It would seem that there is nothing tricky inside fuel tank it can't be - it's just a container for gasoline or diesel fuel, except that it is especially durable and resistant to hydrocarbons. But it seems so only at first glance

The fuel tank has a shape determined by the design of the vehicle. Often it, being a single volume, is, in fact, two connected containers. For what? The fuel supply is a significant load for a car, approximately equal to the weight of one passenger, which is a lot. Of course, this "passenger" is modest in urban minicars: their tanks have a volume of 35-40 liters. For mid-size sedans and hatchbacks, the tank capacity is 45-60 liters, for heavy SUVs - 75-90 liters, for commercial vans- 90-120 liters, and for mainline tractors - already 300-600 liters.

Half full or empty?

Tank placement is a challenging task for engineers. After all, you have to take into account the load on the car, which, when refueling under a traffic jam, can fall on one side. You have to somehow divide the tank, turning it into a kind of butterfly in shape. Well, or positioned so that even when fully refueled, other devices compensate for the load on one of the sides. When choosing the location of the tank, the risk of damage in a collision is also taken into account.

The capacity of the tank is a conditional value, it is impossible to fill it up to the stop, there will be some air left in it. When the car rolls, fuel can overflow from side to side, and this is fraught with a dangerous situation. We all know from the theoretical course of a driving school which of the tankers is more prone to capsizing: filled to the top or half empty. A significant mass of fuel, moving inside the tank, can also upset the balance of the machine. How do they deal with it? Partitions are made inside the tank to prevent overflow - their dimensions and location are carefully calculated.

Each tank is equipped with a ventilation system. In the heat, the fuel tends to evaporate, and the increased vapor pressure can even break the tank. And when gasoline or diesel fuel is produced, the pressure in the tank drops - it can flatten. The ventilation system not only prevents this, but also traps fuel vapors, preventing them from escaping into the atmosphere. Special valve prevents fuel spillage when the vehicle rolls over or leans heavily.

In modern tanks, as a rule, an electric fuel pump module is also built in. Important to remember: pumps for modern systems car power supplies do not like to work “dry”, because of this they quickly fail. Therefore, do not let the fuel run out completely, try to refuel as soon as the reserve light comes on, because fuel pump It's not cheap, and the cost of replacing it...

Do you smell?

In most cases, the pump module can be accessed from inside a car (often with the rear seat removed or raised). But it happens that you have to remove the entire tank from the car, and this is almost impossible without a lift or a garage pit. However, sometimes the pump works properly, but the tank still needs to be dismantled due to damage. How so, you ask, because it is very durable? It's true, but ... A bad head can break even more.

In my practice, there were three significant cases. In the first, the owner of the “middle-aged” already foreign car complained about the rattle from under the bottom while driving. It seemed to her that the muffler sagged and touched the asphalt. Having looked under the bottom with a flashlight, I found that one of the steel bands on which the fuel tank hung had burst from old age and corrosion! Naturally, it was impossible to fix the malfunction on the street, and we drove slowly and carefully to the nearest service. Fortunately, we were able to repair the damaged tape, rather than looking for a new one.

Another situation: once in the country, I felt a strong smell of gasoline emanating from the car. It was a wake-up call: it shouldn't smell like that. Looking under the bottom, I saw that fuel was actively dripping from a hole in the bottom of the tank. Broke? No, it looks like someone was trying to drain the gasoline in my absence: the hole was like a chisel, a random stone “caught” on the highway will not leave such. Then it was possible to "unroll" the hole a little, drain the remaining fuel, remove the fuel intake, get into the tank with a hand and close the hole with a "sandwich" of a bolt with a nut and four washers (two steel and two rubber). "Sandwich", I must say, served for several years.

