ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS

AND INTEGRATION
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The purpose of this course is to provide
Training on Environmental systems and
Aircraft Systems integration

Facilitates articulation into Aerospace and

Engineering Degree

Topics:
*Aircraft Pressurisation
Operation and Applications
*Aircraft Air Conditioning Systems
*Fuel Systems and Components and
*Oxygen Systems Requirements

ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS AND

INTEGRATION (AERO 5391)
COURSE SCHEDULE
12 26 JUL A/C Pressurisation and
Applications and Operation
02 16 Aug Air-Conditioning Principles
Air Cycle Air Conditioning
23 Aug

Combustion Heaters

30 13 Sep Fuel Systems and

Components

COURSE SCHEDULE (contd)

18 Oct

Assignment Time

25 Oct

Revision/Tutorial
(Assignment due date)

1 Nov

EXAMINATION

Aircraft Pressurisation,
Application and Operation
1. Principles and Components
2. Operating Modes of
Cabin Pressurisation;
3. Components and System
Inspection

Oxygen made up 21% or one fifth

of the total gases
Therefore:
Oxygen partial pressure = Atmosphere Pressure
5
How does altitude affect oxygen pressure?
Remember:
As altitude increases Atmospheric
Pressure decreases and
As total atmospheric pressure decreases,
the partial pressure of oxygen also decreases

The Need for Oxygen

Essential for human survival
Any reduction will cause degradation in:
Bodily function;
Thought processes and
Consciousness
Rate of absorption of oxygen is dependent
on the Oxygen Partial Pressure
3 PSI sufficient to maintain full saturation of oxygen in
the blood (normal sea level oxygen)

HYPOXIA
Humans do not have enough oxygen
condition call HYPOXIA
-Cause changes in human physical

and mental function,

Can be prevented by:

1.
increasing the Oxygen Percentage of the air with an
oxygen mask and oxygen system;
2.
increasing the air pressure in the cabin by
pressurising it

Pressurising aircraft cabin provide:

1. Greater comfort for passengers
2. Freedom for crew and passengers to
move around the cabin and
3. The ability to fly higher without the
onset of hypoxia.
For passenger comfort, temperature can
Be controlled
This will be covered under

EFFECTS OF TEMPERATURE AND

WATER IN THE AIR (HUMIDITY)
ON THE HUMAN BODY
1. HYPOTHERMIA
A reduction of body temperature
Cause damage to the vital organ by
reducing blood flow to extremities;
Result in frost bite.
As it becomes more severe;
Body will only allow blood flow to
vital organs, causing limbs to freeze

2. DEHYDRATION AND
HUMIDIFICATION
High altitude air is cold & dry;
Low humidity;
If heat up further drier air
Dry air pick up water vapour and

moisture;

If breathe in, pick up moisture from lungs and

throat;
cause painful dry eyes, dry throat and loss of
bodily water

DEHYDRATION can be prevented:

-Drinking water frequently;
-Adding moisture to the air called
HUMIDIFICATION

TERMS USED:
1. Cabin Altitude;
2. Differential Pressure;
3. Maximum Differential Pressure;
4. Control Leaks;
5. Uncontrolled Leaks

CABIN ALTITUDE
The pressure in the cabin expressed in
terms of altitude rather than pressure.
When cabin altitude rises pressure drops
and vice versa
A cabin altitude of 8000 feet considered
comfortable for commercial
aircraft passengers

DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE
The difference between the pressure
Inside the cabin (cabin pressure) and
the atmospheric pressure outside the
Cabin (ambient pressure) is called
DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE
Hence:
Differential Pressure =
Cabin Pressure Ambient Pressure

MAXIMUM DIFFERENTIAL
PRESSURE
Is the max. diff. pressure allowed for a
Particular aircraft structure and
Is specified by the manufacturer
It must not be exceeded

CONTROLLED LEAKS
Uses valves to control cabin pressure by
controlling the amount of air allowed to
leak out of the cabin
UNCONTROLLED LEAKS
Any cabin leakage that is not controlled by
A pressurisation vale is called an UNCONTROLLED
LEAK.
Commonly occurs around:

