AIRCRAFT OXYGEN SYSTEM ( ATA-35 )

RATHOD VIKRAM | AIRCRAFT SYSTEM - 2

 Content
 General Description
 Form of oxygen / Advantages and uses
 Oxygen Systems and Regulators
 General Description
 Oxygen is very impotent for human body for breathing. A lack of
oxygen causes a person to experience a condition called Hypoxia
 In atmosphere oxygen lever is about 21 % but if altitude increase
oxygen level is decreases because of density of air is decrease.
 About 40,000 feet we are able to get oxygen directly through the
atmosphere without any equipment and above this level we
required additional equipment for maintain oxygen level.
 There are two ways this is commonly done:
(1) increase the pressure of the oxygen or
(2) increase the quantity of oxygen in the air mixture.
 In Modern aircraft we increase the quantity of oxygen in the air
mixture.
 Form of oxygen

 Basically three types of oxygen we used in aircraft oxygen system

 Gaseous Oxygen
 Liquid Oxygen
 Solid Oxygen
1. Gaseous Oxygen Cylinder 1. Liquid Oxygen Cylinder 1. Solid Oxygen Cylinder
 Gaseous Oxygen
 Oxygen is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas at normal atmospheric
temperatures and pressures. It transforms into a liquid at –183 °C (its boiling
point).
 Oxygen combines readily with most elements and numerous compounds. This
combining is called oxidation. Typically, oxidation produces heat.
 When something burns, it is actually rapidly combining with oxygen. Oxygen
itself does not burn because it does not combine with itself, except to form
oxygen or ozone.
 But, pure oxygen combines violently with petroleum products creating a
significant hazard when handling these materials in close proximity to each
other.
 Pure gaseous oxygen, or nearly pure gaseous oxygen, is stored and
transported in high-pressure cylinders that are typically painted green.
 Technicians should be cautious to keep pure oxygen away from fuel, oil, and
grease to prevent unwanted combustion.
 Aviator’s breathing oxygen is tested for the presence of water. This is done to
avoid the possibility of it freezing in the small passage ways of valves and
regulators.
 Ice could prevent delivery of the oxygen when needed. Aircraft often operate
in subzero temperatures, increasing the possibility of icing.
 Production of gaseous oxygen for commercial or aircraft cylinders is often
through a process of liquefying air. By controlling temperature and pressure,
the nitrogen in the air can be allowed to boil off leaving mostly pure oxygen.
 Oxygen may also be produced by the electrolysis of water. Passing electric
current through water separates the oxygen from the hydrogen.
 Liquid Oxygen
 Liquid oxygen (LOX) is a pale Blue, transparent liquid.
 Oxygen can be made liquid by lowering the temperature to below –183 °C or
by placing gaseous oxygen under pressure.
 A combination of these is accomplished with a Dewar bottle. This special
container is used to store and transport liquid oxygen.
 It uses an evacuated, double-walled insulation design to keep the liquid
oxygen under pressure at a very low temperature
Uses:-
 A small quantity of LOX can be converted to an enormous amount
of gaseous oxygen, resulting in the use of very little storage space
compared to that needed for high-pressure gaseous oxygen
cylinders.
 However, the difficulty of handling LOX, and the expense of doing
so, has resulted in the container system used for gaseous oxygen to
proliferate throughout civilian aviation. LOX is used nearly
exclusively in military aviation
 Solid Oxygen
 Sodium chlorate has a unique characteristic. When ignited, it produces
oxygen as it burns. This can be filtered and delivered through a hose to a
mask that can be worn and breathed directly by the user.
 Solid oxygen candles, as they are called, are formed chunks of sodium
chlorate wrapped inside insulated stainless steel housings to control the heat
produced when activated.
 The chemical oxygen supply is often ignited by a spring-loaded firing pin
that when pulled, releases a hammer that smashes a cap creating a spark to
light the candle.
Advantages :-
 They are one-third as heavy as gaseous oxygen systems that use
heavy storage tanks for the same quantity of oxygen available.
 Sodium chlorate chemical oxygen generators also have a long shelf
life, making them perfect as a standby form of oxygen.
 They are inert below 400 °F and can remain stored with little
maintenance or inspection until needed, or until their expiration date
is reached.
 Oxygen Systems and Regulators

 Continuous-Flow Systems
 Demand-Flow Systems
 Flow Indicators
 Oxygen Plumbing and Valves
 Continuous-Flow Systems

 In its simplest form, a continuous-flow oxygen system allows oxygen to

exit the storage tank through a valve and passes it through a
regulator/reducer attached to the top of the tank. The flow of high-
pressure oxygen passes through a section of the regulator that
reduces the pressure of the oxygen, which is then fed into a hose
attached to a mask worn by the user. Once the valve is opened, the
flow of oxygen is continuous.
 A manual continuous flow oxygen
system may have a regulator that
is adjusted by the pilot as altitude
varies. By turning the knob, the left
gauge can be made to match the
flight altitude thus increasing and
decreasing flow as altitude
changes
 These regulators can be manual or
automatic in design
 A passenger service unit (psu) is
hinged over each row of seats in
an airliner. Four yellow continuous
flow oxygen masks are shown
deployed. They are normally
stored behind a separate hinged
panel that opens to allow the
masks to fall from the PSU for use.
  The crew can deploy passenger
emergency continuous flow
oxygen masks and supply with a
switch in the cockpit.
 Deployment of the emergency
continuous-flow passenger oxygen
masks may also be controlled by
the crew.

Passenger oxygen masks

controlled unit
  Continuous-flow oxygen masks are
simple devices made to direct flow
to the nose and mouth of the
wearer. They fit snugly but are not
air tight. Vent holes allow cabin air
to mix with the oxygen and
provide escape for exhalation.

Examples of different continuous-flow

oxygen masks
 Demand-Flow Systems

 When oxygen is delivered only as the user inhales, or on

demand, it is known as a demand-flow system.
 Flow Indicator

continuous-flow continuous-flow, in-line

with valve adjuster Old style demand flow
in-line

 Flow indicators, or flow meters, are common in all oxygen

systems.
  A recent development in general
aviation oxygen systems is the
electronic pulse demand oxygen
delivery system (EDS).
 A small, portable EDS unit is made
to connect between the oxygen
source and the mask in a
continuous-flow oxygen system.
 It delivers timed pulses of oxygen
A portable two-person to the wearer on demand, saving
electronic pulse-demand (EPD)
oxygen regulating unit
oxygen normally lost during the
hold and exhale segments of the
breathing cycle.
 Oxygen Plumbing and Valves

Color-codes of oxygen tubes

 Tubing and fittings make up most of the oxygen system

plumbing and connect the various components.
 Most lines are metal in permanent installations. High-pressure
lines are usually stainless steel. Tubing in the low-pressure parts of
the oxygen system is typically aluminum. Flexible plastic hosing is
used deliver oxygen to the masks; its use is increasing in
permanent installations to save weight.
Valves:-
 Five types of valves are commonly found in high-pressure
gaseous oxygen systems: filler, check, shutoff, pressure
reducer, and pressure relief.

Filler Valve Check Valve Shutoff Valve Pressure reducer Pressure Relief
Valve valve
 They function as they would in any other system with one
exception: oxygen system shutoff valves are specifically
designed to open slowly.
  To combat this issue, all oxygen
shutoff valves are slow, opening
valves designed to decrease
velocity.
 This high-pressure oxygen system
shutoff valve has fine-pitch threads
and a regulating stem to slow the flow
of oxygen through the valve. A soft
valve seat is also included to assure
the valve closes completely

Shut-off Valve