Fungal growth in fuel.
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Fungal growth in fuel.
I wish to bring to your attention what appears to be a major cover up or denial of a serious problem in all types of Aircraft.
FUNGAL GROWTH IN ALL TYPES OF FUEL.
This I believe has been the cause of many airplane crashes and is a major safety problem in Marine Engines, with engines failing without notice.
A few years ago when all medium and smaller aircraft were grounded after a major crash of a twin-engine plane the official verdict by CASA (Commonwealth Air Safety Authority) was that the engines failed due to a Fuel Blockage problem caused by “The Fuel Company” (Mobil) adding too much Ethylene Diamine, which is an anti-fungal, anti-corrosive agent into the fuel. When I queried CASA on their findings I was told to contact a chemist who they employed on their research. He immediately informed me that he was sure that it was a “fungal growth problem” as the problem returned after the fuel lines were cleaned. However, he stated that this was “off the record”. Another Aircraft Engine Repair Company also backed up this claim as they stated that when they also experienced similar problems, they removed the fuel bladder from the Aircraft wing and turned it inside out. They were horrified to discover what they described as Fungal Growth, like strands of seaweed and jellyfish growing internal to the bladder.
On the 11/10/04 a safety notice was issued to all Aircraft Companies by C.A.S.A. warning that some aircraft and helicopters in New Zealand were experiencing an unusual blocking of fuel filters caused by a black sludge. However C.A.S.A. was uncertain of the nature of the sludge that was partly organic and contained sulphur, iron, sodium and calcium. C.A.S.A offered no treatment to eliminate this substance except to replace fuel filters on the aircraft affected. I believe this black sludge to be Fungal Growth.
Our Company has discovered during our considerable research into fuel catalyst technology, which we are now selling into China and Taiwan, that major fuel line and filter blockages are now occurring in all types of engines, Petrol, Diesel, AV Gas and Jet Fuel due to this Fungal, Bacteria or Algae growth. This problem has always been evident in diesel fuels, but is now occurring in Petrol and Jet Fuels, mainly due to the elimination or reduction of lead and sulphur.
BP Oil and an Aircraft engineer informed us that Fungal Growth after it absorbs sulphur from the fuel and dies, is forming a sulphuric or fungal acid, which is eating holes in the wing tanks in smaller aircraft that do not have a fuel tank bladder. According to BP Oil this acid produced by fungal growth is now causing the whole bottoms to fall out of many tanks especially on above ground tanks that are subject to higher temperature changes. According to chemists and Oil Companies, fungal growth can double in size every 20 minutes if heated. I would think that Aircraft wings would act as a very efficient heat absorber similar to above ground tanks.
The problem is that nothing can be done unless someone is willing to conduct very expensive trials to investigate this matter and gain approval from CASA to try an alternative technology such as our Catalyst in Aircraft Fuel systems. Our Catalyst has no harmful effects and has proven to kill fungal bacteria and Algae quicker and more permanently than any known additive. These additives, which only have a limited life, have been known to cause other major problems as well. We have offered our technology free of charge for testing to all Aircraft Companies and Engineers but none are interested due to the major time and cost difficulties in attempting to gain approval from CASA but it is just too much trouble for them.
I contacted a Commanding Officer in the Science and Technology Department of the Defence after the recent Seahawk tragedy to enquire if Fungal Growth may have attributed to the Crash, he warned me, under what he termed the most serious warning he could give that “I was not to continue any further investigation into this issue at all”. When I asked, “If was this a threat”, he then became very abusive and hung up the phone. I can offer all this information and names only if I can be guaranteed Parliament Protection, as I am convinced now that there is a cover up.
Most of this information can be freely accessed on the Internet.
FUNGAL GROWTH IN ALL TYPES OF FUEL.
This I believe has been the cause of many airplane crashes and is a major safety problem in Marine Engines, with engines failing without notice.