But in the third case, the tank of the SUV was pierced in "combat" conditions, and despite the fact that it was covered from below with reliable steel protection. Removing it showed that gasoline was leaking from under the rivet, which apparently secures the internal partition. No one undertook to weld the place of damage: the craftsmen are afraid to approach gas tanks with a welding machine, even if the tank has lain empty or filled with water for a week (everyone is well aware of the consequences of an explosion of fuel vapors). A new tank, even without fuel equipment, pulls on 30 40 thousand rubles. It was possible to manage at lower costs: the damage was sealed with the composition " cold welding».

sledgehammer strike

Fuel tanks are made of steel, aluminum or special plastic (polyethylene). How durable is plastic? I learned about this from the story of an employee of the UAZ plant. When a single 68-liter tank was developed for the Patriot instead of two 36-liter tanks located on the sides, multilayer plastic was proposed as a material. The commission that accepted the sample doubted its strength. One of its representatives was offered a sledgehammer: they say, hit with all your might and see what happens. He hit - and the sledgehammer rebounded, almost injuring him. Buck was unharmed.

Why do we stand up for the strength of the tank so much? That's right, we are afraid of an explosion of fuel in case of damage. But it is not so much an explosion that is dangerous, but a spill of the same gasoline and a large burning area, because it is not gasoline that burns, but its vapors. In addition, they are very difficult to extinguish. The same applies to diesel fuel: its vapors do not flare up as readily as gasoline ones, but it is even more difficult to extinguish spilled diesel fuel.

Which board to drive up to the column at the gas station? The filler neck can be located either on the right or on the left, this is indicated by a small arrow near the gas station symbol on the instrument panel (although sometimes it is not there). Cars with a tank mouth on the left, I call professional for myself, the rest are designed for white-handed women and tanker services.

Do not forget to close the neck cover and lock the hatch. Cases of fuel drain by intruders are still not uncommon. Although sometimes the tank is so cleverly arranged that it is problematic to pump out fuel. So you can’t help a friend in a difficult situation.

Refueling "pistols" of diesel dispensers have different size. The larger ones are designed for the filler necks of heavy trucks. The necks of some pickups can also have a similar diameter, then refueling under a cork on a cargo column will last a matter of seconds, which is convenient in cold winters. And in commercial vans, on the contrary, there are "passenger" necks - such a paradox.

Interesting fact fuel containers such as airfield tankers can be reported. They have a special device called Dead Man's Switch. When filling the tank at the oil depot, the driver or foreman is obliged to manually interrupt the fuel supply every few minutes, then start it again. This is done so that the system “understands”: the filling is under the control of a person, he is alive, everything is in order with him. If you do not interrupt the filling in time, it will be turned off automatically.

To store the fuel supplied to the engine, a special reservoir is provided in the design of each car - a fuel tank. It is a sealed container and, depending on the features of the machine model, may differ in shape, material of manufacture and volume. In automotive practice, the fuel tank is used for liquid fuels (gasoline, diesel) and gas.

Features of the location of the tank in the car

Fuel tank on a car

For each category of vehicles, optimal configurations of fuel tanks are developed, and the most rational location of the tank in the overall design is selected. So, for example, in passenger cars the tank is located at the rear under the seat (in front of rear axle), since this zone is the most protected in a collision.

In trucks, fuel tanks (one or more) are most often installed between the front and rear axles on the sides of the frame. This is due to the fact that for this category of cars the most common accidents with a frontal collision. If the car has been “tuned”, its fuel tank can be moved to an arbitrary location, but in some cases this may threaten the owner with a fine.

Since the fuel tank is often located near the exhaust system, special heat shields are used to prevent it from heating up.

Types of fuel tanks and materials of manufacture

The main requirement for fuel tanks is the high tightness of the container, which prevents the leakage of fuel (or its vapors) into the environment. This ensures the safety of operation and the economy of fuel consumption in general.

Steel fuel tank

For the manufacture of gas tanks, the following types of materials are used:

• Steel - used mainly in trucks, as well as in gas systems;
• Aluminum - used in gasoline-powered vehicles;
• Plastic is the most popular material because it is suitable for all types of fuel.

