If the value deviates from the norm, the filters need to be changed.

35. They finished refueling the Gazprom superjet, it’s a pity we didn’t have time. It usually takes 16 minutes to refill.

36. Rosneft is one of the leaders in the Russian aviation fuel market. The sale of aviation fuel produced at 9 Rosneft refineries is carried out by the Company's specialized subsidiary - RN-Aero LLC.

37. Since 2008, the company has been selling aviation fuel, and also provides a full range of services for the supply of aviation kerosene and organizing the refueling of aircraft at airports in Russia and abroad.

38. The presence network of RN-Aero LLC for aircraft refueling on the territory of the Russian Federation has increased to 29 airports, including 13 of its own refueling complexes.

39. Refuelers with a recognizable company logo can be seen at the capital’s Vnukovo and Sheremetyevo airports...

40. ...at the airports of Ekaterinburg, Vladivostok, Rostov-on-Don, Sochi, Krasnodar, Anapa, Gelendzhik, Abakan, Krasnoyarsk, Irkutsk.

This is such beauty.

The issue of refueling aircraft is of little concern to the average passenger. Meanwhile, this factor affects individual flight characteristics, including safety and the final cost of the ticket. We tell you which aircraft fly on aviation kerosene, which ones fly on a “relative” of the gasoline familiar to motorists, and what the price of aviation fuel is.

Aviation fuel

The engines of existing models, depending on the presence of the oxidizer necessary for the combustion process, are divided into 2 large subgroups: rocket and air. Both include more than a dozen classes, but despite this diversity, only 2 types of fuel are used in aviation:

• aviation gasoline
• jet fuel

The first one looks like regular car food. It is distinguished by certain characteristics such as octane number and high quality requirements, if we are not talking about the A-95, which is familiar on earth. Aviation gasoline is intended for piston engines. Previously, it was fueled by Tu-22 and Tu-16. With the decline in the prevalence of aircraft with piston engines, gasoline is more often used in aircraft maintenance.

The vast majority of modern airliners are “powered” by varieties of jet fuel, or, as it is also called, jet fuel. It is suitable for turbojet and similar engines. The quality characteristics of the fuel differ depending on its purpose. There are 6 species found in Russia.

1. T1 is rarely used for two reasons: this kerosene is made from scarce types of oil and shortens the life of the engine by covering parts with a viscous layer when heated.
2. T2, if necessary, acts as a replacement for the previous one. A fairly light variety, suitable for use at low altitudes.
3. T-6 and its “backup” T-8B are heavy, expensive fuel for military purposes, used in supersonic aviation. Fighters like the MiG-35 fly on it.
4. TS-1 – the leading option for refueling passenger aircraft, subsonic military or supersonic on short routes. It is not suitable for long supersonic flights - it is too light for these purposes and evaporates when overheated.
5. RT is different high quality, according to some characteristics it has no analogues in the world. Supersonic vessels of the Russian Aerospace Forces like the Su-27 are fueled with this jet fuel.

How does refueling work?

Refueling of airliners civil aviation carried out on the ground. The tanks are filled before passengers board. The whole process is a complex but well-functioning system. The work involves dozens of people, a computer and several pieces of equipment, and the fuel travels a long way.

It all starts at oil refineries. From there, jet fuel is delivered to fuel and lubricants warehouses at airports in railway tanks or by pipeline, if the distance between objects allows this. “Food” for aircraft is poured into special tanks and then distributed among the containers of loading points.

The airliners are refueled using dispensers or refueling vehicles (TZK), giving preference to the latter. Cars are filled at filling points. A control sample of the fuel is also taken here. Its purpose is to confirm the quality and characteristics of the material determined in the previous stages of verification. If everything is in order, the filled fuel filling stations drive up to the liner.


At this time, the technician drains the sludge, making sure there is no water in the tanks, and the dispatcher submits a request for the amount of fuel. Next, gas station specialists come into play. They control the access of the refueling complex to air transport, connect the vehicles with a pumping unit and a grounding cable. Specialists monitor the procedure, pressure and compliance with the specified amount of kerosene.

This process is not very fast - the tanks take about an hour to fill. During this period of time, up to 6 tankers are replaced. 15 minutes after filling, the technician checks the sediment again for water content, and this ends the procedure.

