Chapter 36 : PNEUMATIC

Section 36-00 : PNEUMATIC - GENERAL

1. General A. Description
The pneumatic system supplies all the aircraft systems requiring pressurized air for their own operation. The air is usually bled from the engine low pressure compressors stage, but whenever the available engine pneumatic power is too low on this stage, air is bled from the engine high pressure compressors stage. The pneumatic system is composed of the following : - distribution system ; - indicating system.

B. Controls and Indicators

Controls and indicators are located : - on AIR BLEED panel, installed on overhead panel - on R maintenance panel - on Crew Alerting Panel (CAP) on the upper centre instrument panel.

Section 36-10 : DISTRIBUTION - GENERAL

1. General
The pneumatic distribution system directs and controls the distribution of pressurized air required to operate : - air conditioning system ; - ice protection system. The pneumatic distribution also provides pressurized air for right engine oil cooler ventilation ejector and cabin pressure control system jet pump. The distribution system consists of : - engine bleed air supply system ; - wing leading edge ventilation system. The distribution system includes ducting, various valves, sensing elements and pressure regulators to maintain controlled pressure and temperature and to limit the airflow.

Section 36-11 : ENGINE BLEED AIR SUPPLY SYSTEM

1. General
The system consists of two separate bleed duct subsystems, left and right. Each subsystem is fed by the corresponding LP and/or HP compressor. The ducts coming from LP and HP ports join inside the engine nacelle, in a single duct, which passes from the engine nacelle to the front landing gear area, through the centre wing leading edge and the inter space between fuselage external skin and internal lining.

2. Description
Each engine bleed air supply subsystem consists of :. - a HP air bleed valve installed in HP bleed duct close to the engine ; - a LP check valve/venturi, installed in LP bleed duct at engine bleed port ; - a bleed air shutoff valve installed immediately after the firewall in the fairing between the engine nacelle and the wing ; - two bleed air over temperature switches installed immediately after bleed air shutoff valve ; - a bleed air check valve installed in the wing (only left engine) - a ENG BLEED pushbutton switch 27HA (28HA) located on AIR BLEED panel 22VU ; - an ENG AIR BLEED/HP VALVE magnetic indicator located on R maintenance panel 702VU ; - two OVHT/LEAK caution lights 21HA(22HA) installed on AIR BLEED panel 22VU. Two flow limiting venturi are installed inside the LP and HP bleed ducts immediately after the compressor outlets, for protection against excess bleed overflow, into the engine nacelle, in case of downstream duct failure. A cross feed valve interconnects in the under floor are the right and left ducts; This valve is closed with both engines operating.

3. Component Description and Operation A. High Pressure Bleed Air Valve 17HA (18HA) (1) Description
This valve is fitted in HP manifold located in the engine nacelle. It is a normally closed dual differential pressure regulator and shutoff valve that regulates bleed air in low power conditions and during ground operation. It consists essentially of : - a self cleaning filter - a high reference regulator - a low reference regulator - a shutoff solenoid - a high differential solenoid - a shuttle valve - a butterfly valve - a pneumatic actuator.

(2) Operation

With both solenoids de-energized the valve is closed. With only the shutoff solenoid energized the valve is ready to open and uses low reference pressure as required to maintain bleed air duct pressure. With both solenoids energized the valve operates at a high reference pressure, during ground operations.

B. Low Pressure Bleed Air Check Valve

The valve is fitted in LP manifold located in the engine nacelle. It is of the two semicircular butterfly flap type. The flaps are held closed by means of a spring. An arrow on the body indicates airflow direction. The valve prevents reverse airflow into engine LP compressor when HP bleed is operating.

