Fuel tank foam

Try searching for explosafe foam but do you think that a crash sever
enough to cause your fuel tank to explode would be survivable anyways.
Also fuel from a cracked tank can still catch fire with or without the
foan.

On Tue, 26 Jun 2007 11:06:02 -0700, "Stuart & Kathryn Fields"
wrote:

I have a couple of baffles already, but having 28 gal 100LL just behind my
head makes my nerves twitch just a bit. Having the foam is supposed to make
explosive conflagration less likely in case of a prang.

Thanks

--
Stuart & Kathryn Fields, Publishers
Experimental Helo magazine
P. O. Box 1585
Inyokern, CA 93527
(760) 377-4478 ph
(760) 408-9747 publication cell
(760) 608-1299 technical cell
www.experimentalhelo.com
www.vkss.com


"Maxwell" wrote in message
...

"Stuart & Kathryn Fields" wrote in message
...
Is there anyone out there using fuel tanks filled with open cell foam?
I've heard that explosions are tamed as well as fuel slosh. I've also
heard that the foam must be replaced periodically. How often is the
replacement necessary? I'm using 100LL Av gas.


Perhaps a few metal baffels would be a better choice.

Morgans wrote:
"Ron Natalie" wrote

I'd make sure that I was getting the
max flow rate for takeoff if I were to use one in an aircraft.

That should not be a problem, considering the run NASCAR engines with it,
putting out 750+ HP, at constant wide open throttle, for lap after lap, at
some tracks. Our biggest engines putting out around 300 HP would not drawn
nearly as much.

It IS a problem. It's a problem for NASCAR, they just engineer around
it. As I said, make sure you are designing your fuel cell for the
max flow rate (typically takeoff) and not for the cruise power
settings.

"Ron Natalie" wrote

It IS a problem. It's a problem for NASCAR, they just engineer around it.
As I said, make sure you are designing your fuel cell for the
max flow rate (typically takeoff) and not for the cruise power
settings.

What do you mean by they "engineer around it?"

The fuel cell, in the end, needs to supply the required fuel flow to make
the HP, right?

I am interested in what you have heard. I never heard about fuel cell flow
being a problem.
--
Jim in NC

Morgans wrote:
"Ron Natalie" wrote


It IS a problem. It's a problem for NASCAR, they just engineer around it.
As I said, make sure you are designing your fuel cell for the
max flow rate (typically takeoff) and not for the cruise power
settings.


What do you mean by they "engineer around it?"

The fuel cell, in the end, needs to supply the required fuel flow to make
the HP, right?

I am interested in what you have heard. I never heard about fuel cell flow
being a problem.

For those not familiar with fuel tank foam and the typical racing
application. I have run a number of SCCA race cars over the years from
Formula Fords to Trans Am, and they all must have a Fuel Cell that is an
~0.06" thick Aluminum Box to protect the Bladder and filled with foam.

The foam is a very open structure where each interconnected "bubble" is
approximately 0.10" in diameter and thus is mostly air. Another poster
mentioned 3% which sounds about right for the density. It is not so
closed as to restrict the flow of fuel in the tank but in case of a
breach in the bladder it will reduce the spray.

In order to get the necessary fuel flow it is only necessary to get the
correct pick up and size of fuel line, really no different than a
"normal" aircraft. Back in the day, circa 1987, the 700+ Hp Trans Am
cars got 4 miles to the gallon on Dash 6 Aeroquip line so unless you
have an extremely high strung motor to feed the fuel cell should be able
to handle the flow.


Mike Butler
Crew Chief
Team Traditional Slate Racing
#10 Formula Atlantic

and student pilot...

As an alternative to foams you could look into Explosafe which is an
aluminum product. They were at OSH years ago.

http://www.explosafe.ch/