Looking For Aviation Filtration – You’ve Landed In The Right Place!
We assist you from the beginning when you are developing the concept design, sizing the filters, choosing the configuration, number of units, accessibility and more. We will advise best practices in the industry and comply to all required standards. We follow EI specifications and AS1210-2010.
From refinery into the air-plane there are lots of points of filtration, basically every time the fuel moves it gets filtered and SP Mclean housings can be found in several points of filtration all around Australia, Pacific Islands and New Zealand at storage terminals, JUHI and RAAF Bases.
Not everyone can build Aviation Filter Vessels
There are only 3 companies in the world qualified by the EI to manufacture filter vessels and elements (cartridges) and we represent one of them covering all Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific Islands.
We are the only approved fabricator in Australia to build the filter housings under license from Velcon (Parker Velcon).
Aviation is a safety driven industry. Fuel must be not only clean but also dry!
It is very important jet fuel be free from water contamination. During flight, the temperature of the fuel in the tanks decreases, due to the low temperatures in the upper atmosphere which causes the dissolved water to precipitate from the fuel. The separated water then drops to the bottom of the tank, because it is denser than the fuel. Since the water is no longer in solution it can freeze and cause critical damages to jet engines.
Questions
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Water Removal
Coalescer cartridges are employed as the first stage in filter/separator vessels for hydrocarbon fluids. They perform two functions: (1) coalesce (combine) highly dispersed, emulsified water particles into larger water drops and (2) filter-out particulate contaminants.
The left photo below shows a highly magnified view of the coalescing process. Tiny droplets of water contact and adhere to strands of fiberglass. Flow pushes the droplets along the strand until they reach an intersection of strands where they combine with other droplets (coalesce) into large drops.
These large drops are then carried to the outside surface of the cartridge. Having a higher specific gravity than the hydrocarbon fluid, they release and gravity pulls the droplet to the bottom of the vessel. The larger the drops, the faster and more efficiently they fall out. In general, particle removal efficiency increases
Coalescer elements
Several grades with fiber diameters ranging from 1 to 10 microns are used in various combinations to achieve desired results.
Separator Cartridges are employed as the second stage in filter/ separator vessels. Their sole function is to repel coalesced water drops produced
by the first stage cartridges while allowing hydro-carbon fluids to pass through. Water drops settle into the filter/ separator sump and are not carried downstream. All particle filtering is done by the first stage coalescer cartridge.
Flow direction is from outside-to-inside. The top photo insert shows water being repelled by the hydrophobic separator medium on the cartridge’s outside surface. Hydrocarbon fluids, on the other hand, easily pass through and exit the separator cartridge. Cartridges with three different types of repelling media are offered.
Military and Commercial Aviation Fuel Filtration.
Water Removal
Our filter water separators are designed in accordance with the EI 1581 6th ed. This type of filter has 2 stages of filtration. Although the first stage has the capacity for solids removal, the main job is to coalesce the free water present in the fuel. The second stage is the hydrophobic separators that prevent any small particles of water from flowing downstream.
The filter housings can be built in 2 configurations, horizontal or vertical. The choice will depend mainly on the size of the housing, footprint available, and cost.
The filter housings below are designed as per AS1210-class 3, EI 1596 2nd ed and EI 1581 6th ed Category C type S with max flow rates of 5200LPM
Vertical filter water separator model VV3656-16 304SS
Design pressure 1600kPa Material of construction 304SS
Horizontal filter water separator model HV3456-12 CS
Design pressure 1200kPa
Material of construction CS epoxy painted
Removal of particles only
The microfilter/ pre-filters have one stage of filtration and the elements can be found at different micron ratings eg. 1, 3, and 5 microns.
You will find our aviation filter vessels on most of the refuellers and hydrant dispensers manufactured in Australia.
We have recently completed a supply of 140 stainless steel filter water separators to the Replacement National Support Base Aviation Refuelling Vehicles JP157 defence project.
