ETS are inviting interest from companies, individuals or interested partners looking to take forward the hydrant guard airport refueling safety system.
The aircraft refuelling safety system “Hydrant Guard” was developed at the request of a major oil company following a series of incidents involving impact damage to hydrant connections during the refuelling process as a result of heavy traffic activity around aircrafts. Major airports refuel aircraft using an underground pipe system where fuel is supplied under high pressure to a hydrant located in the ground at each aircraft stand position. The largest fuel tanker you will see on the motorway carries 38,000 litres - it would take 5 tankers to fuel a jumbo jet (180,000 litres). Modern international airports use underground high-pressure systems for refuelling aircraft. A connection is made between the underground network and the aircraft via a truck. It is this connection that is most vulnerable during the fuelling process. If a collision with another vehicle did occur and cause a fuel leak, it is not a simple matter of automatically shutting down a valve. A simple fracture in an above ground fuel conduit can therefore cause an uncontrolled gusher of fuel, which will almost certainly catch fire. The potentially catastrophic consequences of this happening close to fuel-laden aircraft need no elaboration.
Hydrant Guard is a fully patented stand-alone proactive system which shuts off the fuel to an aircraft when it detects an obstacle approaching. There are no recognised or acknowledged competitors within this product field. The prototype product has undertaken and successfully completed field trial evaluations with Shell at Gatwick Airport and has received the unqualified support and acceptance by the airport authority. To date £315,000 has been invested, including a SMART award of £60,000. The target market is the major re-fuelling operators, various safety committees and airport authorities worldwide.
For more information please see the investment projects section of our blog or contact Michael Leigh MD on 01253 792200 for a full business plan and more information.
