Lufthansa Technik is launching a new fuel tank sanitisation procedure, which the company has designed especially for operators of larger VIP and business jets with extended ground times in hot and humid regions where microbial contamination in structural fuel tanks can build up.
Lufthansa Technik's fuel tank sanitization technology claims to tackle the cycle of recurring biofilm contamination by providing a ""long-lasting removal solution, which is aviation-certified through the approvals of the company's Part 21J Design Organization and currently patent pending"".
The new procedure can be applied during an aircraft's regular maintenance layover and works with a combination of steam cleaning and vacuum suction that reliably removes the biofilm even in geometrically challenging spaces such as rivet joints, says Lufthansa Technik.
""Several thousands of filter components have already passed through our fuel forensics unit. Therefore, we have built-up comprehensive expertise and a large database of contaminants that can arise in jet fuel and its tanks today. In other words: We know exactly what to test for,"" said Dr. Christian Siry, Head of Lufthansa Technik's Central Materials Technologies Unit.
""The complete absence of microbes documented in all the areas treated by our new sanitization procedure has thus convinced us that we found a truly effective solution to break the vicious circle of fuel-tank contamination.""
Lufthansa to launch new fuel tank sanitisation procedure