Some military vessels are capable of taking on fuel in mid-flight. Relatively few people and equipment are involved in the process, but the procedure itself is more dangerous than the ground one. To fill one of the ships, the planes approach each other by about 20 meters and take great risks.

The vast majority of aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces can be filled in the air: bombers like Tu-95, MiG-29, MiG-31, Su-27 fighters and attack aircraft such as Su-24M. Fuel is transferred by a special tanker or military transport aircraft equipped with the necessary equipment. In Russia, this role is most often played by the Il-87M.


To carry out the procedure, the aircraft in need of “refueling” is positioned behind the tanker. The operator is responsible for controlling the process. The speed and altitude of the vessels are regulated by a light signal at the rear of the one in front.

When the conditions are met, the operator directs the telescopic tube or hose with a cone towards the adjacent aircraft. Using controllers, a specialist connects the tanker to a receiver with a sensor. After this, the safety valves open, and fuel is pumped from one car to another at enormous speed.

Refueling takes significantly less time than on land. Fighters fill in about 6 minutes, tankers in 45. Once complete, the valves close again and the second one slows down, unhooking from the connection.

See how mid-air refueling works using the MiG-31 as an example. The mentioned Il-78 is used as a tanker in the video.

How much does it cost to refuel a plane?

The cost of a fuel tank for a particular aircraft depends on many factors. This is influenced by the type of equipment, fuel tank capacity, consumption, flight range, number of landings and even weather. When determining the volume at airports, jet fuel is usually stored, which will be needed for:

• flight from one point to another;
• roads to the most remote planned alternate landing site in case of force majeure;
• 30-minute wait for landing at an altitude of 460 meters;
• unforeseen circumstances.

It is unlikely that you will be able to calculate the exact amount of fuel and the price on your own; the numbers can only be approximated. To fill the tank of a Boeing 737-300 “to the brim” you will need 23,170 liters. Taking into account the average price for aviation kerosene in Russia in March 2018 at 49,390 rubles per ton, the total cost of refueling the airliner will be approximately 835,303 rubles.

9 facts about aircraft refueling

Despite the abundance of technical features, the topic is full of fascinating facts for ordinary people. We have collected a small part of them - 9 of the most interesting, in our opinion.

1. Fuel tanks at airports are surrounded by water due to safety requirements. If a fire occurs, liquid from the tanks will be used to extinguish the fire.
2. Despite the popularity of jet fuel, they are actively looking for a replacement. There are two reasons for this: harm to the environment and reduction in oil reserves. One of the most promising “successors” today is gas.
3. In the 80s, a regiment of Tu-22 missile carriers spent so much fuel in one flight shift that its cost was commensurate with the expenses of the entire Belarusian SSR on automobile fuel.
4. The idea of ​​in-flight refueling is believed to have originated in Russia. It was patented in the USA, but it was done by Russian emigrant Alexander Prokofiev-Seversky.
5. Thanks to refueling, non-stop travel around the world became possible. The first such flight took place in 1949, the aircraft was in the air for 94 hours.
6. One full refueling of a Boeing 787 allows you to cover a distance of 16,000 kilometers. The first one aircraft The Wright brothers moved only 35 meters.
7. Reset at emergency landing the fuel evaporates before it reaches the Earth's surface.
8. Autopilot helps save fuel because the computer's calculations are more accurate than those that a human can make. That is why the function is used most of the way, excluding takeoff and landing.
9. There is a popular story on the Russian Internet about how jet fuel from World War II helped destroy an enemy aircraft fleet in 1941. One day, near Leningrad, the military shot down a German Messerschmitt, and fuel samples fell into the hands of a curious chemist. The scientist found out that the freezing temperature of fuel in enemy aircraft was -40°C, while ours could withstand up to -60°C, and proposed a plan to the military. To implement it, we had to wait several months until it got colder outside. But as soon as the temperature dropped to the required value, all USSR aviation based in that area took to the air. The German ships were unable to take off - the kerosene froze, and the battle was won.