A few years ago when all medium and smaller aircraft were grounded after a major crash of a twin-engine plane the official verdict by CASA (Commonwealth Air Safety Authority) was that the engines failed due to a Fuel Blockage problem caused by “The Fuel Company” (Mobil) adding too much Ethylene Diamine, which is an anti-fungal, anti-corrosive agent into the fuel. When I queried CASA on their findings I was told to contact a chemist who they employed on their research. He immediately informed me that he was sure that it was a “fungal growth problem” as the problem returned after the fuel lines were cleaned. However, he stated that this was “off the record”. Another Aircraft Engine Repair Company also backed up this claim as they stated that when they also experienced similar problems, they removed the fuel bladder from the Aircraft wing and turned it inside out. They were horrified to discover what they described as Fungal Growth, like strands of seaweed and jellyfish growing internal to the bladder.
On the 11/10/04 a safety notice was issued to all Aircraft Companies by C.A.S.A. warning that some aircraft and helicopters in New Zealand were experiencing an unusual blocking of fuel filters caused by a black sludge. However C.A.S.A. was uncertain of the nature of the sludge that was partly organic and contained sulphur, iron, sodium and calcium. C.A.S.A offered no treatment to eliminate this substance except to replace fuel filters on the aircraft affected. I believe this black sludge to be Fungal Growth.
Our Company has discovered during our considerable research into fuel catalyst technology, which we are now selling into China and Taiwan, that major fuel line and filter blockages are now occurring in all types of engines, Petrol, Diesel, AV Gas and Jet Fuel due to this Fungal, Bacteria or Algae growth. This problem has always been evident in diesel fuels, but is now occurring in Petrol and Jet Fuels, mainly due to the elimination or reduction of lead and sulphur.
BP Oil and an Aircraft engineer informed us that Fungal Growth after it absorbs sulphur from the fuel and dies, is forming a sulphuric or fungal acid, which is eating holes in the wing tanks in smaller aircraft that do not have a fuel tank bladder. According to BP Oil this acid produced by fungal growth is now causing the whole bottoms to fall out of many tanks especially on above ground tanks that are subject to higher temperature changes. According to chemists and Oil Companies, fungal growth can double in size every 20 minutes if heated. I would think that Aircraft wings would act as a very efficient heat absorber similar to above ground tanks.
The problem is that nothing can be done unless someone is willing to conduct very expensive trials to investigate this matter and gain approval from CASA to try an alternative technology such as our Catalyst in Aircraft Fuel systems. Our Catalyst has no harmful effects and has proven to kill fungal bacteria and Algae quicker and more permanently than any known additive. These additives, which only have a limited life, have been known to cause other major problems as well. We have offered our technology free of charge for testing to all Aircraft Companies and Engineers but none are interested due to the major time and cost difficulties in attempting to gain approval from CASA but it is just too much trouble for them.
I contacted a Commanding Officer in the Science and Technology Department of the Defence after the recent Seahawk tragedy to enquire if Fungal Growth may have attributed to the Crash, he warned me, under what he termed the most serious warning he could give that “I was not to continue any further investigation into this issue at all”. When I asked, “If was this a threat”, he then became very abusive and hung up the phone. I can offer all this information and names only if I can be guaranteed Parliament Protection, as I am convinced now that there is a cover up.
Most of this information can be freely accessed on the Internet.
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I second that. Five mins with Google will show anyone that this is a well known, well understood and well published problem...
MICROBIAL CONTAMINATION OF STORED HYDROCARBON FUELS AND ITS CONTROL
http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?scri...lng=pt&nrm=iso
Selected quotes..
"In aircraft fuel tanks, made of aluminum alloys, Hormoconis resinae can be a major problem causing corrosion and/or penetration of tank linings. Airlines are aware of this and regular testing is undertaken."
"As in most cases of microbial biodeterioration of materials, the best control treatment is prevention. Cleanliness and frequent drainage of water should ensure that problems are minimal. However, these standards are difficult to maintain in practice and it is not infrequent that storage systems have to be emptied for thorough cleaning (removal of biofilms) and biocides used. Corrosion induced in the tanks may be avoided by internal coatings, which will be effective for some years, but this is an expensive option, albeit one which is increasingly employed. Cathodic protection (impressed current or the use of sacrificial anodes) is also used to combat corrosion, sometimes in addition to resistant coatings. Although expensive, this may be less costly than the government-imposed fines which are levied in the USA against companies polluting the environment with leaked fuels. Such provisions, however, do not reduce the other consequences of contamination. Without adequate drainage, microbial slimes and sludges are likely to form in fuel systems and hence recourse to biocides may be necessary."