A sufficient amount of fuel reserve ensures uninterrupted engine operation and a longer interval of autonomous driving. Modern automotive industry standards provide for such a volume of capacity that would allow moving at least 400 km without refueling. On the other hand, if the tank is too large, this increases the weight of the machine and complicates its design.

The volume of the fuel tank can be conditionally divided into nominal (indicated in the documentation for the car) and real (when filling under the neck). The actual capacity of the fuel tanks, depending on the model, may exceed the nominal capacity by 2 to 17 liters. The volume of a gas tank for passenger cars, on average, ranges from 50 to 70 liters. Some very powerful models have a tank volume of up to 80 liters, while small cars are equipped with tanks of only 30 liters. Trucks can have a fuel reserve of 170 to 500 liters.

Design of modern fuel tanks

There is no single form for the fuel tank of a car. To achieve the maximum volume of fuel tanks without sacrificing their compactness, they are given a complex geometry, which can vary not only depending on the make and model of the car, but also on the configuration of a particular car.

In metal containers, a complex shape is achieved through stamping sheet metal and sealed welded joints. Plastic tanks are molded under high temperature and pressure.

The main components of the gas tank

Fuel tank device

Despite the different shape, the design of most modern gas tanks has common details:

• Filler neck - has access to the outer part of the body and is designed for filling fuel. Most often located on the driver's side (above the rear wing of the body). In most vehicles, the fuel filler has a special sealed screw cap to prevent fuel from escaping and dust from entering. However, some modern cars do not have such a cover. It has been replaced by the Easy Fuel system, a small electrically operated sunroof that opens and closes the gas tank.
• Body or walls (directly container).
• Fuel intake pipe - equipped with a filter to prevent the ingress of contaminants. On modern cars this function is performed by the submersible module. It is equipped with an additional removable filter (mesh).
• Drain hole (normally closed with a plug) - used when it is necessary to urgently drain the fuel.
• Fuel level sensor with a float - designed to measure the amount of fuel.
• Ventilation tube.

The device and principle of operation of the ventilation system

When considering the design features and arrangement of an automobile fuel tank, special attention should be paid to the ventilation system. It allows you to solve several important tasks at once:

• Removal of excess air that gets inside when refueling.
• Maintaining the pressure inside the tank at atmospheric level, which is necessary for normal operation in general. Since the tank is as tight as possible, a vacuum is created during fuel exhaustion, which can lead to deformation and rupture of the hull.
• Cooling the tank and maintaining a safe temperature.

Fuel tank vent valve

Modern cars, as a rule, are equipped with closed ventilation systems. This design does not have a direct exit from the fuel tank to the atmosphere and is equipped with a number of devices designed for air intake and vapor extraction. Air intake is carried out using check valve fuel tank ventilation. As soon as the vacuum builds up, under the action of internal pressure, the valve spring is pressed out and air enters. This happens until atmospheric pressure is established inside the tank.

To remove fuel vapors from the tank, a ventilation pipeline (steam pipeline) is provided through which the vapors enter. In it they condense and accumulate. When the canister fills, the purge system is activated, supplying condensed fuel to intake manifold for further processing.

The service life of the fuel tank largely depends on the operating conditions and the quality of the fuel. Like any vehicle component, it requires appropriate after-sales service. First of all, this includes flushing the tank and removing contaminants. When flushing, do not use special cleaning additives that can adversely affect the main elements fuel system, and in some cases lead to the destruction and depressurization of the housing.

" The fuel tank seems to be filled more than its rated capacity!!!" "Never happened!!!"

Every driver, most likely, went through such an experience. Especially when refueling the car on a full tank, some drivers sometimes doubt the required amount of fuel. Especially when the amount of remaining fuel and filled fuel exceeds the capacity of the fuel tank officially specified by the car manufacturers. However, if such a difference is only 5-10 liters, this is natural. Because the tank was originally designed more nominal capacity fuel tank specified in the owner's manual.

