Problems of aviation leaded gasoline application on aircraft

Abstract

A steady trend of expanding the small aircraft fleet equipped with piston engines is observed today. Special fuel (aviation gasoline with specified operational properties) for aircraft piston engines (PE) ensuring their stable operation in all modes and under all operating conditions is used. The indicators of aviation fuels operational properties including gasoline are achieved by means of adding special additives. One of these additives is an anti-knock additive – tetraethyl lead (TEL) that is added into the fuel in a certain amount in an ethyl liquid form. Despite the excellent TEL properties as an anti-knock additive, it also has a number of significant disadvantages. From the point of view of aircraft engine operation, it is noted that the TEL combustion products (decomposition) that are not effectively removed from the combustion chamber, enter the oil system in a significant amount, causing fine oil filters clogging. The article notes that even a small content of TEL decomposition products in aviation oils deteriorates dramatically their pumping capacity and leads to complete fine oil filters clogging for few minutes of engine operation, even on fresh oil. Moreover, the multi-stage oil cleaning stipulated by the design of some PE does not have a significant impact on this negative factor posing a threat to flight safety. These days the lead-containing gasoline use for aviation PE has no alternative, so solutions to reduce the negative consequences while applying are required.