All aviation fuel is produced to stringent quality standards to avoid fuel-related engine failures. Aviation standards for octane ratings and vapor pressure are much more strict than those for road vehicle fuel, because an aircraft engine must meet a strictly defined level of performance under known conditions. These high standards mean that aviation fuel costs much more than fuel used for road vehicles.
Aircraft piston engines are typically designed to run on Avgas. Avgas has a higher octane rating compared to automotive gasoline, allowing a higher compression ratio and thus more power out of an engine with the same engine displacement. Currently the most common Avgas is 100LL, which refers to the octane rating (100 octane) and the lead content (LL = Low Lead). Avgas uses tetraethyl lead (TEL) to achieve these high octane ratings, a practice banned in automobile fuel. The shrinking supply of TEL, and the possibility of environmental legislation banning its use, has made a search for replacement fuels for general aviation aircraft a priority for pilot's organizations.[1].
Turbine engines burn various grades of jet fuel, a relatively heavy and less volatile petroleum derivative similar to diesel fuel.
Source: Wikipedia
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