How does the AIRBUS FUEL SYSTEM work? Explained by CAPTAIN JOE
Summary
TLDRIn this Airbus A320 simulator video, Captain Joe offers a detailed overview of the aircraft's fuel system. The system includes fuel tanks that distribute fuel during refueling, supply to engines and APU, and support wing bending and flutter relief. The ECam display provides real-time fuel data, while the crossfeed valve ensures fuel balance in case of engine failure. The video also covers the six fuel pumps, suction valves for redundancy, and the fuel-to-oil heat exchanger that prevents fuel from freezing.
Takeaways
- 🌍 The video is from the TFC flight training center in Essen, Germany, and is part of a series on the Airbus A320.
- 🛫 The script provides a basic explanation of the Airbus A320's fuel system, including its components and functions.
- 💺 The fuel system is responsible for refueling, supplying fuel to the engines and APU, cooling oil, and providing information on the ECAM.
- 🔧 The cockpit contains fuel-related switches and displays, including the ECAM fuel panel, which is accessible by pressing the fuel button.
- ⚠️ The ECAM automatically displays the fuel page in case of system failures or warnings, ensuring pilots are informed.
- ⛽️ The refueling panel is located on the lower part of the fuselage, with the refueling coupling in the midsection on either side of the wings.
- 📊 The A320 has three fuel tanks: left and right wing tanks, and a center tank, with the wing tanks divided into inner and outer sections.
- 🔢 The total usable fuel capacity of the Airbus A320 is 23,858 liters or 6,302 US gallons.
- 📉 The ECAM fuel display shows the fuel on board (FOB), current fuel quantity in each tank, fuel temperature, and fuel pump operations.
- 🔄 The fuel system prioritizes using the center tanks first, then the inner tanks, with a transfer valve opening at 750 kg to allow outer tank fuel to flow into the inner tank.
- 🔄 The crossfeed valve allows fuel transfer from the heavier side to the lighter side in case of an engine failure or fuel imbalance.
- 🚫 There are no suction valves in the center tank, meaning if both pumps fail, the remaining fuel is not available for use.
- 🌡️ Fuel temperature is limited between -43°C and +45°C, with a fuel-to-oil heat exchanger installed to prevent fuel from freezing during flight.
Q & A
What is the primary function of the Airbus A320 fuel system?
-The Airbus A320 fuel system manages the distribution of fuel during refueling, supplies fuel to the engines and APU, cools the oil for the integrated drive generator lubrication system, maintains fuel in the outer wing for wing bending and flutter relief, and provides information on the ECAM and cockpit indication.
Where are the fuel switches and displays located in the cockpit?
-The fuel switches are located on the overhead panel, and the ECAM display shows the fuel panel after pressing the fuel button on the ECAM control panel.
What does the ECAM automatically display in case of a system failure or warning related to the fuel system?
-In case of a system failure or warning, the ECAM will automatically display the fuel page.
Where is the refueling panel located on the Airbus A320?
-The refueling panel is located on the lower part of the fuselage, below the right-hand wing.
How many tanks does the Airbus A320 have for fuel storage, and what are they?
-The Airbus A320 has three fuel tanks: the left and right wing tanks, and the center tank. The wing tanks are further divided into an inner tank and an outer tank.
What is the total usable fuel capacity of the Airbus A320 model?
-The total usable fuel capacity of the Airbus A320 model is 23,858 liters or 6,302 US gallons.
What is the purpose of the barrier between the outer and inner wing tanks?
-The barrier ensures that the fuel system primarily uses the center tanks first, then the inner tanks, and only allows the outer wing tank fuel to flow into the inner tank by gravity once the inner tanks reach a fuel level of 750 kilograms, to reduce wing bending and control wing flutter during flight.
What is the role of the crossfeed valve in the fuel system?
-The crossfeed valve allows fuel to be transferred from the heavier side to the lighter side in case of an abnormality like an engine failure, to prevent a fuel imbalance from causing further problems.