Therefore, when the above situation occurs, there is no need to get lost, you just need tocheck the actual difference from the rated capacity.

1. Official fuel tank capacity (nominal capacity)

① The “rated capacity” of passenger cars is designed to drive cars around *600km at 80-100km/h on highways. Rated capacity is based on fuel efficiency and vehicle body weight and therefore varies by vehicle model and engine size.

*Approximately 600 km is based on driving, assuming the driver drives the car 5-6 hours a day at a speed of 100 km without physical fatigue (based on 1 refueling per day).

② Why can the car drive another 50-60 km even when the fuel indicator light is on?

The indicator light has been designedwith reserve capacity so that the driver can reach the next service area (gas station) (the average distance between service areas is about 50-60 km) at fast lane, about 10% of the fuel tank capacity.

2. Why is the actual capacity larger than the rated capacity?

If the nominalcapacity of the fuel tank is 65ℓ, its actual capacity is about 75ℓ. Since in the manufacture of the fuel tank, the car manufacturer took into account the free capacity, 10-15% of the nominal capacity. The reason for this is as follows:

①It is designed to prevent the release of volatile organic compounds ( VOC ) in the case of an increase in volume caused by an increase in air temperature. If the fuel tank is filled to capacity, there is a risk that, due to the increase in internal temperature and therefore internal pressure, fuel may leak out.

②There is also a reserve space in the tank to prevent fuel leakage when the car is parked on an incline with a full tank. This is called "reserve capacity to increase"

(Note) ¹ Saving the filling volume LPG car fuel tanks (85%)

If you raise the LPG temperaturein the liquid state, its volume increases. Therefore, when filling LPG into a container, it is regulated that the temperature of the container is kept below 40℃ and LPG in liquid state is filled to 85% of the container's volume (90% in the case of a reservoir tank)

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asks: Evgenia Selezneva.
Essence of the question Q: What is the capacity of the fuel tank?

We have two Duster SUVs in our family at once. In the version with all-wheel drive, the tank holds 50 liters, on the monodrive - 60. It has been tested more than once at the same gas station. According to the documents, there is a volume of "50", moreover, for all versions at once. But the capacity of the Renault Duster fuel tank with a monodrive will be larger in any case. What is it equal to?

The volume of the Renault Duster fuel tank according to the passport is 60 liters!

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I own a Renault Megan 2 car, before that there were Citroens and Peugeots. I work in the service area dealer center, so I know the device of the car "from and to". You can always turn to me for advice.

Know that in reality the tank volume of Duster crossovers is 60 liters. This also applies to the 4x4 version, where, according to the reader, 50 liters of fuel are placed. There is one little trick - you need to fill the tank gradually. At top speed filling often forms a plug. It covers those same 10 liters. Therefore, the number "50" is written in the documentation.

If the filling rate is equal to 40 ml / s, you can get an "extra" 10 liters even on the 4x4 version.

Designations:

• 4WD tank - "16" (photo 1);
• 2WD tank - "15" (photo 2).

If you filled in not high-quality, but rinse the gas tank.

4WD version and its features

You can learn how the tank works all-wheel drive crossover. A thin tube (top) goes to the neck, through which air is removed.

Two tubes are connected to the neck

The upper tube can be blocked, and the volume of the tank will not change, but the air lock will dissolve slowly.

So, we found out that the volume of the Renault Duster fuel tank is the same in all versions. The exact value is 60 liters. There can be no other options.

For general development

Do not confuse two different concepts. The tank of each car is equipped with a vapor tube. And also, if required, there is a branch pipe in the design to remove the air plug. It was he who was shown in the photo above.