MICROBIAL CONTAMINATION OF STORED HYDROCARBON FUELS AND ITS CONTROL
http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?scri...lng=pt&nrm=iso
Selected quotes..
"In aircraft fuel tanks, made of aluminum alloys, Hormoconis resinae can be a major problem causing corrosion and/or penetration of tank linings. Airlines are aware of this and regular testing is undertaken."
"As in most cases of microbial biodeterioration of materials, the best control treatment is prevention. Cleanliness and frequent drainage of water should ensure that problems are minimal. However, these standards are difficult to maintain in practice and it is not infrequent that storage systems have to be emptied for thorough cleaning (removal of biofilms) and biocides used. Corrosion induced in the tanks may be avoided by internal coatings, which will be effective for some years, but this is an expensive option, albeit one which is increasingly employed. Cathodic protection (impressed current or the use of sacrificial anodes) is also used to combat corrosion, sometimes in addition to resistant coatings. Although expensive, this may be less costly than the government-imposed fines which are levied in the USA against companies polluting the environment with leaked fuels. Such provisions, however, do not reduce the other consequences of contamination. Without adequate drainage, microbial slimes and sludges are likely to form in fuel systems and hence recourse to biocides may be necessary."
As far as I know, this treatment(Biobor or similar) must be preventive in aircraft fuel systems.
As a cure,if not yet damaged, fuel system components may also become poluted by dead micro organisms (dust like appearence) very difficult to get rid off.
As a cure,if not yet damaged, fuel system components may also become poluted by dead micro organisms (dust like appearence) very difficult to get rid off.
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You have to laugh though...
"hello, engine here. I'm not feeling very well, so I am hereby giving you notice that I intend to fail somewhere over the Atlantic. Dreadfully sorry, old chap".
Hardly a cover up, a well-known problem with a well-known solution. This guy is ignorant beyond belief...
engines failing without notice
Hardly a cover up, a well-known problem with a well-known solution. This guy is ignorant beyond belief...
)
I hear that it is a significant problem at Iberia with their A340s particularly suffering. Whilst it is not causing corrosion it is causing filters to be blocked and is playing havoc with the wing electrics (fuel contents). So much so that the wiring and tank units have to be replaced on a frequent basis.
I did some work on several BAE 146s that had been used in Columbia. The wings were rotten and needed wing spars, skin and all the pipework replaced.
It is a problem in some parts of the world.
I did some work on several BAE 146s that had been used in Columbia. The wings were rotten and needed wing spars, skin and all the pipework replaced.
It is a problem in some parts of the world.
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I did some work on several BAE 146s that had been used in Columbia. The wings were rotten and needed wing spars, skin and all the pipework replaced.
Certainly isn't news. I was taught about cladisporium resinae (possibly a bit hazy memory of the name!) when doing RAF engineer training in 1977 and it wasn't a new discovery then. Moreover, the addition of Fuel System Icing Inhibitor (FSII) to Avtur had the side effect of preventing the growth - bonus! 
So long as you did water drain checks, things were fine - I remember a 125 that needed a huge underwing repair at McAlpine's in the 70s because of this.
So long as you did water drain checks, things were fine - I remember a 125 that needed a huge underwing repair at McAlpine's in the 70s because of this.
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Microbiological growth has been known about for a very very long time and is now a well managed scenario. The horror stories of rotton fuel tanks are generally related to aircraft which do not recieve the frequent inspections which are REQUIRED by an a qualified engineer. Here, for example is the introduction into a frequent and exahustive check by Boeing:
"(1) The corrosion caused by the growth of micro-organisms can be a
serious problem. These micro-organisms, thriving at the interface
of turbine fuel and any trapped water are fed with the hydrocarbons
of fuel and mineral salts of water. They produce deposits with
corrosive action, which have the appearance of slime and vary in
color from grayish-white, when dry, to muddish-brown or black, when
wet with water or fuel.
