A320 CBT - AUXILIARY POWER UNIT

(APU)

COURSE OUTLINES

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A320 CBT - AUXILIARY POWER UNIT (APU)
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TABLE OF CONTENT

COURSE START 3

AUXILIARY POWER UNIT (APU) 3

INTRODUCTION 3

MAIN COMPONENTS 3

ECAM APU PAGE 3

APU CONTROLS 4

APU START 5

APU SHUTDOWN 5

Apu Normal Shutdown 5

Apu Automatic Shutdown 6

Apu Emergency Shutdown 6

COURSE END 6

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A320 CBT - AUXILIARY POWER UNIT (APU)
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Date 6/1/20 12:00 AM

COURSE START
1-The material contained in this training program is based on the information obtained from current national, international and company
regulations and it is to be used for training purposes only. At the time of designing this program contained then current information. In the
event of conflict between data provided herein and that in publications issued by the authority, the authority shall take precedence.

AUXILIARY POWER UNIT (APU)

2-This chapter explains function and operation of the auxiliary power unit. Here is the chapter outline: * Introduction * Main components *
ECAM APU page * APU controls * APU start * APU shutdown

INTRODUCTION
3-The auxiliary power unit, APU, is a self–contained small gas turbine engine installed in the tail cone of the aircraft.

4-The function of the APU is to provide bleed air for engine start and/or for the air conditioning, and electrical power for the aircraft AC
electrical system.

MAIN COMPONENTS
5-The APU consists of compressor and turbine as all gas turbine engines.

6-An APU air inlet flap on the aft fuselage operates electrically to allow the external air to reach the compressor inlet.

7-A load compressor is used to generate the APU bleed air with sufficient pressure, that is supplied to bleed air system via an APU bleed
valve.

8-A generator driven by the APU gearbox provides electrical power for the aircraft.

9-The APU is started via a starter by using the aircraft batteries, an external power source, or the normal aircraft AC power.

10-In the APU start envelope, the APU start is guaranteed within 3 consecutive start attempts. After three consecutive start attempts
without cooling down, a 60 minute cooling interval must be observed before the next start.

11-The APU has an independent oil system for lubrication and cooling. Notice that you may start and operate the APU for up to 10 hours’
even if the “LOW OIL LEVEL” ECAM advisory is displayed.

12-The heart of the APU system is the Electronic Control Box (ECB). This digital electronic controller monitors the APU parameters and
controls the operation, start and shutdown of the APU.

ECAM APU PAGE

13-You can monitor the APU parameters on the ECAM APU page.

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14-The AVAIL indication is displayed as long as the APU speed is above 95%. It indicates that the APU can supply electrical power and/or
bleed air.

15-These indications give information on the APU generator parameters. Refer to the ELECTRICAL chapter for more details. This green
arrow comes into view when the APU generator line contactor is closed.

16-APU bleed valve position is displayed here. These are the possible indications that you may view.

17-Below the valve position indication, the APU bleed air pressure is displayed in green. The box shows amber XX, when any of the
following occur.

18-The APU N field shows the APU speed. The indication is green when the APU speed is in normal range. It becomes amber when the
speed is equal to or above 102% and becomes red when the speed is equal to or above 107%.

19-This is the APU EGT indication. The EGT normal range is different during APU start and when the APU is running, because of the
variation in maximum EGT computation.

20-During APU start, the maximum EGT is computed as a function of APU speed. When the APU is running, the maximum EGT is
determined is a function of ambient temperature.

21-The APU EGT indication is green for normal range. It becomes amber when the current EGT reaches maximum EGT minus 33 °C. The
indication turns to red when the EGT exceeds the maximum EGT. In this case, the ECB initiates automatic APU shutdown.

22-The APU page also shows several advisories. The “FLAP OPEN” advisory is displayed when the APU air inlet flap is fully open.

23-The “FUEL LOW PRESSURE” advisory appears in amber if APU fuel pressure gets low.

