COURSE: AIRCRAFT ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (AKD20403)

TITLE: AIRCRAFT FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM

ASSIGNMENT NO: 11

PREPARED BY:

MUHAMMAD AFIQ BIN AZMAN(53104118098)

4AVM2
MUHAMAD AIMAN BIN ASKAN(53104118250)
4AVM2
MUHAMMAD AFIQ AIMAN BIN MD IRZAN(53104118138)
4AVM2
NUR ATIQAH NABILAH BT RAZALI(53104118185)
4AVM2
IZZAT AMIR FAIQ BIN MUHAINI(53104118267)
4AVM1

DATE OF SUBMISSION : 8 JUNE 2020

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 Figure 1: Aircraft Fire Protection System

A. The following questions are based on Figure 1.

1. Explain the operation of the system when the element loop (Fenwal sensor) senses a
fire. The explanation must be a step by step process by following a proper sequence.
(20 points)

● Fenwal sensor
o Pure nickel as the inner conductor
o Flexible Inconel (metal alloy) as outer conductor
o Porous ceramic insulating material filled the space between
center conductor and tubing wall
o The voids and clearances between the tubing and the ceramic
material are saturated with a eutectic salt mixture which has a
low melting point.
o When the temperature is normal, the ceramic material acts as
an insulator and no current flows between the inner and outer
conductors.
o When there is overheating or fire, the eutectic salt melts
causing the resistance of the ceramic material to fall rapidly
and it became conductor instead of insulator
o A fire or overheat reduces the resistance of the element,
shorting the center wire to the Earth.
o Both end of fenwal get voltage supply from control circuit.
o When normal temperature there is no current flow.
o Rise of temperature allow current flow to earth.
o Current flow sensed by control unit.

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● Operation of the system
o In the loop detection system the Fenwal sensor are routed around fire
zones to form a complete loop.By using this fenwal sensor it will be
able to detect fire and also the overheating.
o When fenwal exposed to hot (overheating or fire) the salt melts and
cause the resistance of ceramic material to fall rapidly and it became
conductor instead of insulator
o Hot condition reduce the resistance of the element (shorting the
center wire to the earth
o The increased current is sensed by the amplifier which energized the
relay
o The relay energized and the contact will close allow current from
essential DC bus to flow
o The fire handle light circuit are now complete by the relay
connection. So the current now flow from essential DC bus to the fire
handle light and the fire handle light will be turn on
o At the same time the fire warning relay circuit now complete
o So the current will energized the fire warning relay
o The contact will be close so the master warning light circuit , the tone
amplifier circuit and the tone generator circuit are now complete
o The essential DC bus allow current to flow through the contact and
flow into the diode of master warning light then power up the master
warning light so the master warning light is turn on
o The contact also allow the current to flow to tone generator allow the
tone generator to work
o Last but not least the contact allow current to flow to the tone
generator that’s allow the tone amplifier power up the speaker then
emergency fire tone can be able to hear through the overhead speaker
o So now the fire warning system will be able to give visual warning
(fire handle light, master fire warning light) and aural
warning(emergency fire warning)
o As soon as fire or overheat condition have been removed the eutectic
salt returns to its original or stand-by condition.
o This system is automatically reset when the condition back into
normal

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2. Explain what will happen if the Fire Warning Test Switch is selected to Test. (10
points)

● When fire warning test switch is press two contact will be close
● The current from essential DC bus will flow through the contact and
energized the test relay
● The contact at the test relay will be close
● This condition allow the fire warning amplifier relay to be a complete circuit
● The current from the essential DC bus now can energized the fire warning
amplifier to be energized
● The contact will be close so the essential DC bus be able to flow to the fire
handle light because the fire handle light are now complete circuit
● The fire warning relay now also complete circuit so the relay can be
energized
● The contact that close by the relay make the master warning light circuit
complete
● The master warning light now turn on by getting power from essential DC
bus
● The close contact also allow the current power up the tone generator
● The tone amplifier also turn on so that the speaker now give audio fire
warning
● So the test switch will make all the light warning (master fire light , fire
handle light) and audio warning to operate
● This test will test the light and speaker warning system
● Test of this system also allow current to flow through the fenwal sensor

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3. Explain what will happen if the Audible Fire Warning Switch is selected to Silence
position. When will be the action needed? (10 points)

 The audible fire warning switch is selected to silence position.

