Auxiliary/Ground Power Units

TURBINE ENGINES
Auxiliary/Ground Power Units

~ An Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) is an automatic engine, which normally runs at a governed speed of
100%.
~ As it is an automatic engine the fuel system must control the engine throughout the start and running
phases of operation.
~ The engine will be shut down if a critical control function is lost or a serious malfunction such as low oil
pressure or fire occurs.
~ APUs are mainly used on the ground when their main engines are not running and ground carts
(electrical and pneumatic) are not available.
~ On most modern aircraft the APU will also be used in the air to provide air-conditioning during take-off and
landing phases, or to back up the main engines in case of a generator or air system failure.

Describe the purpose and operation of an auxiliary/ground power unit used on modern aircraft
including the following:
a. General arrangements
~ on smaller aircraft, where pneumatic power demand is small, bleed air is taken from the APU engine
compressor via the load control valve (LCV)
~ this is unacceptable on larger aircraft - air being drawn from the compressor for pneumatic purposes
reduces the air going to the turbines for cooling purposes and this problem of reduced turbine life has
been reduced by the inclusion of a load compressor which is driven by a free power turbine
~ in this configuration, the inlet air is directed into the load compressor as well as into the power
section compressor
~ the load compressor now satisfies all pneumatic loading requirements without extracting any air from the
power section

Auxiliary/Ground Power Units

b. Intake and exhaust systemssystems-door operation

~ Operation of the inlet door opening and closing is achieved by using an electrical actuator, which
receives its signal from a command from the flight deck APU switch.
~ A proximity switch ensures that the door is fully open before the APU start sequence is initiated.
~ APU inlet doors serve three functions:
They seal off the inlet duct from harmful weather conditions and foreign objects when the APU is
not in use.
They open to allow air into the APU when the start sequence is initiated.
They can be used to adjust the intake area when on ground in flight.

~ The exhaust ducts are subjected to high temperatures, so the following design features must be
considered:
Leaf springs are fitted to allow for longitudinal expansion of the exhaust duct.
The flexible bellows allow for slight variations during the assembly of the duct to the engine flange.
Flame traps may be fitted to joints to provide protection if the joint leaks.
~ The exhaust duct is normally insulated to prevent the heat from affecting the aircraft structure or
adjacent components.
~ This can be a double duct with cool air being passed between the ducts or by the use of insulation
blankets.
~ An exhaust door may be fitted to reduce cold soak or to prevent rain or snow entering the duct.
~ The door must be open before the engine can start and will close after a time delay on shut down.
c. Load control
~ A load valve controls the bleed air supply.
~ When bleed air flows the EGT will rise, and the load thermostat and regulator control the load valve.
~ The valve will modulate under the control of EGT.
~ If the EGT rise is excessive then it could close the valve.
~ An electronically controlled APU uses the same principle, but the ECU controls a servo valve in the
load control valve instead of the load thermostat.
~ Some APU's do not use load valves, instead they have an air bleed valve which is a simple on/off valve,
and flow limiting venturi is used to limit the flow of air from the APU.
d. Electrical
Electrical output control and management
~ Most aircraft use constant frequency generators, and their APUs run at a constant 100% and do not
therefore require a constant speed drive unit to maintain a constant output.
~ AC output frequency controlled by the speed of the APU.