Gas tank of ZIL and GAZ trucks

All trucks, even domestic ones, are about the same: there are two different tubes through which air is vented. The steam outlet is marked with the number "5". It is connected to a tube that goes under the cab. And pipe “2” has nothing to do with fuel vapors - it is needed to eliminate the plug.

If the pipe "2" is clogged, nothing bad will happen. The cork diverges in the volume of the tank, even if it is not helped. Simply, this process is slow.

Video example: a rare case with a level sensor error

Fuel tank volume largely depends on its structure. Various Models vehicles have their own design.

What determines the volume of the fuel tank?

Volume indicators must be such that the vehicle can run 600 kilometers. It is usually installed from below. rear seat against rear axle. It is in this place, according to all calculations, that the smallest probability of deformation if an impact suddenly occurs.

The tank can be made of plastic or metal. Moreover, today plastic tanks are more often used - not least because they take up less space during installation and can be of any desired shape. Thus, the driver receives a fuel tank with the required maximum volumes. To avoid any leakage, the walls of the tanks are made multi-layered. Also, these indicators can be affected by:

• body type;
• system design;
• general configuration;
• injection system;
• climatic version;
• propulsion device.

The dimensions of the car also affect the volume: usually in large cars and fuel tanks are rather big.

Fuel system

Sometimes the structure and, accordingly, the volume of the tank are different even on the example of one model. In order to be able to fill the tank, it has a filler neck. In fact, this part is the only one visible from the outside. Most often it is located on top of the rear wing.

The presented part is connected to the pipeline tank, and the section is made in such a way that the ability to pass fifty liters / minute is ensured. The neck can be closed by means of a cap put on the thread. Everything is hidden by a hatch that opens with a special drive (which can be powered by electricity or mechanically). Sometimes the hatch can be opened manually.

The ingress of fuel into the power system is carried out by means of an intake connected to the outlet of the fuel wire. Residues are drained back through the fuel drain line. You can close the intake with a mesh, which is specially made to clean the fuel. Such a device, installed in diesel car equipped with a special heating system. Sometimes car owners use a regular intake instead of a heated one. They can also refer to heating nozzles.

An electric fuel pump is usually placed in the gas tank - it is he who must pressurize the fuel. The fuel level is controlled by means of a sensor that is connected to the pumping device.

The components of the sensor are a potentiometer, as well as a sensor. As soon as the volume of fuel changes, the potentiometer readings change. As a result, there is a change in voltage followed by a change of arrow. With a complex design, a pair of sensors are mounted in the tank at once, functioning in parallel.

In order for the engine to receive the required amount of fuel, it is necessary that constant pressure indicators are maintained inside the tank. For this in vehicle the ventilation system works - thanks to it, the vacuum that appears when fuel is produced is neutralized. A special valve is needed to remove excess air that is inside during refueling and does not allow pressure to rise.

Tank care

Regardless of the volume of the tank, it should be properly looked after. Moreover, this is true for machines with high mileage. Alas, due to the poor quality of the fuel, along with hydrocarbons, impurities appear in the tank that settle on its walls. When they accumulate, they flake off and contaminate the filter responsible for coarse cleaning. As a result, the fuel simply does not pass through the intake.

The solution to this problem, however, is not difficult. Cleaning required. It will also help increase the volume of the fuel tank. Usually the inside of the tank is washed with special chemicals.

Fuel tank design

As mentioned above, you can determine how much the fuel tank is, after knowing what it is made of: plastic material or metal. Metal tanks are usually made from stamped sheets:

• if they run on gasoline or diesel, aluminum is used;
• if the work is carried out on gas, steel is used.

Of course, metal tanks are distinguished by high strength and wear resistance - however, in terms of volume, they are usually inferior to plastic ones. In addition, there are limitations associated with forms.

But tanks made of plastic can be made in various configurations and, accordingly, have different volumes. In addition, these products are famous for their resistance to scratches, corrosive effects, and have good density.

