PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-568
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 568
MARCH 2000
PS 568
37
MAR 00
PS 568
36
MAR 00
hinook crews, when you’re through
using the extended range fuel system
(ERFS) tanks, make sure you follow
the storage procedures in Section V of
TM 55-1560-307-13&P before you
store them.
If you don’t, the next time you need
the ERFS, you could find yourself face-
to-face with a slimy fungus when you
open the tank hatch. Worse yet, you
could end up having to dispose of con-
taminated fuel before filling the tanks
with clean fuel.
The fungus you’ll find is a fuel-
eating organism that thrives on all
aviation fuels. Any fuel left in the ERFS
tanks during storage is a free, all-
you-can-eat buffet for that organism.
CH-47 . . .
YOU
DON’T LOOK
SO GOOD.
I DON’T
FEEL
SO GOOD!
THERE’S A
BURNIN’
IN MY
BELLY
!
I'M FR
I'M FR
EDDY F
EDDY F
U
NG
NG
U
S
AND I'M Y
AND I'M Y
O
U
R W
R W
O
R
S
T
N
IGH
GH
T
M
A
RE
RE
!
H
A
-
H
A
-
H
A
-
H
A
!
AH
-
HH
!!!
I
hope
this is
a
bad
dream!
It is often found in hot, humid climates
when units fail to properly store the
fuel cells and tanks.
The only way to clean up the mess
is to get down and dirty inside the tank.
Before you start, always follow all
safety instructions when working in
fuel cells or tanks.
That means you must make sure the
fuel in the tank(s) has been purged be-
fore anyone goes inside the tank. Fuel
vapors mixed with the right air mix-
ture inside the tank can cause a violent
explosion if they are set off by sparks
from a tool dropped inside the tank.
And, always remember to have a
safety observer standing by during all
maintenance inside the tank. That ob-
server is your safety net. He will help
get you out if needed. Here’s how to
get rid of the fungus:
1.
Climb inside the tank and scoop out
as much fungus as possible—use a non-
metallic scraper and plastic bucket to
clean out the majority of the fungus.
Do not use a metal scraper. The metal
may damage the inside of the tank and
could cause sparks. If you don’t have a
non-metallic scraper, you can make one
out of a milk carton.
2.
Scrub down the inside of the tank
and its valve with warm soapy water.
3.
Rinse the inside with a high-
pressure hose to clean out the soapy
water and residue.
4.
Eyeball the inside of the tank and
its valve to make sure that all fungus is
gone. If you still find some, repeat steps
2 through 4 until the fungus is gone.
5.
Dry out the tank and valves using
lint-free towels or clean, dry, regulated
compressed air.
6.
Repeat these steps until all tanks,
valves and hardware have been
cleaned.
The fungus will not return if you
follow proper PM storage procedures.
If you have any questions on this
procedure, contact Matt Boenker at
the Aviation and Missile Command.
His phone number is (256) 313-4959
or DSN 897-4959. You can e-mail him
at:
matthew.boenker@redstone.army.mil
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