Automotive fuel tanks and Water supply

Passenger vehicles

Larger fuel tanks result in a car with increased range between refueling, but the weight and space requirements of larger tanks are undesirable,especially in smaller cars.The average fuel tank capacity of a car is 50-60 liters (12-16 US gal).The most common materials for fuel tanks are metal or plastic.Metal (steel or aluminum) tanks are usually manufactured by welding stamped sheet metal parts together.Plastic fuel tanks are usually manufactured using blow molding, and more complex shapes are available.Some vehicles include a smaller reserve tank for use when the main tank is empty.Some other vehicles, usually 4WD vehicles, have large auxiliary fuel tanks (or "drop tanks") to increase the vehicle's range.

Racing fuel cell 

Racing fuel cells have a rigid outer shell and a flexible inner liner to minimize the possibility of punctures in the event of a crash or other incident that results in serious damage to the vehicle.It is filled with an open cell foam core to prevent steam explosion in empty parts of the fuel tank and to minimize fuel sloshing that can throw the vehicle off balance or cause the engine to starve (starved) of fuel during races).

Aircraft

Aircraft typically use three types of fuel tanks: integral, rigid removable, and bladder.

• Integral fuel tanks are areas inside the aircraft structure that have been sealed to allow storage of fuel. An example of this type is the "wet wing" commonly used in larger aircraft.Since these fuel tanks are part of the aircraft's structure, they cannot be removed for repair or inspection.Inspection panels must be provided to allow internal inspection, repair and overhaul of the tank. Most large transport aircraft use this system, storing fuel in the wings, belly and sometimes even the tail.

• Rigid removable water tank mounted in a compartment designed to hold the water tank.They are usually metal structures and can be removed for inspection, replacement or repair.The structural integrity of the aircraft does not depend on the fuel tanks. These tanks are commonly found on smaller general aviation aircraft such as the Cessna 172.

• Airbags or fuel cells are reinforced rubber bags installed in part of the aircraft's structure and designed to contain the weight of fuel.The airbag is rolled up into the cabin by the filler neck or access panel and secured by a metal button or snap in the cabin. Many high-performance light aircraft, helicopters, and some smaller turboprops use airbags.A major disadvantage of this type of tank is that the materials harden through extensive use, making them brittle and causing cracks.A major advantage is the ability to use as much aircraft as possible to store fuel.Combat aircraft and helicopters typically use self-sealing fuel tanks.Fuel tanks have been linked to aviation disasters, either as a cause of accidents or as aggravating accidents (explosion of fuel tanks).The official "probable cause" of the explosion and subsequent crash of TWA Flight 800 was the presence of an explosive fuel/air mixture in one of the aircraft's fuel tanks.Faulty wiring then provided a source of ignition inside the fuel tank, destroying the airliner.While the accuracy of the official findings is still being questioned in this case, similar bombings have occurred on other planes.The possibility of a tank explosion can be reduced by a tank inerting system or fire suppression foam in the tank.Burning fuel may explode or ignite objects and people in the same aircraft or adjacent.In the 1960 Munich Convair 340 accident, a vehicle crashed into a main street. Burning fuel set a tram on fire.All 20 people on board the plane and 32 passengers on the tram were killed.In some regions, an aircraft's fuel tank is also known as an aircraft fuel cell.

Water supply

Water supply systems can have primary or backup power supplied by diesel-fueled generators fed by a small "day tank" and a much larger bulk storage fuel tank.

Safety

The correct design and construction of a fuel tank plays an important role in the safety of the system to which the tank belongs.In most cases, an intact fuel tank is quite safe because it is filled with a fuel vapor/air mixture well above the flammability limit, so it will not burn even if an ignition source is present (which is rare).Dike tanks are used for the safe storage of domestic heating oil and other hazardous substances.Insurance companies generally require bunding, not single-layer storage tanks.Systems such as the BattleJacket and rubber airbags have been developed and deployed to protect (from explosions caused by enemy fire) the fuel tanks of military vehicles in conflict zones.For stationary fuel tanks, an economical way to protect them from hazards such as extreme temperatures and vehicle crashes is to bury them.Buried storage tanks, however, are difficult to monitor for leaks.This has raised concerns about the environmental hazards of underground storage tanks.