PRESSURISATION
COMPONENTS
1. Air Pump
2. Silencers
3. Bleed Air Systems
4. Dump Valves/Spill Valves
5. Flow Control Valves;

AIR PUMPS
To provide clean air
In sufficient volume 1.2 lbs of air per
person per minute required;
At sufficient pressure to maintain desired cabin
altitude when cruising
May be driven directly from engine accessory drive
gear boxes or bleed air-driven turbines
Take fresh air from outside the aircraft and pump it

Two Types of Air Pumps:

1. The Roots Blower;
2. The Centrifugal Compressor.

Bleed Air Systems

Gas Turbine powered Aircraft
Use air taken directly from the gas turbine engine
compressor for
Pressurisation of cabin
Piston engine turbo-charged aircraft
Use extra air supply bled to pressurise
The aircraft.

Dump Valves/ Spill Valves

Function:
*dump excess pressurisation supply air;
*unload the air pump when maximum
engine power is required;
*dump contaminated supply air
over board

FLOW CONTROL VALVES

Control the airflow through it to a fixed
mass flow rate.
Ensures a fixed mass air will always flow
into the cabin
Also used to shut off air to the cabin
if the supply is lost or contaminated
Can be:
*electronically controlled and pnuematically
actuated;

SONIC VENTURI
Used with turbo-charged piston engine
Use as flow limiter
If flow rate becomes excessive
Shock wave formed will restrict flow
through the venturi
Also limit the amount of air taken from
charged compressor and

the turbo

NON-RETURN VALVES
Prevent the loss of pressurised air if an air
supply source fails or a duct
ruptures;
Control the direction of flow in ducting.
preventing backflow;
Usually located:
In supply ducts when they enter the
Pressure cabin to prevent
pressurised air loss;

OUTFLOW VALVES
Pressure in cabin is regulated by controlling
the release of air from the cabin
Outflow valve control the flow of air out of the pressure
cabin
REMEMBER:
OPENING the outflow valve will cause cabin altitude to
______ and cabin pressure to drop;
*CLOSING the outflow valve will cause cabin altitude to
______ and cabin
pressure to rise
It is the MAIN CONTROLLED LEAK in pressurisation
system

Controllers
control the valves.

differential controllers
pressurisation controllers
safety valves
control system related components
- pneumatic relays
- jet pumps
- safety switches
- negative press valves
- door seals

pressurisation system instruments

- cabin altimeters
- cabin rate of climb
- cabin differential pressure indicator.

DIFFERENTIAL CONTROLLERS
One critical safety concern in all pressurisation systems
Is that the MAXIMUM DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE
MUST NOT BE EXCEEDED.
Each pressurisation system will have at least two
Independent differential controllers
They cause excess cabin pressure to be released
They are found fitted in:
*

Pressure Controllers;

Outflow Valves

Safety Valves

Electronic systems may have electronic differential control -- ALWAYS

HAVE BACK-UP PNEUMATIC DIFFERENTIAL CONTROLLERS

PRESSURE CONTROLLERS
Is the brains of the pressurisation system
Once set by the crew, it will operate automatically to:
*
*
*

control cabin altitude at the desired setting;

prevent differential pressure from exceeding limits;
limit the cabin rate of climb or descent to the selected limit

Within the Pressure Controllers there are:

Pneumatic Automatic Pressurisation Controllers
Pneumatic Control of Cabin Altitude;
Pneumatic Rate Control

Lets see how each of them works:

Pages 17,18 & 19

Now lets take a look at the

Pneumatic Manual Control Valve

Page 19 & 20

Now lets look at

SAFETY VALVES

Pg 22

PNEUMATIC RELAYS
PNEUMATIC CONTROLLER - may not be capable of sending a
pneumatic signal strong enough to
quickly move a large outflow valve.

