Hickam Airforce Base jet fuel transfer systems transient analysis

Burns & McDonnell of Kansas City, Missouri, recently enlisted AFT's transient analysis expertise to answer a critical operation question for the jet fuel transfer systems at Hickam Airforce Base.

Two systems were involved, the 'Hydrant' and 'Truck Fill' systems. The first supplies jet fuel from a centralized pumping station to a network of ground mounted fueling hydrants while the latter supplies a network of points where truck mounted fueling systems connect. The systems include a main supply loop of more than 20,000 feet in length with several stations connected to the loop in parallel. Burns & McDonnell needed to assure that maximum allowable system pressures would not be exceeded when multiple station isolation valves were closed.

Models of both systems had been developed in KY Pipe's Surge transient software, but Burns & McDonnell discovered it was not capable of modeling these systems. Using AFT Impulse 3.0, models were easily developed and accurately simulated both systems verifying system design requirements would be met under these dynamic conditions.