Aircraft Systems Flashcards
Classification of 2 engine types
Cylinder arrangement, radial, inline, vtype, opposed
Operating cycle, 2 or 4
Cooling, air or liquid
Fixed pitch prop
Climb vs cruise prop, low vs high pitch
Some engines have shaft geared
Tachometer in rpm engine and prop
Adjustable pitch prop
Constant speed prop most common, maintains constant rpm despite air load
Most efficient
2 controlls: throttle for power output and prop for engine rpm
Constant speed prop governor maintains set rpm
Increase in airspeed or decrease in prop load causes prop angle to increase to maintain rpm
Decrease in airspeed or increase in prop load causes prop angle to decrease
Manifold pressure gauge
Absolute pressure of fuel-air mixture inside intake manifold
Color coded indicating engine ops range
Change manifold pressure and rpm in this order to avoid engine overstress
Reduce manifold pressure before rpm
Increase rpm before increasing manifold
Radial engines: minimize ops time at max rpm and manifold pressures
2 induction systems
- Carburetor mixes fuel and air before intake manifold
- Fuel injection mixes fuel and air immediately before each cylinder or injects fuel into cylinder
Types of carburetors
Flow type
Pressure type
Float type carburetor
Outside air through filter through venturi = narrow throat in carb
Low pressure area created forcing fuel to flow through main fuel jet at throat. Fuel then flows into airstream, mixed with air, drawn into intake manifold and combustion chamber
Float type disadvantages
Bad with abrupt maneuvers
Discharge of fuel at low pressure leads to incomplete vaporization
Icing tendency
Mixture Control
Full rich at sea level
Lower air density at altitude requires reduction in fuel density
Otherwise carbon build up occurs due to incomplete combustion causing loss of power
Increase mixture when descending
Monitor engine temp or exhaust gas temp
Carboator icing
Due to fuel vaporization and decrease in air pressure in venturi
Below 70F and above 80% humidity
Notice vibration, engine roughness
Use carboator heat to counter, will reduce engine power, use for a few min to melt ice
Temperature gauges
For outside air and carburetor air temp
Fuel injection system components
Engine driving fuel pump for after engine start
Fuel air control unit
Fuel manifold
Discharge nozzles
Auxiliary fuel pump for engine start
Fuel pressure/flow indicators
Fuel injection advantages
Reducing evaporation icing
Better fuel flow
Faster throttle response
Precise control of mixture
Better fuel distribution
Easier cold weather starts
Disadvantages
Difficulty starting hot engine, during hot days or restarting
Superchargers and Turbosuperchargers
Increase air pressure running through engine and therefor increase service ceiling of aircraft
Supercharger
Uses engine driven air compressor
1, 2 or variable speed
One or more stages
Intake air passes through ducts to carburetor, fuel-air charge ducted to supercharger blower impeller, accelerates outward, passes through diffuser, velocity traded for pressure, directed to cylinder
Turbocharger elements
Compressor and turbine
Induction air accelerated by impeller, large volume into compressor producing high pressure, high density air
Engine exhaust gas used to drive turbine wheel and impeller - adjusted with amount of exhaust gas directed to turbine vs waste gate
Use intercooler to cool compressed air
Overboost
Produce manifold pressure that exceeds engine limitations
Manual vs oil pressure control of waste gate
Advance throttle carefully
Oil temp in normal range first
Allow turbocharger to cool and turbine to slow before shutting off engine
Ignition system
2x magnetos, spark plugs, hich tension leads, ignition switch
Engine oil system functions
Lubrication of engine moving parts
Cooling of engine by reducing friction
Removing heat from cylinders
Seal between cylinder walls and pistons
Carrying away contaminants
Wet sump vs dry sump
Wet sump part of engine, pump drawing from sump routing into engine, then returns to sump
Dry sump external to the engine in a separate oil tank allowing for greater volumes of oil
Engine air cooling system
Air inlet, baffles, fins in cylinders, cowl flaps
Exhaust system
Exhaust valve and piping attached to cylinders
Muffler and Muffler shroud
EGT probe to measure exhaust manifold temp