Fuel systems

Fuel distribution systems

Eaton is a leading manufacturer of world-class fuel system products and offers a full range of services to support fuel system design, analysis, testing and qualification. Our hands-on experience with a variety of fuel systems enables us to create superior solutions for commercial and military customers - from complete fuel system and sub-system development to individual component support and certification.

Eaton’s design strengths drive fuel system excellence

Sound system architecture is the foundation for excellent system performance. Eaton’s fuel system specialists are highly skilled engineers and designers whose in-depth expertise extends to all aspects of fuel system architecture. Typical sub-systems include engine feed, refuel and defuel, fuel transfer, tank venting, fuel scavenging and thermal management.

Eaton’s full-service capabilities include:

System design process to ARP4754
Fuel system integration with fuel tanks
System-level requirement development and validation
Component specification development
System-level certification and qualification plans
System-level trade studies incorporating real equipment performance from Eaton’s extensive component portfolio
Sharing 3D models with customer to help populate digital mock-up of aircraft fuel system

Analysis

Our fuel systems benefit from the power of analysis

Eaton is equipped to perform a full suite of analytical processes required to correctly design, validate and verify fuel systems. Supported by advanced tools and technologies, our analysis capabilities include:

1D analysis for flow rates, pressure losses, pressure surge analysis
Thermal analysis for tank heat loads, thermal management
CFD analysis for complex flow scenarios, complex flow geometries
Fuel tank 3D geometry analysis:
Fuel and ullage bubble movement and visualization
Usable and trapped fuel analysis
In-tank fuel un-leveling and transfer flows
Negative g visualization for pump inlet location

1D flow network model

Fuel surge pressure results

Fuel tank 3D geometry analysis

Fuel and ullage bubble movement and visualization
Usable and trapped fuel analysis
In-tank fuel un-leveling and transfer flows
Negative g visualization for pump inlet location

Fuel tank movement during roll maneuver

Fuel system functional modeling using Matlab Simulink

Thermal modelling of tanks, fuel system heat transfer
Refuel and defuel control
Engine feed control
Tank-to-tank transfer control
Fuel center-of-gravity movement
Model-based software development

Reliability, maintainability and safety analysis

Design for safety and reliability
Reliability planning and prediction
Failure reporting analysis, corrective action system management
Design for Six Sigma tools
Fault tree and hazard analysis
Failure mode and effects analysis

We put fuel systems to the test

Eaton offers a complete range of development and qualification test capabilities to ensure that fuel systems are fully operational and flight-ready.

Capabilities include:

Altitude testing
Subsystems testing
Engine feed testing
Refuel, defuel and transfer system testing
Articulating rigs (pitch and roll)
Negative g testing
System icing tests
Data gathering using LabVIEW software

Eaton is an intelligent power management company dedicated to improving the quality of life and protecting the environment for people everywhere. We are guided by our commitment to do business right, to operate sustainably and to help our customers manage power ─ today and well into the future. By capitalizing on the global growth trends of electrification and digitalization, we’re accelerating the planet’s transition to renewable energy and helping to solve the world’s most urgent power management challenges.