C. Bleed Air Shutoff Valve 15HA (16HA) (1) Description

It is fitted in the bleed air duct immediately after the fire wall in the fairing between the engine nacelle and the wing. It is a spring loaded normally closed shutoff valve pneumatically actuated and controlled by a solenoid. It essentially consist of : - a pneumatic actuator - a solenoid - a relief regulator - a butterfly valve

(2) Operation
With the solenoid energized the valve is ready to open. When air is available the valve opens allowing bleed air from the engine compressors to reach the air conditioning system. When the solenoid is de-energized the valve closes.

D. Bleed Air Over temperature Switches 11HA (12HA)

These two switches are identical and are fitted in the bleed air duct downstream of the bleed air shutoff valve. They are hermetically sealed, stainless steel probe type. They control the operation of bleed air shutoff and HP bleed valves and also give a signal to OVHT legend on the caution light. Their operating temperature is 274 6.7C (525 12F), and the reset temperature is 250C(482F).

E. Crossfeed Valve 36HA (1) Description

This valve is fitted in the crossfeed duct located in the pressurized underfloor area. It is a solenoid controlled, penumatically actuated shutoff valve, that interconnects R and L ducting to allow bleed air to flow from the operating engine to the opposite conditioning system. It consists essentially of : - a pneumatic actuator - a solenoid - a relief regulator - a sensing selector - a butterfly valve.

(2) Operation

The crossfeed valve solenoid is energized only when ground and propeller brake relays are activated. When the solenoid is energized the valve is ready to open. When bleed air is available from one engine the valve opens allowing bleed air flow to opposite conditioning system. When solenoid is de-energized the valve closes.

F. Bleed Air Check Valve 6113HA

The valve is fitted in the bleed air duct located in the central wing section. It is of the two semi-circular butterfly flap type. The flaps are held closed by means of a spring. An arrow on the body indicates airflow direction. The valve prevents reverse airflow to the left engine compressors when the right engine is operating in hotel mode.

4. Operation
During normal operation the air is bled from the LP engine compressors. HP bleed air is required in low power conditions (descent and on ground operations) with the power lever between 13 and 40. The system is activated by pressing ENG 1 (ENG 2) BLEED pushbutton switch. This action causes : - OFF legend to go off - energization of bleed air shutoff valve solenoid with consequent valve opening if bleed air avaiable ; - energization of HP bleed valve shutoff solenoid. During the engine starting phase there is a time delay of 30 secs, in which the bleed valve opening is inhibited and consequently the system goes to off. During operations when HP bleed flow is required (power lever between 13 and 40), downstream pressure is regulated at 1.52 0.14 bar (22 2 p.s.i.) in flight at 2.41 0.24 bar (35 3.5 psi) on ground. NOTE : In Hotel mode the crossfeed valve is ready to open via control brake propeller relay 42HA. The crossfeed valve is automatically maintained open during taxi phase with one engine operative (with two engines operative the valve is closed). If the temperature at the outlet of HP compressor exceeds 270C (518F), HP over temperature control system provides through the HP temperature control relay 7HA (8HA) de excitation for the HP bleed valve butterfly closing. When the temperature falls below 260C (500F), the valve is re-actuated. To reset the valve after an overheat condition the relative system must be switched off: When legends go off the system can be reset by pressing ENG 1 (ENG 2) BLEED pushbutton switch. In hotel mode L bleed air shut off valve is closed electrically by means of a control brake propeller relay (42HA). In case of engine fire the bleed air shutoff valve is closed electrically. The ENG FIRE handle when pulled deenergizes the shut off valve solenoid, thus closing the valve and due to excess pressure in the duct the HP valve closes.

Section 36-13 : WING LEADING EDGE VENTILATION

1. General
The wing leading edge ventilation system maintains a low temperature level inside the portion of the wing leading edges between fuselage and engine nacelles and allows escaping of eventual fuel vapours preventing possible fire due to a hot air bleed duct leakage.

2. Description
The ventilation is obtained only in flight by means of a ram air intake scoop located in the top of the engine nacelle and a distributing duct installed in the leading edge internal area. No monitoring or control is provided.

