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Old 06-02-2011 | 12:08 PM
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olnico
 
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From: Houston, Texas.
Default RE: Clunker or Trapper

I exclusively used paper plated filters with gas ducted fans 17 years ago with total success. I switched to UAT when BVM introduced it and never came back.
I have seen a lot of people having "unexplained" flameouts due to an improper fuel system setup. Most of the times the problem is that the drag induced in the system is too high and creates a cavitation condition somewhere upstream the pump.
In that case the UAt will be pretty much useless to avoid the cavitation reaching the engine because the millions of bubbles created will "plate" the UAT bag, increase the suction drag in the UAT and make it cavitate as well...

Additionally with the new big engines and high flow requirements, I have been rethinking my approach to the problematic.
The idea is to introduce as less drag in the fuel system upstream the pump as possible to avoid cavitation under depression ( ref my fuel systems article ).
So using a hopper tank or a single tank with a proper high flow air separator ( ie PPC or Paper Plated Clunk ) seems to be a good idea. On that respect, I'd recommend the use of the biggest possible ID devices ( lines, fittings, vents etc... ) as show on my table below: