Fuel Quantity Indication System (FQIS)

To give indication for the pilot on the total amount of

fuel available in each tank and engines. There are three classes of gauging systems used for FQIS which are : 1. Float type systems - mechanical 2. Capacitive type systems - electronic 3. Ultra sonic type systems electronic

Description and OPERATION

The fuel quantity indicating system operates on 115v ac power from the standby bus or the external power bus. The tank units function as variable capacitors - their capacitance value is

calculated from the fuel level in the fuel tank. Current through the tank unit side of the bridge is compared to the current of the opposite phase in the balancing side of the bridge. A change in the fuel level changes the capacitance of the tank units and causes imbalance in the bridge circuit. The imbalance is found by a phase-sensitive amplifier. The amplifier controls an induction motor, which moves a rebalance potentiometer wiper on the reference side of the bridge until the circuit becomes balanced again. The pointer on the fuel quantity indicator face is connected to the wiper and changes position proportionally to the wiper movement.

 The FQIS measures the weight of usable fuel in the

fuel tanks by visual indications. It can be found as below:

In the flight compartment Fuel quantity indicator,

test switch, capacitance trimmer, and fuel summation unit. In the fuel tank - Compensator unit, Fuel measuring sticks Refuel station at the wing An indicator test switch and refuel quantity indicator for each fuel tank.

A.

Location of fuel tank -Center section -Right fuel (no.2) - Left fuel (NO.1)

Volume(u.s gallon)
No.1 tank No.2 tank Center tank 1499 1499 2313

Volume(litres)
5678.712 5678.712 8762.415

Total=usable fuel quantity

5311

20,119.839

Conversion us gallon to litres:

1.2 gallons = 4.546 litres

Component or Construction
Tank unit
The tank units are cylindrical capacitors which are installed

throughout each fuel tank to sense fuel level variations. The tank units are cylindrical capacitors which are installed throughout each fuel tank to sense fuel level variations. Construction: A tank unit has two coaxial cylinders which are rigidly spaced at intervals throughout their length by insulated centering spacers. The inner cylinder (electrode): variable-diameter nickel-alloy tube and is connected to the amplifier input. The outer cylinder (electrode): aluminum-alloy tube of constant diameter and is connected to the excitation voltage lead. Openings at the ends of the tank unit let fuel assume the same level between the inner and outer cylinder as the level in the fuel tank.

 Operation: When the capacitance in the tank

units changes, electrical signals are transmitted to the fuel quantity indicators.

Compensator Unit

The compensator units are installed so they are completely submerged in fuel at all times. Construction: Each compensator unit has a lowimpedance cylindrical plate and two highimpedance cylindrical plates, which are protected

by a mechanical shield.

Fuel Quantity Indicator

The fuel quantity indicators show the weight of fuel in the fuel tanks. Construction: Sealed and provided with an electrical connector and

full and empty adjustment screws are at the rear of each fuel quantity indicator. Pointer driven by same shaft as potentiometer wiper (bridge circuit and turn) to supply continuous indication to fuel quantity. Operation: Each fuel quantity indicator has the reference side of a self-balancing capacitance bridge, a power transformer, an amplifier, a reversible two-phase induction motor, gear trains, pointers, a main dial, and a vernier dial. The fuel quantity indicators use 115-volt ac power.

Refuel Quantity Indicator Refuel quantity indicators show the weight of fuel in the fuel tanks. It helps the ground crew in refuel or defueling operations. Operation: Operate only when the access door for the refuel station is open. When the access door is closed, power to the refuel quantity indicators is interrupted by a proximity switch.

Fuel Summation Unit

The fuel summation unit takes the voltage signals for each fuel

quantity indicator and sums them for an output voltage signal representative of the total fuel remaining. Operation: This output signal is one of several inputs to a flight management computer system (FMC) which has a control display unit (CDU). The fuel summation unit has calibration potentiometers consisting of one EMPTY potentiometer and an individual FULL potentiometer for each fuel tank. Calibration adjustment permits precise setting of the input to the FMC so that it will always agree with the fuel sum total of the fuel tanks.

Capacitance Trimmers
Capacitance trimmers are used to compensate for changes

in system stray capacitance and to adjust the fuel quantity indicator. Location: The capacitance trimmers are found on the forward left side of the control stand, above the hand mike jack.

Fuel Measuring Sticks

The fuel measuring sticks are used to measure the fuel

quantity in the No. 1 and No. 2 tanks by mechanical means. Location: Each main tank has five fuel measuring sticks, calibrated in inches. These fuel measuring sticks are in the tank access doors No. 1, 4, 6, 8, and 10. The fuel measuring stick unit of calibration is marked on each stick approximately 1 inch from the end. Operation: Help the ground crew in the refuel operations when electrical power for the fuel quantity indicators is not available. It is used to compare the fuel weight shown by the fuel quantity indicators to the value shown by the fuel measuring sticks to make sure the fuel quantity indicators operate correctly.

TEST
A test must be done for the correct operation. To test, a test switch is

pushed to make sure the indicator operate. Check of the value on the applicable fuel quantity indicator as below: The tank unit The compensator The wire bundle The capacitance trimmer. For trim procedure, a table as below is used to compare the value. This procedure has to be done before fuel is put into tank.

Action required Tanks None 1&2 0 to +110 lbs 0 to +50 kgs 0 to +170 lbs 0 to +80 kgs Trim +110 to +200 lbs +50 to +100 kgs +170 to +300 lbs +80 to +150 kgs System test over 200 lbs over 100 kgs over 300 lbs over 150 kgs

CENTER

*If the value on a fuel quantity indicator changes suddenly, do a check for water in the applicable fuel tank.

Safety first.Thank you