Section 36-20 : INDICATING

1. General
The pneumatic system controls and indicating consist of pushbutton switches, caution lights and magnetic indicators, that enable the crew to operate the system. Information is provided on its functioning, particularly overheating or duct leaks, that can cause eventual damage to aircraft structure, interior panels and components in the vicinity of hot air ducts. LEAK legend on caution light and AIR/BLEED LEAK/PTT pushbutton switch are described in section 36-22-00 which covers the Air Leak Detection System. 2. Alert AIR caution light, located on Crew Alerting Panel (CAP) comes on when : - one of FAULT legends of the bleed shutoff valve comes on when there is a valve position disagreement during normal bleed functioning, or an automatic shutdown of the bleed system due to an overheat or leak condition. - one of the two over temperature switches, close to the bleed shutoff valve reaches a temperature of 274C (525F) - a bleed air duct leak.

A single chime is associated with AIR light illumination. In the above conditions master CAUTION light also comes on.

Section 36-22 : AIR LEAK DETECTION SYSTEM

1. General
The air leak detection system is a continuous monitoring system that detects eventual overheating due to duct leakages. The system is installed in the following areas : - wing leading edge and wing to fuselage fairing ; - fuselage sidewall and underfloor ; - air conditioning pack (landing gear nacelle).

2. Description
The air leak detection system consists of two single loops, one for each engine, a control unit and an indicating system. Each engine loop consists of six sensing elements, located along the engine bleed air ducting in the following areas : - wing leading edge 11HF (10HF) - wing to fuselage fairing 13HF (12HF) - fuselage sidewall 15HF (14HF) - fuselage underfloor 17HF (16HF) - conditioning pack area 23HF (22HF) - fuselage underfloor 19HF (18HF) The sensing elements are connected to a multizone control unit, which gives electrical signals to the indicating system. The indicating system consists of : - two LEAK legends (on OVHT/LEAK caution light).

3. Component Description A. Control Unit 7 HF

The unit is installed on shelf 92VU in electronic rack. It is an electronic device with two monitoring circuits that detect the impedance of the continuous overheat element loops, and is supplied with 115VAC. In each circuit a supply transformer provides AC across the continuous element in series with the secondary of the transformer. The signal at the secondary of the transformer is half wave rectified and coupled to the level circuit. The level circuit initiates an alarm when the impedance of the continuous element reaches a predetermined low level.

B. Sensing Elements
The elements consist of a solid nickel conductor embedded in an insulating material and encased in an inconel tube hermetically sealed at both ends, and are located along all the bleed air ducting. The voids and clearances between the tubing, porous ceramic insulators, and centre conductors are saturated with a eutectic salt mix. When the element is exposed to hot gases or any other overheat condition the impedance between the centre conductor and outer casing drops sharply. When the alarm temperature is reached the relevant LEAK lights go on and the corresponding valves close. The elements are capable of "discrete" temperature sensing, which is accomplished by means of impedance/temperature characteristics of the eutectic salt in the sensing element. The term "discrete" means the ability to detect an alarm, even if only a portion of the element reaches the alarm temperature, regardless of the temperature exposed to the remainder of the system.

4. Operation
When the element length is heated up to the alarm temperature of 124 8C (255 15F) the control unit emits a signal which causes the corresponding LEAK legend to go on and after aone second delay the bleed air shut off and HP valves close, in the following sequence : LEFT ENGINE DUCT LEAK - L HP BLEED VALVE 19HA - L BLEED SHUTOFF VALVE 15HA - CROSSFEED VALVE 36HA (R engine in hotel mode) RIGHT ENGINE DUCT LEAK - R HP BLEED VALVE (20HA) - R BLEED SHUTOFF VALVE (16HA)

5. System Test

Both engine loops are tested simultaneously by pressing AIR BLEED LEAK PTT pushbutton switch, located on maintenance panel 702VU, if LEAK indicators illuminate the system is

functional, if any indicator remains off when PTT button is pressed a fault exists in the relevant loop.