Amfuel
We are suppliers of fuel cells and flexible liquid storage equipment for defense and commercial industries. Amfuel has concentrated its efforts in the production of coated fabrics and liquid logistics, as well as fuel cell manufacturing for the aerospace industry. In June 2015, a group of investors led by Crosslake Investment Group purchased the company with the intention of moving operations to Wichita Falls, Texas. That effort was unsuccessful. On November 30, 2018, a cooperative venture between LB Advisors and Jet Capital created an entity named LB Amfuel which purchased the assets of Amfuel with the intention of keeping it in Magnolia and returning it to a growth phase. It should be noted that the vast majority of Amfuel’s production is for the U.S. Department of Defense in support of America’s war fighters.
Company details
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- Business Type:
- Manufacturer
- Industry Type:
- Fuel Cells
- Market Focus:
- Globally (various continents)
This company also provides solutions for other industrial applications.
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About Us
In accordance with the requirements of AS 9104A and AS 9100, Amfuel has been certified under the Aerospace Registration Management Program for both certifications.
- ISO 9001: 2015
- EN/JISQ/AS 9100:2016
Amfuel is qualified for the following products or service ranges: The design and manufacture of aircraft fuel cells for fixed-wing and rotary aircraft; the design and manufacture of truck mounted tanks, embankment supported tanks, dunnage bags and other coated fabric items.
Amfuel’s quality policy ensures complete customer satisfaction. Every level from management to production is involved in quality control to assure our customers receive the highest standards of product integrity and safety.
History
In 1941, Ernst Eger patented a self-sealing fuel tank design for United States Rubber Company (later Uniroyal),, one of many companies involved in developing this technology during WWII A Goodyear chemist, James Merrill, filed a patent in 1941 (published in 1947) for refining and successfully testing his method for manufacturing self-sealing tanks using a two-layer system of rubber compounds encased in a metal outer shell or the wing lining of the aircraft. By 1942, fireproof tanks had developed the first flexible fuel bladders as range extender tanks for the MkIX Spitfire. These tanks were flexible containers, made of a laminated self-sealing material like vulcanized rubber, and with as few seams as possible to minimize leak paths.
Not all fighters were fitted with the relatively new invention. Self-sealing tanks tended to be heavier and of lower capacity than non-sealed tanks. Nonetheless, aircraft that were fitted with self-sealing tanks regularly took more punishment than those without and were able to return to base. Combat experience in the Pacific showed that the heavily protected American aircraft could sustain far more damage than the lightly armored Japanese designs without self-sealing fuel tanks (for instance, the Mitsubishi A6M Zero).
Modern Use
Most jet fighters and all US military rotary wing aircraft have self-sealing tanks. Military rotary wing fuel tanks have the additional feature of being crashworthy. High altitudes require the tanks to be pressurized, which makes self-sealing difficult. Newer technologies have made advances like inert foam-filled tanks to prevent detonation. This foam is open cell foam that effectively divides the gas space above the remaining fuel into thousands of small spaces, none of which contain sufficient vapor to support combustion. This foam also serves to reduce fuel slosh.
For military use, tanks are qualified to MIL-DTL-27422 (includes crashworthiness requirements) or MIL-DTL-5578 (non-crashworthy). An aircraft fuel tank sometimes consists of several interconnected fuel cells. The interconnecting hoses are typically also self-sealing.
In addition to fighter aircraft and rotorcraft, some military patrol vehicles and armored VIP limousines feature self-sealing fuel tanks. Self-sealing fuel tanks using military technology are also required in some motorsport categories.