(2) Fuel/water samples taken from each fuel tank should be tested with a
microbial contamination kit. Positive results for microbial
contamination require action which can include a biocide treatment
or physical removal of microbial growth from fuel tanks."
The check goes on to instruct the engineer to take fuel samples and test them with industry standard micro biological test kits. If growth is found in it's insipient stage then a treatment is applied LONG BEFORE IT LEADS TO CORROSION.
The original post is obviously by an observer who knows little or nothing about aviation and seems to confuse two issues. The first is the normal occurance of microbiological which is treated and managed by maintenance systems. The second issue is a specific event which occured in Australia a long time ago. I have no first hand or specific knowledge of this except that an Ozzie contractor related the story to me many years ago. He told me about the "grounding of the entire GA fleet in australia due to suspected fuel contamination which led to a fatal accident". The original poster tells us that mobil "added too much Ethylene Diamine" which sounds reasonable in the abscence of any other information. If this is the case then the cause of the accident was the aircraft was operated with UNAIRWORTHY FUEL. The unairworthy fuel may have resulted in a fuel blockage caused by microbiological growth.
Do I even need to explain the next deduction: maybe I do for the original poster as he/she seems to be very confused by it all. If normal airworthy aviation fuel is used in a normally well maintained aircraft then the "engine will not stop without notice" due to microbiological growth. If you choose to fly with SOME third world airlines which have shoddy maintenance and dodgey fuel suppliers then of course there is a risk. (Obviously SOME third world airlines are very proffesional)
From time to time companies like mobil will make a mistake with fuel production, and heinz will let glass contaminate baby food. And from time to time the results will be tragic. So whichever industry you may be in, it is important to look at the error and strive to ensure it doesn't happen again. And aviation, I am happy to say, has a better record than most industies of doing this.
Now that I have taken time to explain to you how pathetic the original post was, think I have earned the right to tell you to go jump in a fuel tank and set fire to yourself and not bother indusrty proffesionals with this diatribe
"(1) The corrosion caused by the growth of micro-organisms can be a
serious problem. These micro-organisms, thriving at the interface
of turbine fuel and any trapped water are fed with the hydrocarbons
of fuel and mineral salts of water. They produce deposits with
corrosive action, which have the appearance of slime and vary in
color from grayish-white, when dry, to muddish-brown or black, when
wet with water or fuel.
(2) Fuel/water samples taken from each fuel tank should be tested with a
microbial contamination kit. Positive results for microbial
contamination require action which can include a biocide treatment
or physical removal of microbial growth from fuel tanks."
The check goes on to instruct the engineer to take fuel samples and test them with industry standard micro biological test kits. If growth is found in it's insipient stage then a treatment is applied LONG BEFORE IT LEADS TO CORROSION.
The original post is obviously by an observer who knows little or nothing about aviation and seems to confuse two issues. The first is the normal occurance of microbiological which is treated and managed by maintenance systems. The second issue is a specific event which occured in Australia a long time ago. I have no first hand or specific knowledge of this except that an Ozzie contractor related the story to me many years ago. He told me about the "grounding of the entire GA fleet in australia due to suspected fuel contamination which led to a fatal accident". The original poster tells us that mobil "added too much Ethylene Diamine" which sounds reasonable in the abscence of any other information. If this is the case then the cause of the accident was the aircraft was operated with UNAIRWORTHY FUEL. The unairworthy fuel may have resulted in a fuel blockage caused by microbiological growth.
Do I even need to explain the next deduction: maybe I do for the original poster as he/she seems to be very confused by it all. If normal airworthy aviation fuel is used in a normally well maintained aircraft then the "engine will not stop without notice" due to microbiological growth. If you choose to fly with SOME third world airlines which have shoddy maintenance and dodgey fuel suppliers then of course there is a risk. (Obviously SOME third world airlines are very proffesional)
From time to time companies like mobil will make a mistake with fuel production, and heinz will let glass contaminate baby food. And from time to time the results will be tragic. So whichever industry you may be in, it is important to look at the error and strive to ensure it doesn't happen again. And aviation, I am happy to say, has a better record than most industies of doing this.
