Mercedes Mullins
The Concorde had 17 fuel tanks that could hold a total of 31,569 gallons (119,500 liters) of kerosene fuel. The Concorde's fuel system was designed along conventional lines, but the aircraft's high performance led to high-performance requirements for the fuel system. The Concorde's fuel was also used for aerodynamic stability and to cool engine oil, generator drive oil, hydraulic oil, and the air conditioning supply. To empty the fuel tanks of a 2001 Concorde, it is essential to understand the complex fuel transfer system and follow the correct procedures, including the use of pumps and valves, to ensure the safe and complete removal of fuel.
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Fuel tank structure
The Concorde had 17 fuel tanks that could hold a total of 31,569 gallons (119,500 litres) of kerosene fuel. The main tanks were located in each wing (five on each side) and fuselage (four). The Concorde also had three auxiliary or trim fuel tanks (two in front and one in the tail).
The trim tanks were used to maintain balance as the Concorde reached supersonic speeds. As the Concorde's aerodynamic centre of lift shifted backward, its nose would be driven downward. To compensate, fuel was pumped backward into the trim tanks, redistributing the aircraft's centre of gravity to match its centre of lift. When the plane slowed down, the centre of lift shifted forward, and fuel was pumped forward into the trim tanks to compensate.
The fuel system was designed along conventional lines, employing well-tried principles and practices. However, several new problems arose during development, stemming from the novel features of the Concorde:
- The environment was more severe, with high temperatures and very low ambient pressures.
- The high performance of the aircraft led to a high-performance requirement for the fuel system.
- Besides supplying fuel to the engines, the fuel system had to perform additional functions of controlling and absorbing surplus.
To address these challenges, measures were taken to prevent fuel loss due to boiling-off and rapid de-aeration, and to ensure that the tank pumps performed effectively under these conditions. The fuel system usage sequence was arranged to minimise heat intake through the wing skin, and research was conducted on fuel vapourisation and aeration characteristics. The design and development of the fuel tank pumps were particularly challenging, as they had to operate with low inlet pressure and fuel near its boiling point.
The Concorde fuel system also featured multiple pumps and valves, as well as Fuel Quantity Indicators (FQIs) to monitor fuel levels. The main transfer sequence was manually initiated using the pumps in tanks 5 and 7, which were equipped with main and standby 115V AC electric motor-driven pumps. The electrical loads of the fuel system were supplied by the aircraft's electrical power system.
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Fuel transfer
The Concorde had a total of 17 fuel tanks that could hold up to 31,569 gallons (119,500 litres) of kerosene fuel. The main tanks were located in each wing (five on each side) and fuselage (four). The aircraft also had three auxiliary or trim fuel tanks (two in front and one in the tail).
The trim transfer is normally automatically sequenced and controlled from the Flight Engineer's Panel. However, there is a forward transfer override control available to pilots in abnormal circumstances requiring rapid forward fuel transfer. The trim transfer system is augmented in the aft trim condition by a reduced level operation in collector tanks 1 and 4. As tanks 1 and 4 are located well forward, this moves the aircraft's centre of gravity further rearward.
Before take-off, the flight engineer will initiate the main transfer sequence, moving fuel from the forward trim tanks to the rear trim and collection tanks. This will continue during the acceleration through Mach 1 and onto Mach 2. During this process, around 20 tons of fuel is moved, resulting in a shift of the centre of gravity by 6 feet (2 metres). This balances the change in the centre lift of the aircraft.
During the normal mode of fuel trim transfer, fuel is pumped either from tanks 9 and 10 into tanks 11, 5, and 7 to obtain a rearward CG shift. Over the course of the supersonic cruise, tanks 5/7, then 6/8, would empty into tanks 1-4. Once the top of descent is reached, the flight engineer transfers all the "rearwards ballast" fuel from tank 11 into tanks 5 and 7, keeping the main tanks fed for approach and arrival.
Each collector tank is equipped with main and standby 115V AC electric motor-driven pumps. The electrical loads of the fuel system are supplied from the aircraft's electrical power system via circuit breakers on the distribution busbars.
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Fuel jettison
The Concorde had a fuel jettison feature as part of its fuel system. The Concorde's fuel system was designed along conventional lines but had to address several new problems unique to the aircraft. One of these was the high-performance requirement of the fuel system, which, in addition to supplying fuel to the engines, had to control and absorb surplus fuel.
