The ability for control systems to meet complex and highly variable system demands with a minimum impact on personnel is a requirement of many industries, with one key example being aviation fueling. While major airports and military bases at one time used tank type vehicles for refueling, today automated or “hydrant” fueling systems with pump houses that provide fuel through piping beneath the apron are the primary method. Hydrant fueling systems typically feature a minimum of two tanks incorporating pump houses with two to ten identical fueling pumps handling individual capacities from 600 gallons per minute (gpm) to 1,200 gpm. Servicing different types of aircraft from helicopters to large cargo planes adds yet another variable, as each tank accepts fuel at a different flow rate based on its size and the amount of fuel already present. Nozzle connection pressures range from a maximum 55 psig in operation to 120 psig maximum surge pressure, requiring the system to perform within those parameters while supplying peak fueling rates. Meanwhile, the system’s dispensing valves must be capable of closing within a split second to avoid surges. Constantly changing fuel demands create the continuous challenge of maintaining safe, yet efficient pressures for optimum fuel distribution.
It's a testament to the flexibility and performance of edge technology that Emerson PACSystemsTM RX3i control technology was chosen by the largest aviation fueling system supplier in the world to control its varied systems from highly sophisticated fueling that includes tank inventory management and reporting capabilities, to simpler systems including basic logic and alarm functions. The PACSystems technology met the complex demands while reducing labor costs by a dramatic 66% with a 50% reduction in system failures.
Read the entire story of the aviation fueling challenge here.
What software platform do you use to automate your manufacturing operations?