Now that I have taken time to explain to you how pathetic the original post was, think I have earned the right to tell you to go jump in a fuel tank and set fire to yourself and not bother indusrty proffesionals with this diatribe
You beat me to it there possel, certainly on the larger a/c types (where I work at least) it is a weekly requirement to carry out fuel drains, primarily for water content but I have been told that is what the bacteria come from and thrive on rather than the fuel itself, it just so happens that jet fuel happens to hold water in suspension plus the inevitable condensation build up.sorry not to be as sensationalist as the first poster....
Its all very well going on about how the fuel is okay over here, but if you fly to a 'dodgy third world country' how do you know that you're getting decent stuff when you refuel? Once contaminated how do you get rid of it? Yes you can test for it once a month but with it doubling in size every 20 mins it doesn't take (potentially at least) long to cause a problem.
However, I doubt that there is a cover up and in the 30 odd years that I have spent in the industy I haven't come across many incidents. But if a particular airline was having a problem are they going to shout about it? I doubt it very much.
The aircraft manufacturers aren't going to make a big deal about it either as they won't consider it their problem. Unless of course they have used inferior metal in the construction of the wings.....
However, I doubt that there is a cover up and in the 30 odd years that I have spent in the industy I haven't come across many incidents. But if a particular airline was having a problem are they going to shout about it? I doubt it very much.
The aircraft manufacturers aren't going to make a big deal about it either as they won't consider it their problem. Unless of course they have used inferior metal in the construction of the wings.....
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with it doubling in size every 20 mins it doesn't take (potentially at least) long to cause a problem
In one hour you have 8 oz
In two hours 64 oz
in three hours 512 oz
etc
After 24 hours you have 2^72 oz
2^72 = 4,722,366,482,869,645,213,696 oz
Gee that really would be a problem
Last edited by cwatters; 25th May 2006 at 21:22. Reason: poor formatting
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It's an old and well known problem. Fuel suppliers test very carefully to keep water out of jet fuel and at least over here the fuel gets run through about three filter/coalescers to remove water and contaminants. the last filter/coalescer is on that truck parked under your wing.
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Ah yes Possel, The dreaded cladisporium I remember it well !
Many years ago we had a Laker BAC 1-11 ( That tells you how long ago
) that had operated with Zambia Airways.
That came back to UK and had to have wing planks replaced because of this.
Cladisporium is apparently very difficult to filter out, however the engine will happily eat it if it goes through. It is more active with higher temps hence the tropics problem. At altitude (-50oC) it goes dormant and then comes round when the temp goes up.
We were told to make sure tank drains were religiously checked at all ground times especially in tropics.
We did not use additives in the big jets but we used Biobor on the Lears. ( guess in those days those liitle spray cans which we used on the Lears would have been a bit of a pain on the big jets
The use of jet pumps on later aircraft is also to swirl the low part of the tanks and make sure that the fungi is eaten by the engine and not left to breed in the tank bottom.
Many years ago we had a Laker BAC 1-11 ( That tells you how long ago
) that had operated with Zambia Airways.That came back to UK and had to have wing planks replaced because of this.
Cladisporium is apparently very difficult to filter out, however the engine will happily eat it if it goes through. It is more active with higher temps hence the tropics problem. At altitude (-50oC) it goes dormant and then comes round when the temp goes up.
We were told to make sure tank drains were religiously checked at all ground times especially in tropics.
We did not use additives in the big jets but we used Biobor on the Lears. ( guess in those days those liitle spray cans which we used on the Lears would have been a bit of a pain on the big jets
The use of jet pumps on later aircraft is also to swirl the low part of the tanks and make sure that the fungi is eaten by the engine and not left to breed in the tank bottom.
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Two notes ..
(a) so long as the originator doesn't identify his company I am not concerned about the advert side of things.
(b) it is just as well to revisit this sort of problem from time to time so that the newchums hear about it.
(a) so long as the originator doesn't identify his company I am not concerned about the advert side of things.
(b) it is just as well to revisit this sort of problem from time to time so that the newchums hear about it.
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Every one knows about fungal problems in fuel tanks been going on for ages, KLM suffered problems with fungal growth on its new A330's when they first got them...
Get rid of this thread.....
Get rid of this thread.....
