Return-Path: Received: from [199.185.220.240] (HELO priv-edtnes57.telusplanet.net) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 4.1.8) with ESMTP id 2907926 for flyrotary@lancaironline.net; Sun, 28 Dec 2003 01:45:13 -0500 Received: from Endurance ([209.53.248.8]) by priv-edtnes57.telusplanet.net (InterMail vM.6.00.05.02 201-2115-109-103-20031105) with SMTP id <20031228064509.GGBR19440.priv-edtnes57.telusplanet.net@Endurance> for ; Sat, 27 Dec 2003 23:45:09 -0700 From: "Haywire" To: "flyrotary" Subject: Fuel Coolers Date: Sat, 27 Dec 2003 22:45:05 -0800 Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0000_01C3CCCB.12458840" X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook IMO, Build 9.0.2416 (9.0.2910.0) Importance: Normal X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0000_01C3CCCB.12458840 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi Guy's; I'm looking for a small, compact fuel cooler of some sort. I tried Google, but get a ton of listings for ******partstore.com, but none of them actually lead to any fuel coolers. I did find one other but it was for a fairly large cooler (12"x3"). I was hoping for something closer to 3"x4". I've been monitoring the firewall temp at the location of my fuel pumps and filters (on the cool side of the engine) and it is consistently around 60C, while doing touch & goes. I'm considering putting a tee in my return line to install a temp sensor to measure fuel temp before it returns to the header tank as I suspect that it is considerably warmer than this, due to heat from the turbo charger, which is in fairly close proximity to the injection rail. During extended touch and goes, the turbocharger is producing full power every few minutes and I've began to use both boost pumps while in the circuit. this combination seems to contribute to a build up of vapour in the header tank. I also keep the boost pump on to keep the header tank pressurized to 7psi to help counter the vapour issue. A few days ago, after an hour of touch and goes, the vapour press apparently built to 7psi and during my pre-landing checks while on downwind for runway 33, I found that one of the FI pumps had just begun to cavitate indicating vapour-lock. I immediately switched on both boost pumps, but the second boost pump began to cavitate also, followed shortly after by that eerie silence that we all hate. I immediately began to vent the pressure off the header tank while continuing to pump to it, and set-up for a dead-stick landing onto 24. Landing was uneventful and restart was easy as soon as the excess vapour pressure was vented from the header tank. I understand the conditions that contributed to this, and it can be overcome by venting build-up pressure on a timed basis, but I prefer to keep the header tank as a closed system while in-flight. I realize the Ed is the only one who is flying with a similar system using a header tank. Ed, if IRCC you had similar problems with vapour lock before you switched to Avgas? Now many of you will suggest that I just switch to Avgas, but that is not an affordable option for me. The price difference here is so horrendous as to make the difference between whether I can afford to fly or not. Of course I'm not willing to risk continued vapour problems to save money either, but rather try to find an affordable solution that will safely solve the problem. My current plan is to shroud the fuel pumps and filter to isolate them from the cowl heat and duct a 2" hose from a NACA duct like the ones used for ventilation on an RV (and probably many others) to this shroud, but have the air pass through a small fuel cooler located at the air inlet to the shroud. Exit air from the shroud would have its own exit out the bottom of the cowl. So my question for the list is does anybody know of a source for an off-the-shelf compact fuel cooler? Any other suggestions would also be appreciated. While I've considered the option of doing away with the header tank, at this point I'd like to try to keep it as it does have advantages for managing 6 fuel tanks. Ps.... This really isn't as bad as it sounds... really :-) S. Todd Bartrim Turbo 13B RV-9Endurance C-FSTB http://www3.telus.net/haywire/RV-9/C-FSTB.htm "Whatever you vividly imagine, Ardently desire, Sincerely believe in, Enthusiastically act upon, Must inevitably come to pass". ------=_NextPart_000_0000_01C3CCCB.12458840 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Hi=20 Guy's;
   =20 I'm looking for a small, compact fuel cooler of some sort. I tried = Google, but=20 get a ton of listings for ******partstore.com, but none of them actually = lead to=20 any fuel coolers. I did find one other but it was for a fairly large = cooler=20 (12"x3"). I was hoping for something closer to 3"x4". I've been = monitoring the=20 firewall temp at the location of my fuel pumps and filters (on the cool = side of=20 the engine) and it is consistently around 60C, while doing touch & = goes. I'm=20 considering putting a tee in my return line to install a temp sensor to = measure=20 fuel temp before it returns to the header tank as I suspect that it is=20 considerably warmer than this, due to heat from the turbo charger, which = is in=20 fairly close proximity to the injection rail.
   =20 During extended touch and goes, the turbocharger is producing full power = every=20 few minutes and I've began to use both boost pumps while in the circuit. = this=20 combination seems to contribute to a build up of vapour in the header=20 tank. I also keep the boost pump on to keep the header tank = pressurized to=20 7psi to help counter the vapour issue.
    A=20 few days ago, after an hour of touch and goes, the vapour press = apparently built=20 to 7psi and during my pre-landing checks while on downwind for runway = 33, I=20 found that one of the FI pumps had just begun to cavitate indicating=20 vapour-lock. I immediately switched on both boost pumps, but the second = boost=20 pump began to cavitate also, followed shortly after by that eerie = silence that=20 we all hate. I immediately began to vent the pressure off the header = tank while=20 continuing to pump to it, and set-up for a dead-stick landing onto 24. = Landing=20 was uneventful and restart was easy as soon as the excess vapour = pressure was=20 vented from the header tank.
    I=20 understand the conditions that contributed to this, and it can be = overcome by=20 venting build-up pressure on a timed basis, but I prefer to keep the = header tank=20 as a closed system while in-flight. I realize the Ed is the only one who = is=20 flying with a similar system using a header tank. Ed, if IRCC you had = similar=20 problems with vapour lock before you switched to Avgas? =
   =20 Now many of you will suggest that I just switch to Avgas, but that is = not an=20 affordable option for me. The price difference here is so horrendous as = to make=20 the difference between whether I can afford to fly or not. Of course I'm = not=20 willing to risk continued vapour problems to save money either, but = rather try=20 to find an affordable solution that will safely solve the=20 problem.
   =20 My current plan is to shroud the fuel pumps and filter to isolate them = from the=20 cowl heat and duct a 2" hose from a NACA duct like the ones used for = ventilation=20 on an RV (and probably many others) to this shroud, but have the air = pass=20 through a small fuel cooler located at the air inlet to the shroud. Exit = air=20 from the shroud would have its own exit out the bottom of the=20 cowl.
   =20 So my question for the list is does anybody know of a source for an=20 off-the-shelf compact fuel cooler? Any other suggestions would also be=20 appreciated. While I've considered the option of doing away with the = header=20 tank, at this point I'd like to try to keep it as it does have = advantages for=20 managing 6 fuel tanks.
 
        = Ps.... This=20 really isn't as bad as it sounds... really :-)

S. Todd Bartrim
Turbo 13B = RV-9Endurance
C-FSTB
http://www3.telus.net/haywire/RV-9/C-FSTB.htm

=   =20 "Whatever you vividly imagine, Ardently desire, Sincerely believe in,=20 Enthusiastically act upon, Must inevitably come to pass".

 
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