Auxiliary/Ground Power Units

e. Speed control
control
~ The APU is designed to run at a constant rpm, therefore some means must be provided to control
this speed.
~ A speed governor is linked mechanically to the APU drive.
~ As speed increases above 95%, the bob weights start to move outwards and begin to by-pass the fuel
back to the inlet of the fuel pump.
~ Increase or decrease in the speed setting is achieved by adjustment of the governor spring.
f. Fuel control
~ There are three types of APU fuel control:
control mechanical, electronic and the electro/mechanical.
~ The basic fuel system is comprised of a fuel pump that receives low-pressure fuel from the aircraft
fuel tank via a low pressure fuel valve and pumps it at a higher pressure to the fuel nozzles.
~ The fuel is divided into primary and secondary flow by a fuel flow divider before being sprayed into the
combustor and, with the addition of a spark, then combustion is initiated.
~ The fuel pump is designed to supply more fuel than required by the APU, and some means must be
available to remove the excess fuel capacity.
~ By adding a by-pass valve a method of controlling the fuel pressure and thus the engine is introduced.
~ If the by-pass valve is closed, all the fuel is directed to the nozzle. Opening the by-pass valve will
allow fuel back to the inlet of the pump, thus reducing the fuel to the nozzle.
g. Safety features
~ APU systems are very basic and the APU will shut down if a problem is sensed.
~ Most APUs will shut down for the following faults:
- Low Oil Pressure
- Engine Overspeed
- High EGT
- Loss of Speed Signal
- Loss of EGT
- Low Speed (some APUs shutdown if they drop below 90% - some will try and relight at 95%)
- Electronic Unit Failure
- Fire (automatically on ground & may also cause a warning horn in the u/c bay to sound)
- Generator drive Low Oil Pressure or High Oil Temperature
h. Ground/flight altitude
altitude limiting factors
~ The APU is usually rated to run at the maximum cruise altitude of the aircraft it is fitted to, but its
ability to take load diminishes with altitude.
~ Generally the APUs ability to provide sufficient air for the aircraft is limited to 15-20,000 ft.
~ Above this height the APU will only provide electrical power.
~ If the air loads become to high the APU will reach its max EGT and the control system will back off
the fuel to prevent damage, this would bring the APU generator off frequency and take the
generator off line.
~ APUs fitted to extendedextended-range twintwin-engine operations (ETOPS
(ETOPS)
ETOPS) aircraft are a critical safety device,
device as
they supply backup electricity and compressed air in place of the dead engine or failed main engine
generator.
~ While some APUs may not be startable in flight, ETOPSETOPS-compliant APUs must be flightflight-startable at
altitudes up to the aircraft service ceiling.
ceiling

Auxiliary/Ground Power Units

i. Mounting
Mounting
~ The APU engine mounts consist of a number of supports with vibration isolators fitted to the
end of each support.
~ The vibration isolators dampen out any vibration effects that the APU would have on the aircraft
structure whilst it is running.
~ Attached to the vibration isolator is a cone bolt that passes through a similar hole on the APU
mounting bracket.
~ Most APUs are located in a fire proof box made of titanium.
~ Some aircraft have the APU shrouded in a close fitting titanium case.
j. Fire protection and indication
~ Manual and automatic systems
~ Fire bottle can be manually deployed from flight deck in flight after visual and aural warnings.
~ External manual shutdown and fire discharge from ground after external alarm/siren
~ Automatic shutdown on ground (see Safety Features)
k. Bay cooling
~ There are two methods of bay cooling, they are:
Ram air cooling
Fan air cooling
~ For ram air cooling,
cooling the aircraft has to be moving forward at sufficient speed to enable the
cooling air to be picked up by the air scoops in the external skin. This cold air is ducted into the APU bay
and passed onto various hot zones to provide a cooling medium. The air is then vented overboard through
exhaust ducts.
~ Cooling fans are fitted to the APU gearbox to provide a supply of cooling air to the APU when it is running.
The cooling air is pumped into the APU compartment and then vented overboard. The air from the fan
is also used to cool the generator drive oil and the exhaust duct on some APU installations.
l. Ground running
~ APUs are mainly used on the ground when the main engines are not running and ground carts (electrical
and pneumatic) are not available.
~ APUs are also used to run accessories while the engines are shut down.
~ This allows the cabin to be comfortable while the passengers are boarding before the aircraft's engines
are started (air-cycle machine operation).
~ Electrical power is used to run systems (including hydraulics) for maintenance and preflight checks.

Describe protection systems used on auxiliary/ground power units:

~ see points in Safety Features