The function of the pneumatic relay is to:

*

amplify pneumatic signals to the outflow valve

reduce delay in outflow-valve operation

Usually located on the outflow valve

Page 23

JET PUMPS
FUNCTION: to provide a low pressure or vacuum air source
for pressurisation valves and pneumatic relays
REQUIRES:

a source of high pressure air to operate and this can

be provided by:
gas turbine bleed air or
aircraft pneumatic system

Lets have a look at how a Jet Pump operates

Page 24

SAFETY SWITCHES
These are installed to allow EMERGENCY DEPRESSURISATION of the aircraft
in flight
Will automatically depressurise the aircraft on the ground
One is installed in the cockpit and will open the safety valve or outflow valves
Can be called :

cabin pressure control switch or

cabin pressure dump switch

The Second Safety Switch is:

located on the aircraft undercarriage,
operates automatically whenever aircraft is on its wheels
often called the SQUAT SWITCH

NEGATIVE PRESSURE RELIEF VALVES

If AMBIENT PRESSURE is greater than CABIN PRESSURE:
The Function of the NEGATIVE PRESSURE RELIEF
VALVES is to open
and allow ambient air into the cabin
Also called

INWARD RELIEF VALVE or

VACUUM RELIEF VALVE

Outflow Valve with Negative Relief Valve

Some out flow and safety valves have a negative pressure relief
diaphragm that

Allows ambient pressure to push open the valve under negative

pressure conditions

DOOR SEALS
The most common cause of
UNCONTROLLED LEAKS in aircraft
pressurisation systems
They are hollow and use cabin air to
inflate them
force them against the door frame to
improve sealing

PRESSURISATION SYSTEM INSTRUMENTS

The Flight Crew use instruments

TO MONITOR THE OPERATION OF

THE PRESSURISATION SYSTEM IN
AUTOMATIC AND MANUAL OPERATION
These are:

CABIN ALTIMETER

CABIN RATE-OF-CLIMB INDICATOR

CABIN DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE

INDICATOR

OPERATING MODES OF CABIN PRESSURISATION

UNPRESSURISED CONTROL MODE
ISOBARIC CONTROL MODE
DIFFERENTIAL CONTROL MODE
RATE CONTROL MODE
Pg 28, 29

SYSTEM

LAYOUT

AND
OPERATION

Lets look at what happen during a

TYPICAL OPERATIONAL FLIGHT

Pg 32, 33,34,35

MANUAL OPERATION
In the case of automatic controller failure:
For small aircraft system:

pilot use the cabin pressure control switch to

depressurise the aircraft

For large aircraft system:

before resorting to depressurisation; crew would

select MANUAL on the SELECTOR VALVE

allows the control pressure to be manually set by

the crew
In this mode:
Crew must monitor the cabin altimeter and rate-of-climb
instruments to maintain passenger comfort

ELECTRONIC SYSTEM
The ELECTRONIC CONTROLLER can be programmed in a
variety of different schedules by the aircraft manufacturer
The programs features allows the electronic controller to
automatically adjust cabin pressurisation to changing flight
condition
which is NOT POSSIBLE with
PNEUMATIC AUTOMATIC CONTROLLER

NEXT SESSION:

COMPONENTS
AND
SYSTEM INSPECTION

Typical pre-test checklist

You must check that:

The structure of the aircraft is serviceable.

All structural repairs are completed or pressurisation loads can cause structural
failure and injury to personnel.

All pitot static plumbing has been installed and fully connected before
pressurisation. If this is not done, instruments can be damaged during the test.

If a connection cannot be made, the relevant instrument or unit must be

removed and any lines blanked off. Some pressurisation tests may require
instruments to be removed.

All doors, windows, hatches and emergency exits arc checked for each
operation and have been checked secure after closing. Any problems found must be
rectified before carrying out the pressurisation test.

All multi-layer windows with vented cavities are checked for correct venting.


If air-conditioning ducting has been disturbed, a check for security,
freedom from foreign matter and if required, air tightness, should be carried out.