Leaks in them are impossible, since the walls are made in several layers. The inner part is treated with a protective fluorine layer. Also, differences between fuel tanks can be due to:

• ICE type;
• body;
• Structural features;
• Fuel supply system.

What are the tank sizes?

As already mentioned, at different models and, moreover, automobile brands can have their volumes. For instance, Ford fuel tank capacity equals approximately 50-55 liters, depending on the model and type of fuel used. As a rule, this is enough to move freely over long distances and not refuel daily.

Inside the tank, by the way, there is a sensor that controls the fuel level. Pumping devices are also placed in some models (for example, Ford Focus). When they are on diesel-powered vehicles, the principle of operation is special: the fuel is pumped and fed directly into the system.

Finally, all Fords have a fuel line - both forward and reverse. When repairing the tank, the fuel material is removed through the neck, where fuel is poured.

• Toyota fuel tank volume can range from 45 liters (Toyota Tercel) to 98 liters (Toyota Sequoia). If we talk about the most popular models, on average, these figures are 50-70 liters.
• KIA fuel tank volume equals, on average, 55 liters, although, of course, there are models with smaller and larger rates. Moreover, than newer model(this can be seen in the example Kia Sportage), the smaller the fuel tanks become.
• Fuel tank volume GAS is about 70 liters. Naturally, fuel material enough can fit in such a container.
• Nissan fuel tank volume ranges from 50 liters (Nissan 200SX) to 106 liters (Titan, Armada, QX56 and so on). As for the most popular models, like Nissan Maxima or Nissan Frontier, their volume indicators are 60-65 liters.
• The volume of the fuel tank VAZ- at least for many models of this car brand- is 39 liters. The container itself is made up of two parts, for stamping of which leaded sheets are used. In such tanks, a filter in the form of a grid is also mounted - it helps to carry out the primary filtration of the fuel. So that gasoline can be drained, there is drain plug and getting there is as easy as shelling pears: remove the rubber plug that closes the hole at the bottom of the trunk.
• Renault fuel tank volume equals 50 liters if it is a Duster model (in this case, plastic tanks are used) and 50 liters for the Logan model. By the way, by fuel consumption these cars are considered quite economical: for example, Renault can consume about 10 liters on urban roads, and only 5.7 liters on the highway. If the road surface is mixed, approximately 7.2 liters are consumed.
• Hyundai fuel tank volume, as in the case of other cars, depends on the specific model. Usually this range varies from 45 liters (Hyundai Accent) to 79.9 liters (Sorento or Sedona). The Sonata model, popular with motorists, has a tank of 65 liters.
• UAZ fuel tank volume ranges from 56 liters (for example, model 390945) to 87 liters (model Patriot). UAZ Loaf has a fuel tank reaching 56 liters, but the popular UAZ Hunter has a tank with a capacity of 78 liters.
• The volume of the fuel tank Kamaz, of course, exceeds the indicators listed above, since we are talking about truck. The approximate range varies from 175 liters (models 55102 and 5511) to 500 liters (model 65117). Usually Kamaz truck models have fuel tanks, the volume indicators of which are 350 liters.

Knowing working volume of the fuel tank, you can roughly understand how much time and how far the car can travel without having to refuel again. A lot also depends on the configuration of the fuel tank, what fuel is used and, finally, what type of engine.

Maximum volume of fuel tanks limited by a special international agreement concerning dangerous freight traffic. When devices exceed in volume the figures specified in this agreement, they automatically begin to be considered as dangerous goods (problems may arise when crossing the border). Moreover, it is considered a “dangerous cargo”, regardless of how much is contained inside the fuel.

The following table summarizes the fuel tank capacity of some car brands:

Ford	50-55 liters
Toyota	45-88 liters
KIA	from 55 liters
GAS	70 liters
NISSAN	50-106 liters
VAZ	from 39 liters
Renault	50 liters
Hyundai	45-79.9 liters
UAZ	56-87 liters
Kamaz	175-500 liters