Recycled fuel
 

What does everyone one do with aircraft/ bowser daily fuel checked fuel? It seems that we are disposing of a lot of clean fuel, i know it increases the chances of contamination but does anyone put it straight back into the bowser for reuse?

Why would you dispose of clean fuel?

On the Robinsons its put straight back into the tank if its clean after the sample check on pre-flight!

I put aircraft fuel back into the tank IF it is uncontaminated, but I usually leave the last few ml and toss them, just to be sure.

Bowser fuel has to be kept for a few weeks does it not? Then I dare say it goes back into the bowser...or ought to. Unless you have a petrol car. Otherwise bung it in the tank.

D

Then nip inside and order a new catalytic convertor for the car.......... :ugh:

(If you mean AVGAS in a petrol engined car).

Jet A-1 doesn't have the lubricating properties of deisel, but we shove in 50/50 to run the tractor that we use as a tug...........the rest goes through the central heating system.

Mk10

A splash of ATF or cheap lube oil in Jet A-1 will help lube the fuel pump.

It used to be simply, one of the guys used to dispose of it in his motor until the engine seized:* (Jet A1) and now our storage barrels are running out, i'm up for sticking it straight back in the bowser but dont want to fall foul of 'Fuel managment/ Storage' rules....

Got an oil burning heating system nearby? Jet A-1's better stuff than central heating oil...

Or can you sell it for "recycling" in a power station?

All our sample fuel goes into what we call a reclaim tank which is part of our installation, basically a biggish tank where the fuel can settle again except for the bottom two inches everything get then returned to the big tank once a week. The bottom two inches, if they are clean go back to the main tank a swell but if they are contaminated they go into the slops barrel from where they "vanish". One barrel a year ain't to bad.

Running a diesel engine on JetA1 is dependant on the tye of injector pump. If it's one of the "old generation" like Ford/Perkins etc then you should have no problems. The more modern engines use a common rail system that runs at higher pressures and these pumps are more sensetive to the lubrication requirements of the fuel.

We had an old Ford tractor at work that ran on JetA for almost 20 years with no hassles and one of the engineers had an Isuzu pick-up truck that lasted about 6 months before the pump failed. I ran a Mercedes 240D for 9 months on JetA before I sold it and it was fine.

I would think twice before using JetA in a modern vehicle due to the new pump technology, but if you have a garden tractor or an older vehicle, go for it.

I would use SAE30 or 40 to mix into the fuel for lubrication if anything, but remember that if the vehicle stands for a while it will settle out so a bit of jerky driving in the beginning to mix it in may be in order.:ok:

Sump fuel from our aircraft and base fuel installation goes into our combustion heaters for hangar heating, fuel tank for our emergency power generator for the base, and the company truck.

We drink ours!! It gets taken away in 200L drums, and returns in cardboard cartons, filled with beer bottles:ok: Generally 2 slabs per drum, premium beers only!

We drain a whole litre of fuel before each sortie for a fuel sample in case of something happening. Before the next flight I chuck the litre of back into the 200L drum we are refueling from. You just proved after a 3 hour sortie that there was nothing wrong with the fuel you just used. So why throw it away?

Quote:
Unless you have a petrol car. Otherwise bung it in the tank.
Then nip inside and order a new catalytic convertor for the car.......... :ugh:

(If you mean AVGAS in a petrol engined car).

I'd "quote" but not sure how to, so...

I didnt know AVGAS would screw a cat to be honest, so thanks for that. maybe the guys I talk to drive old cars, or motorbikes?:confused:
is it the lead that does for the cats?

David

A litre seems excessive. I'm not saying its wrong, just that it seems unlikely to be more useful than,say, half a litre. Have you ever found anything in the second half litre that wasn't in the first?

David

On more modern bowsers there is a collector tank for excess from the samples, this is allowed to stand for a while before being checked and then pumped back into the main tank, to use Jet A1 in a motor vehicle in the UK is an offense:rolleyes: and Customs and excise do do random checks from time to time.
:{

You are right, for cat only unleaded fuel!

skadi

whyisitsohard,

Yes, the lead salts produced by combustion (the same ones that protect the valve seats) coat the element of the cat convertor and "protect" it from the exhaust gases. So it can't be a catalyst any more :uhoh:

But it's a good fuel for those vehicles that pre-date catalytic convertors. Legal off the public highway only, of course.

Similarly, if planning to use 100LL in a bike, make sure it's not one of these new-fangled injected thingies - the lambda sensors don't particularly like being coated in lead either. Works like a charm in carbed models, though.

Not only is it illegal to burn it in vehicles you cannot burn it as heating oil in the UK as the revenue see this as avoiding the 5% tax on heating fuel.

You could however legally use it if you declare it and pay the tax!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This would obviously be considered to be a mentally unsound thing to do and the men in white coats would come and take you away!!!!!!!!