 The silence relay will activated and energizes that will removes the power supply
from the tone generator and the tone amplifier.
 Thus, tone generator will be off and tone amplifier also will be off.
 Therefore, the overhead speaker will be off.
 The silence relay will also supplies its own hold in circuit when energizes to ensure
that the silence relay contact will remain at its position until the fire handles and
warning lights turn off.
 Once fire extinguished, the element resistance increases, and the fire warning relay
energizes when the element loop not exposed to heat and causes the silence relay to
change position.
 Therefore, the entire system will return to its normal stand-by state.

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4. Explain what will happen if the Audible Fire Warning Switch is selected to Test
position. (20 points)

 When audible warning switch is selected to Test position, both contacts will change
to up position (test).
 Power supply form the essential DC bus circuit breaker will flow through audible
fire warning switch ‘Silence’ contact to the fire handles.
 This will triggering the fire handles and it will start working.
 Power is continue to flow to the fire warning relay thus, it will energizes which then
supplies power to the audible fire warning system and to the master fire warning
lights
 Power is then continue to be supplied to the tone generator and tone amplifier
therefore, it will both is ‘ON’.
 Thus, overhead speaker will be ON.
 The moment power is supplied to the silence contact, power also been supply to the
audible fire warning switch ‘Test’ contact.
 Power supply will flow from the ‘Test’ contact to the master fire warning lights and
test the master fire warning light.
 It can also be fed to tone generator to triggers it.
 The uses of element loop, test relay, fire warning amplifier are excluded in this
testing operation.

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 Figure 2: Sensor Responder System

B. The following questions are based on Figure 2 above

1. Explain the operation of the system above when an overheat condition is present (10
points)

 The responder contains two identical pressure switches.

 The Responder Alarm Switch is normally open and closes only when gas pressure
in the sensor tube increases.
 This is due to an overheat or fire condition occurring in the area of the sensor.
 Switch is normally held closed by the normal helium gas pressure in the sensor
tube.
 Switch also will only open if the sensor is damaged and the helium gas is depleted.
 The Systron-Donner pressure sensor responder system sets an alarm whenever there
is overheat or fire condition.
 When the average temperature along the length of the sensor exceeds a specified
level, the helium gas pressure will increase to an exceeding point
 This will close the Responder Alarm pressure switch in the responder and signal an
overheat condition.
 When the overheat condition is removed and the temperature begins to drop, the
helium gas will contract and reduce the pressure in the tube.
 This will cause the Alarm pressure switch to open, and the system will be back to
normal.

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2. Explain in detail what will happen when the Press-To-Test Integrity switch is
pressed. (10 points)

The Press-To-Test Integrity switch or ‘Test’ switch can be closed at any time by
flight crew to test the integrity of the system (usually a mandatory pre-flight check).
When pressed, 28VDC is supplied via the Test switch and the closed contacts of the
Integrity Switch within the responder to the alarm circuits, indicating a fire
condition. If the sensor was damaged and the helium gas depleted, the Integrity
Switch contacts would be open and NO fire indication would be visible during the
test.

C. Comparison & Testing of Installed Tubular Type sensor

1. List down at least 5 differences between system in Figure 1 and in Figure 2. (10
points)

- Figure 1 uses the principle of element loop (fenwal sensor) meanwhile in Figure
2 it uses the Systron-Donner pressure sensor responder system which uses the
helium gases.
- For figure 1 a fire or overheat reduces the resistance of the element, shorting the
center wire to earth and the increased current is sensed by the amplifier which
will energizes the relay meanwhile for figure 2, if an overheat or fire condition is
sensed, the Responder Alarm Switch closes and will have 28VDC supplied via
the contacts of this switch to the alarm circuits.
- For Fenwal, the inconel tubing can be easily bent for positioning while the
stainless steel in systron-donner cannot be easily to bent.
- Fenwal circuit also will have problem due to contamination of connections
meanwhile systron donner's wire can prevent the total collapse of tubing and can
be fix by a loss of gas which is the only way the system can be fix.
- Figure 1 which is Fenwal and figure 2 which is systron donner also have a
disadvantage. Fenwal is easily damaged meanwhile systron-donner is not easily
to damage because it have stainless steel on the outer tube.

2. How to carry out a testing on an installed tubular type sensor? (10 points)

Operational tests are accomplished by applying heat to the installed detector. When
a controlled flame is applied the system should provide an alarm. When the heat is
removed the alarm should reset.The testing of sensing elements will vary according
to design and principle of operation. e.g. Systems that operate due to a change in
resistance (Fenwal & Kidde) are tested by checking the resistance of the conductors,
and the insulation between the centre conductors and the outer tube.For daily and
pre-flight checks the ‘Press-to-Test’ system is used.