24-The “LOW OIL LEVEL” advisory is triggered when a low APU oil quantity is detected on ground with the APU not running.

25-Now, let’s see what you have learned so far. According to this APU page indications, which of the following statements is correct? Hope
you select the correct statement.

APU CONTROLS
26-The APU controls are installed in various places on the overhead panel. The APU MASTER switch and the START pushbutton are
located on the APU control panel.

27-The APU Generator switch is located on the Electrical panel. It lets you control the APU generator.

28-The APU Bleed switch is located on the Air Conditioning panel and is used to control APU bleed system.

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29-The APU fire controls are on the Fire panel. Refer to the FIRE PROTECTION chapter for more details.

30-The external power panel incorporates an APU SHUT OFF switch and an APU FIRE warning light, which are also discussed in the FIRE
PROTECTION lesson.

APU START
31-To start the APU, you push the APU MASTER switch ON. The blue ON light illuminates in the switch.

32-The APU page is displayed If the aircraft has ground power or main generator power.

33-The APU air inlet flap opens. If no fuel tank pump is running, the APU fuel pump operates.

34-Here is test for your memory. If the “LOW OIL LEVEL” message is displayed on the APU page when the MASTER switch is set to ON,
which action will you take?

35-It is safe to start the APU with the “LOW OIL LEVEL” indication as the APU can still operate for up to 10 hours.

36-Let’s continue to starting the APU. Set the START pushbutton to ON. The blue ON light comes on two seconds after APU speed
reached 95% or the speed is above 99.5%, the ON light goes out and green AVAIL light illuminates in the START button.

37-The AVAIL indication also appears on the APU page. The Engine/Warning display shows APU AVAIL memo message. These
indications show that the APU parameters are normal and the APU is available to supply electrical power and bleed air.

38-When you set the APU BLEED pushbutton to ON, the green APU BLEED memo message replaces the APU AVAIL message on the
Engine/Warning display. Now, the APU is supplying bleed air with sufficient pressure.

APU SHUTDOWN
39-There are three different ways to shut down the APU: normal shutdown, automatic or protective shutdown and emergency shutdown.

Apu Normal Shutdown

40-The APU is normally shutdown by pushing the APU MASTER switch OFF. The ON light on the MASTER switch and the AVAIL light on
the START pushbutton go off. When the APU speed reduces to 7%, the air inlet flap closes.

41-Let’s look at a scenario after the last flight of the day. The APU BLEED is ON and you want to shut down the APU. Switch off the APU
BLEED. Next, set the APU MASTER switch to OFF. Now, why do you think that the APU AVAIL indication is still displayed.

42-If the APU was supplying the aircraft with bleed air before shut down, it keeps running for a cooling period of 60 to 120

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seconds. With the APU AVAIL displayed, you can bring the APU back on line by pushing the APU MASTER switch ON.

Apu Automatic Shutdown

43-The APU automatic shutdown is a protective shutdown which is initiated automatically by the ECB when a monitored parameter is out of
limit.

44-When an automatic shutdown is initiated, the amber FAULT light illuminates in the APU MASTER switch. The AUTO SHUT DOWN
caution appears on the Engine/Warning display. The APU stops immediately without cool down period.

45-The air inlet flap closes 15 minutes after the APU speed is lower than 7%, or after liftoff if the automatic shutdown has occurred on the
ground.

Apu Emergency Shutdown

46-In case of an emergency, the APU must be switched off immediately without cooling down period. The ECB initiates an emergency
shutdown when an APU FIRE pushbutton is pushed on the FIRE panel or the APU SHUT OFF pushbutton is used on the external power
panel. The ECAM triggers EMERGENCY SHUT DOWN caution.

47-In both cases of automatic and emergency shutdown, the ECAM action is to set the APU MASTER switch to OFF. When the switch is
pushed OFF, the FAULT light extinguishes and the ECB is de-energized.

48-Here is the last question. Which ECAM APU page does agree with the indication on the overhead panel?

COURSE END
49-End of course.

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