The research, funded for four years by Shell Global Solutions, will identify the factors which influence microbial biofilm development on materials used in aircraft fuel systems, to explore the impact of introducing alternative fuels (including biofuels) and investigate novel management approaches.
The objectives are to determine the microbial communities present in typical aircraft fuel distribution supply chains and their function in biofilm development, biocorrosion and fuel degradation.
The project will examine these issues for new material formulations and their effect on microbial development and function. The aim is to identify management strategies that may minimize microbial development and biofilm formation for new fuel and material formulations.