Any flight control seals or expansion joints have been checked for operation and
lubricated, if required, according to the maintenance manual.

All drain masts used that would normally be open, must be open and clear of
obstruction, as an allowance is made for them during leak-rate tests.

Internal doors such as galley ovens should be open during tests to prevent
pressure being trapped inside.

Any precaution called for in the aircraft maintenance schedule or maintenance

manual must be carried out.

In addition, pressurisation tests usually require that the aircraft be put into air
mode. This requires the air/ground signal system to be disabled using approved methods.

During the test

You must:

Operate the cabin air supply pressurisation and air-conditioning systems as

required by the maintenance manual. You must take care not to exceed the limits set in
the maintenance manual for maximum differential or maximum cabin altitude rate of
change.

Monitor the cabin differential pressure indicator and cabin rate-of-climb

instruments constantly. Exceeding the limits can cause injury to personnel and
damage the aircraft and equipment.

Reduce cabin pressure to ambient conditions before opening any doors or

windows.

After you complete the test, check the operation of all doors and windows for
full and free movement.

Check the pressure cabin structure for obvious damage or distortion, paying
particular attention to door and window panels (for crazing), cabin floor members and
pressure bulkheads.

Remember, after testing the aircraft must be returned to normal configuration. This

Pressurisation test procedures

There are several tests that must be carried out to ensure the correct operation of the
system under all conditions.
Types of tests
You will have to carry out pressurisation tests at intervals specified in the maintenance
manual or as required during rectification of defects. The tests fall into three main
categories:
1 static-pressure tests for structural integrity
2 cabin-leak-rate tests, or dynamic-pressure tests
3 functional tests of the cabin pressurisation and control system.

Static pressure test

This test will check the pressure cabin for structural integrity. It is also used to
check structural repairs on any part of the pressurised structure.
A typical test procedure would include:

pressurisation of the cabin to a differential

specified in the maintenance manual

pressure

inspecting the structure and repairs of the pressure cabin, for - cracks
- distortion
- bulging
- rivet condition.

Leak-rate test
A check of cabin sealing is essential to maintain efficient
pressurisation. Excess uncontrolled leakage can prevent the
designed differential pressure from being achieved by the cabin air
supply. This would require the aircraft to cruise at lower altitudes in
order to maintain a cabin altitude of 8000 feet.
A typical leak-rate test procedure would include:

checking that all permanent vents and drains from the

pressurised area are unobstructed

pressurising the aircraft to the required differential pressure

allowing pressure to stabilise, then checking that the leak

rate does not exceed that specified by the aircraft manufacturer.

To measure the leak rate, you should:

shut off pressurisation air supply and either record cabin rate of climb or
time the change in cabin altitude

read the flow rate of supply air necessary to maintain the specified cabin
differential. Some external pressurisation air supply rigs have this feature.
If the leak rate is excessive, you can determine the leak position by:

listening for escaping air

using of soapy water (dean off after test).

Any flight controls that pass through the pressure cabin must be cycled to check
sealing of cable seals and the like.

After testing for leaks and establishing their locations, you must:

rectify leaks

repeat test to confirm repair

depressurise the cabin at the required rate.

Functional test
A functional test will check the pressurisation system, and indicators for correct
operation. These tests are also often used to troubleshoot a system during maintenance.
You are required to conduct such tests after a component change or reinstallation.
The air supply used for functional tests should be the normal engine drive or bleed air
source. This enables the complete system to be checked in as close to flight conditions as
possible.
A typical test procedure would require you to check:
the automatic controller in:
-

the rate mode

the isobaric mode

the differential mode

multiple controllers (they must be selected and checked independently)

manual controller operation

safety-valve operation

dump-valve operation using:

-

cabin pressure control switch

During maximum differential relief checking, maximum

differential (max diff) must not be exceeded.
To test the backup differential controllers, the primary differential
controller must be disabled.
(This is usually accomplished by a test selector.)

After testing, this selector must be returned and locked in the flight or
auto position as stated in the maintenance manual.