How many fuel pumps are there in the Airbus A320, and where are they located?
-There are six identical fuel pumps in total: two in each wing tank and two in the center tank.
How do the wing tank pumps operate, and when are they manually switched off?
-The wing tank pumps operate continuously, providing necessary pressure to the fuel line feeding the engines, and are manually switched off after the engines are shut down and reach the parking position.
What is the purpose of the fuel-to-oil heat exchanger in the Airbus A320?
-The fuel-to-oil heat exchanger is installed to prevent the jet A-1 fuel from freezing during cruise by using the cold fuel to cool the hot oil of the integrated drive generator, and the oil warms up the fuel.
What are the temperature limitations for jet A-1 fuel in the Airbus A320?
-The minimum temperature for jet A-1 fuel is -43 °C, and the maximum is +45 °C.
Outlines
🛩 Introduction to Airbus A320 Fuel System
This segment of the video script provides an overview of the Airbus A320's fuel system, highlighting its various functions such as fuel distribution during refueling, supplying fuel to engines and the auxiliary power unit (APU), cooling the oil for the integrated drive generator lubrication system, and managing fuel for wing bending and flutter relief. The script also describes the cockpit's fuel-related switches and the ECAM display, which shows fuel information and automatically displays the fuel page in case of system failures or warnings. Additionally, it details the external refueling panel and coupling locations, the division of fuel tanks into left, right, and center with further subdivisions into inner and outer tanks, and the total usable fuel capacity. The ECAM fuel display is explained, including the fuel on board (FOB), wing tank fuel quantities and temperatures, fuel pumps, crossfeed valve, and fuel lines. The script also explains the fuel system's strategy for reducing wing bending and controlling flutter by prioritizing the use of center and inner tanks before the outer tanks, and the role of the crossfeed valve in balancing fuel in case of engine failure.
✈️ Conclusion of the Airbus A320 Fuel System Video
In the concluding part of the video script, the narrator, Captain Joe, wraps up the basic introduction to the Airbus A320's fuel system. He expresses gratitude to TFC for providing access to the flight simulator used for the video. The segment also mentions the fuel-to-oil heat exchanger, a crucial component that prevents fuel from freezing by using the heat from the integrated drive generator's oil to warm the fuel. The video ends with a sign-off and a promise to continue the series next week, leaving viewers with a comprehensive understanding of the fuel system's operation and its importance in flight safety and performance.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Airbus A320
💡Fuel System
💡TFC Flight Training Center
💡ECAM
💡Fuel Tanks
💡Fuel Pumps
💡Crossfeed Valve
💡Wing Bending and Flutter Relief
💡Fuel-to-Oil Heat Exchanger
💡Jet A-1 Fuel
💡Captain Joe
Highlights
Introduction to the Airbus A320 fuel system in a 10-part video series.
The A320 fuel system's role in refueling, engine and APU fuel supply, oil cooling, wing bending and flutter relief, and ECAM information display.
Cockpit fuel-related switches and ECAM display functionalities.
Automatic ECAM fuel page display in case of system failure or warning.
External refueling panel and coupling locations on the A320.
Description of the three fuel tanks: left, right, and center, with further division into inner and outer tanks.
Total usable fuel capacity of the Airbus A320 model is 23,858 liters or 6,302 US gallons.
ECAM fuel display details, including FOB, wing tank fuel quantity and temperature, and fuel system components.
Explanation of the fuel system's operation to primarily use center tanks before inner tanks.
The function of the transfer valve to allow outer wing tank fuel to flow into the inner tank by gravity at a specific fuel level.
The purpose of the barrier between the outer and inner wing tanks to reduce wing bending and control flutter.
The crossfeed valve's role in transferring fuel between sides in case of engine failure or fuel imbalance.
Details on the six identical fuel pumps and their operation.
Redundancy provided by suction valves in each wing tank in case of pump failure.
