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View Full Version : Fuel temperature limits when jp4 and jet b fuel are used


trancada
21st Jul 2019, 14:09
In the Airbus 320 FCOM in the limitations chapter it says:

"If the Wing Fuel Temperature exceeds 30ºC at engine start, the altitude must be limited to 35000ft, until center tank is empty “. As it is in the tittle WHEN JP4 and JET B FUELS are used.

My question is: If the center tanks are already empty before take-off with FL should you climb? Is the OPTIMUM, or limit to FL350, until the fuel cools down? What is recommended?

sonicbum
21st Jul 2019, 14:26
In the Airbus 320 FCOM in the limitations chapter it says:

"If the Wing Fuel Temperature exceeds 30ºC at engine start, the altitude must be limited to 35000ft, until center tank is empty “. As it is in the tittle WHEN JP4 and JET B FUELS are used.

My question is: If the center tanks are already empty before take-off with FL should you climb? Is the OPTIMUM, or limit to FL350, until the fuel cools down? What is recommended?

Reason : At high altitude with high fuel temperature, the pressure supplied by the center tank pumps becomes lower than the pressure supplied by the wing tank pumps.
You basically want to make sure you burn fuel from the center tank first and then from the wing tanks. If there is no fuel in the center tanks, happy days.
The limitation applies to the A320s with the "classic" fuel system.