Operation features of aviation tankers in the conditions of the Far North

• Main Authors: S. A. Savushkin, K. E. Balyshin, A. N. Kozlov, A. A. Brailko, С. А. Савушкин, К. Э. Балышин, А. Н. Козлов, А. А. Браилко
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: Russian
• Published: Moscow State Technical University of Civil Aviation (MSTU CA) 2023
• Subjects: Крайний Север; the tip of the underwing refueling nozzle; aviation fuel; tanker units; the Extreme North; наконечник нижней заправки; авиационное топливо; агрегаты топливозаправщика; Nozzle; permafrost; Крайн*
• Online Access: https://avia.mstuca.ru/jour/article/view/2233; https://doi.org/10.26467/2079-0619-2023-26-5-53-64

Huge territories of the Russian Federation are occupied by permafrost. Often aviation is the only mode of transport that connects remote north areas of the country with the rest of Russia. The main feature of permafrost regions is the harsh climate, which includes low negative temperatures, an abundance of snow and strong winds. Such conditions make it extremely difficult to operate ground vehicles that service and maintain flights. In recent years, more and more domestic tankers have been exhausting their life span. At present, a significant number of northern refueling complexes have switched to the operation of foreign tankers based on Volvo and Mercedes-Benz tractors. The operation of these vehicles has already revealed a series of shortcomings which extremely complicate the normal procedures. There is an acute need to refine the components and assemblies in order to reduce the failures that affect the regularity and safety of aircraft flights. One of the main problems of fuel tankers operation at low temperatures is the malfunction of the electropneumatic bottom valve, due to its freezing. The paper proposed replacing this problematic node with a mechanical bottom valve, which is not susceptible to low temperatures. In order to avoid cracking of rubber products of the underwing refueling nozzle and to increase the flexibility of the dispensing hoses, it is proposed to carry out heating of the glass of the refueling nozzle and the filling module by means of exhaust gas bypass and pumping hot coolant through the system of nozzles. The most serious problems are the difficulties of operating a diesel-powered tractor at low temperatures. Problems arise already at startup. Diesel fuel at low subzero temperatures can thicken or even solidify, the lubricant also thickens. There have been cases when the startup was complicated by low compression in the cylinders. But even if the engine was able to start, after a while it may start to stall. This is due to oxygen starvation, which occurs because the icy air entrains ...