RECOMMENDED PRACTICE FOR THE OPERATION, INSPECTION, MAINTENANCE AND COMMISSIONING

OF AVIATION FUEL HYDRANT SYSTEMS AND HYDRANT SYSTEM EXTENSIONS

12.12 REMOVAL OF CONSTRUCTION AIDS

During construction, temporary valves, flanges or other construction aids may have been
fitted. Before project completion, these shall be removed or made safe for long term use.
One example of a construction aid is where hydrant pit boxes are supported on positioning
bars attached to the hydrant riser flange before the concrete pour. These positioning bars
shall be removed after the concrete has cured so that no stresses from apron movement are
transferred to the hydrant pipework.

Example of construction
positioning bar to be removed

Figure 21: Example of construction aid requiring removal

12.13 FINAL VISUAL INSPECTION

A project site walkabout should be undertaken to ensure that all project-related equipment,
materials, tools, barriers, signs and rubbish are removed and the site left in a clean condition.
Also check that there are no fuel leaks from any valves, flanges and controllers and that hydrant
pits and valve chambers are clean. The walkabout should be undertaken in conjunction with
the hydrant owner and operator.

12.14 TRAINING

The project manager should ensure that full training for hydrant operators is provided on
safe and effective operation of the hydrant. This would include general knowledge, hydrant
performance expectations, special maintenance and spare part requirements for equipment
where applicable, and operational training on hydrant control, hydrant integrity testing
system, CP and ESD systems.

12.15 COMMISSIONING DOCUMENTATION

All activities associated with the commissioning process should be fully documented and
retained. Documentation should at least include the following:

75

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 RECOMMENDED PRACTICE FOR THE OPERATION, INSPECTION, MAINTENANCE AND COMMISSIONING
OF AVIATION FUEL HYDRANT SYSTEMS AND HYDRANT SYSTEM EXTENSIONS

−− Detailed written procedures (method statements) covering any flushing, cleaning

and commissioning procedures to be carried out. These should specify: areas to be
included in the exercise; preparation details such as valve chambers to be opened and/
or entered; sections to be worked on; clear sequence of operations to be performed;
any limitations to be considered such as time constraints and samples and tests to be
carried out prior to handing over the system to the users. A risk assessment should
then be undertaken to determine if any further mitigation methods are necessary
and these used to prepare the necessary permit(s)-to-work.
−− Records of the emergency exercise and any remedial actions required.
−− Records of ESD system checks.
−− Records to show the implementation of the operation with results of tests on samples
drawn from various sections of the system. Low point sampling records should
also be established. Both the initial sample and final sample appearance should be
established for each low point involved in the exercise.
−− Records of the flow rate and velocity obtained in the various parts of the system.
Some companies establish Reynolds Numbers for the various sections flushed. Ideally
drawings of the overall system should be annotated with the route and direction of
flow and used as a reference to sections of the hydrant and the locations involved
in the exercise.
−− Membrane filtration records for each hydrant pit valve sampled during flushing.
'Base line' values should be obtained for samples taken from the downstream side
of at least one of the into-hydrant filter vessels and these used for comparison with
results obtained from the hydrant risers.
−− Recording of fuel volumes flushed: were they fit for aviation use, downgraded to
another fuel or disposed of?
−− Where fuel or pressure test water has been disposed of or discharged, the details of
the waste management, for making available to environmental authorities where
required.
−− A complete construction dossier (as-built drawings, material specifications, materials
and equipment suppliers' details, equipment manufacturers' operating manuals and
warranties, approvals, certificates and results from specialist service providers such as
welders, X-rays, holiday testing, pressure testing, back fill material and compaction
results, laboratory analysis of fuel soak test results, local or national regulatory
approvals, etc.) is to be handed over to the hydrant operator.

Examples of flushing, membrane filtration testing and low point sampling records are shown
in Annex B.

12.16 HANDOVER TO HYDRANT OWNER AND OPERATING COMPANY

The hydrant owner and operator should only accept handover of the completed hydrant
system when they are satisfied that all conditions of the project scope and agreement have
been satisfied, the system performs as expected, all commissioning documents are provided
and training has been completed. Once this is agreed, a project completion notice can be
issued, accepted and dated by the project participants.
Only when all tests and checks are satisfactory and documentation completed can
the hydrant line be released for aircraft fuelling.

76

This document is issued with a single user licence to the EI registered subscriber: malory.galvis@terpel.com
IMPORTANT: This document is subject to a licence agreement issued by the Energy Institute, London, UK. It may only be used in accordance with the licence terms and conditions. It must not be
forwarded to, or stored, or accessed by, any unauthorised user. Enquiries: e:pubs@energyinst.org t: +44 (0)207 467 7100