This procedure is intended to apply to all engine or airframe mounted fuel pumps and controls when required by the applicable specification. The procedure recommends a recirculation system similar to ARP492 to control the fuel properties affecting the fluid and its ability to "release" fuel vapors and dissolved air and have these "re-entrained or dissolved" during the fluid recovery process back to the tank and the original starting conditions.

This SAE Aerospace Recommended Practice (ARP) defines procedures for testing aircraft/engine fuel pumps for the purpose of:

a. Determining two phase ("slugging flow") inlet performance capability.

b. Determining the pump's resistance to deterioration during an endurance test with the operating conditions defined by the applicable specification which includes two phase ("slugging flow") operation.

c. Determining the effects that contaminated fuel operation may have had on two phase ("slugging flow") inlet performance.

The procedure recommended herein is intended to produce useful, reproducible, steady state results.

This test is not intended to establish maximum starting altitude or rate of climb performance of the pump.

This procedure defines recommended test setups, test procedures, and data requirements for testing engine or airframe mounted fuel pumps or controls with pumps for the purpose of determining "slugging flow" inlet performance capability.

Purpose:

This ARP defines a procedure to conduct tests and evaluations of aircraft/engine fuel pumps, and controls if applicable, for two phase flow (i.e. "slugging flow"-alternating all vapor or all liquid) at the pump inlet when such flow conditions exist due to aircraft fuel system design and/or operating conditions (normal airframe boost system failed/nonoperative for example) or a suction lift fuel system is employed.

This procedure is used to determine:

a. A pump performance envelope

b. The pump's resistance to deterioration during endurance testing

c. The effect of contaminated fuel operation on the performance envelope

The two phase fuel flow will be specific alternating volumes of fuel vapor (dissolved air and fuel vapor gases released from the fuel) and liquid fuel expressed as a ratio of vapor-to-liquid (V/L).