Fuel Tank

A fuel tank is the part of an engine system in which the fuel is stored and released into the engine. Fuel tanks range in size and complexity from the small plastic tank of a butane lighter to the multi-chambered cryogenic Space Shuttle external tank.

Typically, a fuel tank must allow:

·    Filling (the fuel tank must be filled in a secure way)
·    Storage of fuel (the system must contain a given quantity of fuel and must avoid leakage and limit evaporative emissions)
·    Gauging (the remaining quantity of fuel in the tank must be measured or evaluated)
·    Venting (if over-pressure is not allowed, the fuel vapors must be managed through valves)
·    Feeding of the engine (through a pump)

Automotive

For each new vehicle a specific fuel system has to be developed, as they must optimize the empty space left by the car architecture.

Moreover, for one car model, different versions of fuel system architectures have to be developed with more or less components, depending on the type of the car, the type of fuel (gasoline or diesel), nozzle models and the region where the car will be circulating.

Two technologies are used to make fuel tanks for automobiles:

·    Plastic High density polyethylene (HDPE) fuel tanks produced through blow moulding. This technology is increasingly used as it now shows its capacity to obtain very low emissions of fuel (see Partial zero-emissions vehicle). HDPE can also allow for complex shapes to be formed, this means the tank to be mounted directly over the rear axle, saving space and improving crash safety. Initially there were concerns over the low fracture toughness of HDPE, when compared to steel or aluminum.
·    Metal (steel or aluminum) fuel tanks obtained by welding of stamped sheets. Although this technology is very good in limiting fuel emissions, it tends to be less competitive and thus less on the market.

Central Locking

Cars generally include a fuel tank filler flap (also called fuel filler cap) integrated in central locking.

Remote Opening

Modern cars includes remote opening of the fuel tank fuel filler flap using an electric motor. Some expensive cars even have fuel tanks that cannot be opened by hand or by any way from the outside of the car.

Reserve Tank

Sometimes called the reserve tank, a light on the instrument panel of autos typically illuminates when the fuel level dips below a certain point in the tank. There is no current standard, although some efforts are made to collect this data for all automobiles.

Safety

The proper design and construction of a fuel tank plays a major role in the safety of the system of which the tank is a part.