The Perth Airport Joint User Hydrant Installation (JUHI), Perth, Western Australia, receives JET-A1 fuel via pipeline from BP Kewdale Terminal and distributes it to waiting aircraft at Perth Airport.
As the E&I design consultant for the previous upgrade at this site in 1995, Norton Consultants developed and implemented a variable fuel flow control regime that closely matches pump output to hydrant system demand by sensing both pressure and flow in the fuel hydrant network.
This facility was one of the first of its type in the southern hemisphere (and one of the first in the world) to use this method, which, by reducing surge and shock loading on fuel system pipework and running selected pumps at varying flow rates to match hydrant system demand, resulted in significantly reduced operating costs and maintenance over the original system, whilst maintaining reliability of supply to waiting aircraft.
Commencing in July 2013, this most recent upgrade increased pumping capacity to meet the demands of the mining boom, updated drive electronics and instrumentation nearing end-of-life and by implementing recent advances in fluid measurement technology improved upon the existing flow control regime still further resulting in further savings in both energy and costs of maintenance for our client.
Following two years of in-depth project planning and design, this project was completed in January 2016 without any disruption to fuel supply to this busy airport. This facility is now the most advanced of its type in Australia and will provide the surety of fuel supply for the Perth travelling public for many years to come.