The Concorde had 17 fuel tanks that could hold a total of 31,569 gallons (119,500 liters) of kerosene fuel. The main tanks were located in each wing (five on each side) and fuselage (four). The Concorde also had three auxiliary or trim fuel tanks (two in front and one in the tail).
During flight, the trim transfer is automatically sequenced and controlled from the Flight Engineer's Panel. The forward transfer override control is available to pilots in abnormal circumstances requiring rapid fuel transfer. The trim transfer system is augmented by a reduced level operation in collector tanks 1 and 4, which moves the aircraft's centre of gravity further rearward, optimising minimum trim drag in supersonic cruise.
Before takeoff, the flight engineer initiates the transfer of fuel from the forward trim tanks to the rear trim and collection tanks. This continues during acceleration through Mach 1 and onto Mach 2, moving around 20 tons of fuel and shifting the centre of gravity by 6 feet (2 meters). This process balances the change in the aircraft's centre of lift.
During the cruise, tanks 5/7, then 6/8, empty into tanks 1-4. On descent, the flight engineer transfers all the "rearwards ballast" fuel from tank 11 into tanks 5 and 7, feeding the main tanks for approach and arrival.
To prevent fuel loss due to boiling-off at high temperatures and low ambient pressures, the fuel system usage sequence was designed to minimise heat intake through the wing skin. This sequence also prevented high transient pressures in the tank and fuel loss due to rapid de-aeration. Additionally, fuel in tanks not in use must be constantly agitated to prevent the release of entrapped air during high rates of climb in thin air.
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Engine feed
The Concorde's fuel system was designed along conventional lines, employing well-tried principles and practices. However, several new problems emerged during development, which had not been encountered with other civil transport aircraft. These issues stemmed from the novel features of the Concorde, including the more severe environment, the high-performance requirements of the aircraft and its fuel system, and the need for the fuel system to perform additional functions beyond supplying fuel to the engines.
The Concorde's fuel system uses multiple separate tanks with internal bracing to reduce fuel surging during the aircraft's high climb rate. Only the red-coloured tanks (Tanks 1, 2, 3, and 4) can feed the four Olympus engines. These tanks are also known as "collector tanks" because they collect fuel transferred from the other tanks. The blue-coloured tanks (Tanks 5, 6, 7, and 8) are the main transfer tanks, responsible for keeping the collector tanks topped up.
The trim transfer system redistributes fuel across the trim tanks and main transfer tanks to optimise the aircraft's centre of gravity for take-off, subsonic, and supersonic flight. This system is typically automated and controlled from the Flight Engineer's Panel. However, pilots can override the system in abnormal circumstances requiring rapid forward fuel transfer.
The fuel transfer process is critical for trimming out the centre of lift changes during Concorde's flight. Before take-off and during acceleration through Mach 1 to Mach 2, fuel is pumped from the forward trim tanks to the rear trim and collector tanks. This process involves moving around 20 tons of fuel, resulting in a 6-foot (2-meter) rearward shift in the centre of gravity (CoG). At the end of the cruise, during deceleration, fuel is pumped forward to the wing transfer and forward trim tanks, shifting the CoG forward to match the centre of lift's rearward movement.
The movement of fuel within the Concorde's tanks also provides benefits at lower speeds. By making the aircraft rearward heavy during take-off and landing, the elevon control surfaces are forced downwards, increasing the camber of the wing and generating more lift at slower speeds. Additionally, transferring fuel between Tanks 1 and 4 allows for aircraft roll trim adjustments without affecting the elevons' deflection, minimising drag and maximising performance.
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Fuel de-aeration
The Concorde fuel system was designed along conventional lines, but the aircraft's high performance and the environmental conditions it operated in—high temperatures and very low ambient pressures—posed new challenges. At these conditions, conventional kerosene may be highly supersaturated with dissolved air and near its boiling point.
To prevent fuel loss due to boiling-off and rapid de-aeration, the fuel system usage sequence was arranged to minimise heat intake through the wing skin, and considerable research was done to understand fuel vapourisation and aeration characteristics. This informed the design and development of the fuel tank pumps, which had to function with low inlet pressure and fuel near its boiling point and containing a high percentage of dissolved air.
To prevent the release of entrapped air during high rates of climb in thin air, the fuel in tanks not in use must be constantly agitated to provide a gradual release—known as the de-air process. As the aircraft climbs through 42,000 ft, vents are closed off and tanks are lightly pressurised to minimise evaporation losses in low-pressure atmospheres.
The de-aeration process is critical to preventing fuel loss and ensuring the proper functioning of the tank pumps in the unique environmental conditions experienced by Concorde during flight.
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