The primary purpose of an aircraft apu is to provide power to start the main engines.
Auxiliary power unit plane.
The auxiliary power unit safir 5k g mi is designed to supply air to engine starters and environmental control systems to drive the ac generator and to supply power to hydraulic systems.
Last week we explained how jet engines work and this week we ll talk about their little but often indispensable sibling at the back of the plane.
Through that hole is the auxiliary power unit the little engine that could.
Most of the power produced is used to run an electric generator and provide pneumatic air pressure.
The garrett gtcp gas turbine compressor air power unit electrics 85 129 was standard for the series 1 200 but when the 300 was introduced it was found that two to three times the energy was needed to start the larger cfm56 engines.
How an auxiliary power unit works.
Others can produce 28 v.
In airliners apu s are usually located at the very rear of the aircraft below the tail.
The auxiliary power unit is an actual turbine engine more appropriately called a turboshaft engine.
The apu is a compact self contained unit that provides compressed air for engine starting on the ground.
Turbine engines compressors must be turned to a significant speed for self sustain.
Unlike the aircraft s main engines the apu outputs almost no thrust.
I m assuming you mean the actual apu in the aircraft and not the large separate model used on the ground.
The unit provides compressed air for air conditioning while the airplane is on the ground and at limited altitude in flight.
There are many different apus available for the 737.
It also features a dual speed sensor exhaust gas temperature sensor oil and fuel signaling filter contamination and signaling of low oil levels.
Auxiliary power units are usually found on large aircraft and naval ships as well as some large land vehicles.
The airborne auxiliary power is obtained from a gas turbine auxiliary power unit apu.
As with everything in aviation it s primarily known by its acronym the apu.