Absence of suction valves in the center tank and the implications of center tank pump failure.
Temperature limitations for jet A-1 fuel and the Airbus fuel-to-oil heat exchanger to prevent freezing.
Closing remarks and acknowledgment of TFC flight training center and the Airbus A320 simulator.
Transcripts
dear friends and followers welcome back to my channel and greetings from the Airbus a 320 simulator at the
TFC flight training center here in Essen Germany. This is video number 3 out of 10
Airbus introduction videos and today, I'll be giving you a basic explanation of the Airbus A320 fuel system
So let's get started
(Air Traffic Control Radio)
(Up beat electronic music playing)
The A320 fuel system consists of the fuel tanks, controls the distribution of the fuel during refueling,
supplies fuel to the engines and apu
cools the oil for the integrated drive generator lubrication system
keeps fuel in the outer wing for wing bending and flutter relief and
supplies information on the Ecam and cockpit indication
Within the cockpit we have all the related fuel
switches on the overhead panel and the Ecam display showing the fuel panel after
pressing the fuel button on the Ecam control panel. Other than that the Ecam will
automatically display the fuel page in case of a system failure or warning.
Outside of the cockpit you can find a refueling panel on the lower part of the fuselage,
below the right-hand wing and the refueling coupling in the midsection on either side of the wings
The fuel is stored in three tanks: the left and right wing tank and the Center tank
The wing tanks are further divided into a inner tank and a outer tank. The total usable fuel capacity
is 23.858 liters or
6302 US gallons on the Airbus A320 model.
Okay, let's look at the Ecam fuel display. Starting at the bottom we have the FOB, the fuel on board
Moving up we have a scheme of the wing tanks, each showing the current fuel quantity and the fuel temperature
Except for the one in the center tank,
which isn't exposed as much to the outside air temperatures
compared to the wing tanks. Then you have the fuel pumps, the crossfeed valve and the fuel lines
Towards the engines
including the low pressure fuel valve.
Number one and two represent the engine one and two plus the fuel each engine has
used since engine starts and the sum of that. Now as you can see there is a barrier between the outer wing tank
and the inner wing tank. That's there for a specific reason, the fuel systems will primarily
empty or use the center tanks first
then the inner tanks and as soon as the inner tanks reach a fuel level of
750 kilograms,
a transfer valve will open, let in the outer wing tank fuel flow into the inner tank by gravity.
The reason therefore is to reduce wing bending and control wing flutter during flight.
Now, you can see that each side is isolated from each other, but if there were to be any
abnormality, like an engine failure for example, a fuel imbalance could create a further problem.
That's where the crossfeed valve comes to play. Normally the valve is closed, but setting it into the open position,
fuel then can be transferred from the heavier side to the lighter side using the fuel pumps accordingly.
There is a total of six identical fuel pumps: two in each in a wing tank and two in the center tank.
When the wing tank pumps are selected on, they operate continuously, providing necessary
pressure to the fuel line feeding the engines and are manually switched off after the engines are shut down and
reaching the parking position.
To make the system redundant, suction valves are installed in each wing tank.
So in case both fuel pumps fail in a wing tank the engines can use
suction pressure to extract the remaining fuel from the tank.
But there aren't any suction valves installed in the center tank.
Therefore in case both center tank pumps should fail, the remaining fuel is not available from the center tank
Also, the fuel is limited by temperature. The minimum temperature for jet A-1 fuel is
-43 °C and a maximum of +45 °C.
To counteract from fuel freezing up in cruise,
Airbus has installed a fuel-to-oil heat exchanger. During flight, the cold fuel cools
the hot oil of the integrated drive generator and at the same time the oil
warms up the fuel to prevent it from freezing. That's it for today
I hope you enjoyed the basic introduction video of the fuel system on the Airbus A320
Thank you very much for the support by TFC providing me with this great flight simulator and see you next week. All the best,
Your Captain Joe.
Electronic outro music playing
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