Fuel Tank Material/Design

[Nam Tran]

What types of materials are teams using for their fuel tanks? In the past years, our school has used 1/4 thick 6061 Aluminum, and a Carbon Fiber/Fiberglass contraption that leaked a lot at the hose fittings.

What types of metal (what alloys specifically) are people using? What thicknesses are safe to run? Do you need to use anything to seal the tank at the corners? What type of hose is fuel resistant for the sight tube?

Any input is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Nam Tran

[Nam Tran]

What types of materials are teams using for their fuel tanks? In the past years, our school has used 1/4 thick 6061 Aluminum, and a Carbon Fiber/Fiberglass contraption that leaked a lot at the hose fittings.

What types of metal (what alloys specifically) are people using? What thicknesses are safe to run? Do you need to use anything to seal the tank at the corners? What type of hose is fuel resistant for the sight tube?

Any input is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Nam Tran

[Mechanicaldan]

6061 Aluminum, 0.035 to 0.065, depending on how good the tig welder (person) is. Fuel fittings are tapped into thicker pieces of aluminum that are welded to the tank top and bottom. Use fuel cell foam to stop sloshing. You should have no leaks if the tig weld are good. The filler neck cap is custom machined and threaded.

Cyclone Racing
www.cyclone-racing.com/fhome.htm (http://www.cyclone-racing.com/fhome.htm)
Iowa State University
Engine Team Leader

[Richard Lewis]

Ours sounds very much like the one listed above, except we are using .078" 5052 aluminum, TIG welded. 1/4" seems much too thick and heavy in my opinion... The fuel cell foam is a good idea, or at least some kind of sump/baffle system.

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UVIC Formula SAE Team
http://members.shaw.ca/drax77/UVICFSAEcar.jpg
http://uvic.fsae.ca