MENU

ELECTRICAL
System presentation 1/41 MENU
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ELECTRICAL
System presentation 2/41
The A320 electrical system looks very much like
electrical systems which you are familiar with. It is simply
more automatic and easier to use.
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ELECTRICAL
System presentation 3/41
GEN 1 GEN 2
GEN 1
There are two engine driven generators.
GEN 2
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System presentation 4/41
GEN 1
The generators maintain a constant speed by a drive
mechanism known as an Integrated Drive Generator (IDG).
GEN 2
IDG 1 IDG 2
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ELECTRICAL
System presentation 5/41
Each generator supplies Alternating Current (AC) to its
own bus:
Generator 1 to AC bus 1,
Generator 2 to AC bus 2.
GEN 1 GEN 2
IDG 1 IDG 2
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System presentation 6/41
TR 2 TR 1
GEN 1 GEN 2
IDG 1 IDG 2
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System presentation 7/41
Each AC bus supplies its own Transformer Rectifier
(TR):
AC bus 1 to TR 1,
AC bus 2 to TR 2.

The TR convert alternating current into direct current
(DC) to supply their associated DC buses, DC 1 and DC 2.
GEN 1 GEN 2
TR 2 TR 1
IDG 1 IDG 2
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ELECTRICAL
System presentation 8/41
GEN 1 GEN 2
TR 2 TR 1
IDG 1 IDG 2
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System presentation 9/41
GEN 1 GEN 2
TR 2 TR 1
DC bus 1 then, feeds the DC BAT bus (DC BAT).

The DC battery bus can charge the batteries or receive
power from the batteries, as required. This will be
explained further in Normal operation.
IDG 1 IDG 2
BAT 1 BAT 2
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ELECTRICAL
System presentation 10/41
GEN 1 GEN 2
TR 2 TR 1
IDG 1 IDG 2
BAT 1 BAT 2
The electrical system also includes two essential buses.

The first one is the AC ESS bus fed by AC bus 1 and the
second one is the DC ESS bus fed by DC bus 1.
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ELECTRICAL
System presentation 11/41
GEN 1 GEN 2
TR 2 TR 1
This is the basic electrical system.

We will now introduce some other components which
supply the basic system.
IDG 1 IDG 2
BAT 1 BAT 2
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ELECTRICAL
System presentation 12/41
GEN 1 GEN 2
TR 2 TR 1
The electrical network can also be supplied by the APU
generator.
APU GEN
APU GEN
IDG 1 IDG 2
BAT 1 BAT 2
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ELECTRICAL
System presentation 13/41
GEN 1 GEN 2
TR 2 TR 1
These three generators are all identical and any one of
them can supply the entire aircraft electrical needs.
APU GEN
IDG 1 IDG 2
BAT 1 BAT 2
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ELECTRICAL
System presentation 14/41
GEN 1 GEN 2
TR 2 TR 1
APU GEN
IDG 1 IDG 2
BAT 1 BAT 2
On the ground, the aircraft can be supplied by an
external power source.
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ELECTRICAL
System presentation 15/41
As a backup, there is a hydraulically driven EMERgency
electrical GENerator (EMER GEN).
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TR 2 TR 1
GEN 1 GEN 2
BAT 1 BAT 2
APU GEN
EMER GEN
IDG 1 IDG 2
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ELECTRICAL
System presentation 16/41
The hydraulic power to drive the EMER GEN is provided
by a Ram Air Turbine (RAT) located in the belly fairing
which extends in case of severe electrical or hydraulic
failures.
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TR 2 TR 1
GEN 1 GEN 2
BAT 1 BAT 2
APU GEN
EMER GEN
IDG 1 IDG 2
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ELECTRICAL
System presentation 17/41
GEN 1 GEN 2
TR 2 TR 1
APU GEN
ESS TR
EMER GEN
IDG 1 IDG 2
BAT 1 BAT 2
The electrical system is also fitted with an ESSential
Transformer Rectifier (ESS TR).

We will see the EMER GEN and the ESS TR in detail in
the Abnormal operation module.
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ELECTRICAL
System presentation 18/41
GEN 1 GEN 2
TR 2 TR 1
APU GEN
ESS TR
EMER GEN
Now, let's see how this information is presented to the
pilots in the cockpit.

We will introduce the ECAM ELEC page.
IDG 1 IDG 2
BAT 1 BAT 2
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ELECTRICAL
System presentation 19/41
GEN 1 GEN 2
TR 2 TR 1
APU GEN
ESS TR
EMER GEN
You can see that all the components we have talked
about are displayed on the ECAM page. Notice that each
component has a title to aid identification.
Lets briefly review the basic system using the ECAM
ELEC page.
IDG 1 IDG 2
BAT 1 BAT 2
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ELECTRICAL
System presentation 20/41
GEN 1 and GEN 2 supplying AC bus 1 and AC bus 2.
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System presentation 21/41
TR 1 and TR 2 supplying DC bus 1 and DC bus 2.
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System presentation 22/41
Two essential busses supplied by the left side.
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System presentation 23/41
The DC BAT bus and two batteries.
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ELECTRICAL
System presentation 24/41
For simplification the component indications have been
removed, lets now present them.
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ELECTRICAL
System presentation 25/41
As shown, each component can be monitored via its
indications.
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System presentation 26/41
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System presentation 27/41
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System presentation 28/41
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System presentation 29/41 MENU




IDG temperature.



frequency ,


current or load for the generators,
These indications are:
voltage,
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ELECTRICAL
System presentation 30/41
You can also notice the different connections displayed
via green lines.

Lets now locate the various controls available to the
pilots and associate them with the components displayed
on the ECAM.
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ELECTRICAL
System presentation 31/41
The ELEC panel is located on
the overhead panel .
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ELECTRICAL
System presentation 32/41
For emergency cases, there is an EMER ELEC
PWR panel on the left side of the overhead panel.
Now lets look at the relationship between the
ELEC panel and the ECAM ELEC page.
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ELECTRICAL
System presentation 33/41
The battery voltage can be
monitored either on the overhead
panel or the ECAM page.
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ELECTRICAL
System presentation 34/41
Each battery is controlled by a pb sw.
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System presentation 35/41
Both main generators and the APU generator
are controlled by their associated pb sw.
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System presentation 36/41
The external power is also controlled by a pb sw.

We will learn how to use it in the Normal
operation modules.
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ELECTRICAL
System presentation 37/41
The AC ESS FEED pb sw enables the pilots to
change the feed for the AC ESS bus from AC bus 1
to AC bus 2.
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ELECTRICAL
System presentation 38/41
The BUS TIE pb sw enables the
pilots to isolate one side of the
system from the other. You will
see and do this in the abnormal
operation modules.
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ELECTRICAL
System presentation 39/41
In case of failure, these pb sw enable you to
disconnect an IDG from its drive shaft.
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System presentation 40/41 MENU
The controls and indications on the
EMER ELEC PWR panel will be covered in
the abnormal operation modules.
There is one exception. The EMER GEN
TEST sw is used by maintenance only to
test the emergency generator.
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ELECTRICAL
System presentation 41/41
In this module, you have seen the electrical
configuration on ground, with both engines
running and with APU generator and external
power available.

We will introduce you to the different possible
configurations in the next modules.
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Module completed
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ELECTRICAL
System presentation 42/41
LIST OF SUBJECTS
EXIT RETURN
SYSTEM INTRODUCTION
ECAM ELEC PAGE
EMER ELEC PWR PANEL
PANEL LOCATIONS
ELEC PANEL