Refueling aircraft is a complex process, but it is well-coordinated, thought out to the smallest detail and interesting. If you have the opportunity to go to the airport for a tour and follow the process, try not to miss this chance. At least on the ground, see how safety and control of fuel is ensured at all stages, because you can only watch the filling of tanks in the air on video recordings.

The quality of fuel plays an important role when refueling aircraft; the level of flight and safety directly depend on it. The most common type of fuel is jet fuel (kerosene), and it is important to consider that each airliner model is designed for a specific type of aviation fuel, the use of which allows you to achieve the best possible results. Sometimes it is allowed to use analogues that are safe for engine performance.

Many passengers are interested in what airplanes are fueled with, what fuel they fly on; modern airliners most often use the following types of fuel:

• aviation gasoline for piston engines - it can also be used as a solvent for maintenance;
• aviation kerosene for jet aircraft is a highly processed fuel, its subtypes are designed for different operating conditions.

Aviation fuel

Aviation gasoline is practically no different from its automobile counterpart; the main features are related to the specific use. It is synthesized by oil distillation or catalytic cracking; there are two main types of composition, the difference lies in the octane number. Fuel of this type has been used less and less recently as aircraft fuel, this is due to the fact that piston engines are gradually becoming a thing of the past. Its main area of ​​application is technical inspections of the engine and components.

Advantages of the composition:

• detonation resistance;
• fractional composition;
• chemical stability - resistance to chemical changes during transportation, use, etc.

Aviation kerosene

Jet kerosene is a diesel fuel that is obtained as a result of deep oil refining. In accordance with the requirements for the operation of turbojet engines, the fuel must be thoroughly purified from hydrocarbons and impurities; the octane number of aviation kerosene is 45. Aviation kerosene is used when refueling military and passenger aircraft and goes through 8 stages of purification.

There are 2 main types of aviation kerosene:

• for subsonic aviation;
• for supersonic airliners.

The difference is that supersonic flight is accompanied by a strong increase in fuel temperature, and fine-grained compounds evaporate.

Types of kerosene

The following types of aviation fuel are used in Russia:

• RT - high-quality fuel, used to refuel the SU-27 and other models, there are no analogues in the West
• TS-1 is a mixture of fractions, the closest analogue is Jet-A, one of the most common types of fuel in the Russian Federation and CIS countries, suitable for refueling modern airliners, old turbojet models, subsonic and turboprop aircraft;
• T-8V and T-6 - used for refueling military aircraft, incl. supersonic fighters (MIG-35, for example), due to the complex, lengthy processing process, the price is very high.

To improve the characteristics of aviation kerosene, the following additives are used:

1. Antistatic - helps to increase the electrical conductivity of kerosene; their use reduces the accumulation of static electricity, the presence of which increases the risk of explosion of the fuel tank.
2. Antioxidant - its presence reduces oxidative processes and prevents the processes of resin synthesis.
3. Anti-wear - increases the performance properties of mechanisms in the fuel compartment.
4. Anti-water crystallization - even a small amount of water in the fuel high altitude crystallizes, small particles of ice can cause damage to the engine, including stopping its functioning, the additive will help prevent such processes.

Amount of fuel required for refueling

Basic technical characteristics The fuel consumption of an aircraft is considered, and maintenance costs directly depend on this. The amount of jet fuel depends on the aircraft model and flight parameters; savings are expected for short-distance flights.

The amount of fuel on board depends on the following factors:

• route;
• additional transfer points;
• weather.

Accurate calculation of fuel is difficult; this indicator very rarely coincides with the parameters specified in the technical documentation. Civil airliners consume the most fuel, but in terms of the number of passengers, the cost of the flight pays off. Boeings are filled with an average of 15 tons, Airbuses - 15 - 25 tons, distances are taken into account when calculating the parameter, 5% is poured “in reserve”.

Refueling at airports is carried out in two ways:

• by pumps from reservoirs;
• via pipeline.

All fuel is thoroughly tested according to 12 parameters, the average refueling time is 40 minutes, and if necessary, refueling can be done in the air.

Conclusion

When refueling aircraft, aviation kerosene is most often used; different types of fuel are intended for different aircraft models. To improve the quality characteristics of fuel, special additives are used; they improve engine performance. Fuel is supplied to all airports; pre-checks prevent low-quality fuel from entering the aircraft.