JANUARY 20, 2022

ACHARYA INSTITUTE OF
TECHNOLOGY
Hessaraghatta Main Road, Soldevanahalli, Bengaluru -107

AIRCRAFT HYDRAULIC SYSTEMS-CASE STUDY

HYDRAULIC AND PNEUMATIC SYSTEM [ASSIGNMENT-3]

Submitted To:
ASST., PROF., NAVEEN KUMAR
Mechatronics department

Submitted By:
PRATHEEK H GADAGI
USN- 1AY19MT030
Mechatronics department
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Aircraft Hydraulic Systems

Introduction
Aircraft use hydraulic systems as a way of transferring power needed to move essential
component such as brakes, landing gear and flight control surfaces. This power is created by
pumps (either electrically driven, or powered by the aircrafts engine) and is then transferred
where it is needed through a series of pipes and valves.

Although one might rightly associate a hydraulic system with large commercial aircraft, even
light aircraft use hydraulics – to power brakes for example. Large complex aircraft have a
dedicated hydraulic system to move flight control surfaces such as flaps and slats, ailerons,
rudder, elevator, horizontal stabilizer, spoilers, speed brakes, landing gear, brakes and cargo
doors are also operated by hydraulic power.

The reason airplane hydraulic systems are used is because they provide the perfect amount of
force or pressure without requiring too much fluid, making them a big convenience for aircraft
of all types. Hydraulic systems are also very reliable and offer many advantages over a
pneumatic system.

Hydraulic technology first gained a foothold in aircraft flight control during World War II,
when hydraulics was introduced for some secondary systems’ control. However, as aircraft
flight performance and capabilities increased, hydraulics began to play a larger role in the
critical operation and safety of airliners, helicopters, and high-performance military aircraft.
Functions often powered by hydraulics in commercial aircraft include primary flight controls,
flap/slat drives, landing gear, nose wheel steering, thrust reversers, spoilers, rudders, cargo
doors, and emergency hydraulic-driven electrical generators.

In modern aircraft, some of the places that hydraulics come into play include primary flight
controls, flap/slat drives, landing gear, nose wheel steering, thrust reversers, spoilers, rudders,
cargo doors, and emergency hydraulic-driven electrical generators. Military aircraft also use
hydraulics on gun drives, weapons-bay doors, and hydraulic-motor-driven-fan heat
exchangers. Factors that must be addressed on an aircraft include pressure conditions (both
internal and ambient), temperature extremes, weight, speed, materials, reliability, fluid
compatibility, leaks, cost, noise, and redundancy.

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Aircraft Hydraulic System Components

Basic aircraft hydraulic systems contain 4 main components: the hydraulic reservoir which is
a store of fluid, the pump which supplies the pressure, and the selector valve which controls
the actuator. More advanced hydraulic systems, like those on modern commercial jets, also
contain accumulators which store energy, the PTU which can transfer that energy from one
system to another, and the RAT which is an emergency back-up device.
Reservoir
The reservoirs are where the hydraulic fluid is stored. They allow the systems to be replenished
and for air to be bled from the system.
Modern commercial aircraft have one reservoir for each system – for example both the Airbus
A320 and A330 have three hydraulic reservoirs.
Bootstrap (pressurized) reservoirs are used on military aircraft to keep the charge inlet of
pumps pressurized to prevent cavitation. Imagine the problems that could result if a military
fighter used a traditional industrial reservoir and executed a roll. Commercial airliners often
use reservoirs with an air charge. Space and weight limitations in aircraft demand that
reservoirs be much smaller than they are in conventional hydraulic systems. Reservoir size is
optimized for aircraft so that only the amount of fluid needed for proper function is carried.
Sizing considerations often include:
• differential volume requirements due to actuator differential areas,
• volume required to fill accumulators when totally discharged,
• volume required to make up fluid when total thermal contraction and expansion of fluid
is experienced, and
• amount needed to minimize the frequency of filling.
Hydraulic Pump
The Engine Drive Pump (EDP) as the name suggests gets its power from the rotation of the
engines. In fact, even in the event of a loss of all engines, the airflow will rotate the engines
enough to provide some hydraulic power through the EDPs. Normally the engine-driven pump
has a backup electrical pump which
is available in case of failure of the
EDP, or engine failure, not all
hydraulic pumps are powered by the
engines or electric motor though –
some pumps are powered by airflow
or by hand. For example, Airbus
A320 and A330 aircraft have a
hydraulic hand pump that is
accessible to the ground crew and
allows them to open or close the
cargo doors even when the aircraft’s
main hydraulic systems are de-
powered.

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Accumulator
Aircraft hydraulic accumulators are a vital part of the hydraulic system. These are pressurized
containers that store fluid under pressure – i.e. the accumulator a store of energy.
The main functions of hydraulic accumulators are:
• As a storage of energy
• As a limited storage of fluid under pressure available in an emergency – i.e. the Airbus
emergency braking memory items calls for use of the parking brake (which is powered
by an accumulator)
• Dampens pressure fluctuations.
• To assist the hydraulic pumps during high load (e.g. landing gear retraction)
• To account for thermal expansion of the fluid
Actuator
As the fluid pressure is created by the pump and transmitted through the hydraulic system it
arrives at the actuator whose job it is to turn the force of the fluid flow into mechanical power.

Ram Air Turbine (RAT)

A hydraulic component that can be powered by airflow is the Ram Air Turbine (RAT). This
ingenious device is used in an emergency situation when small propeller is deployed
automatically out of the aircraft and into the airflow. This propeller in turn supplies limited
hydraulic pressure to allow the pilots to control the aircraft after the loss of normal hydraulic
power.
Power Transfer Unit (PTU)
The Power Transfer Unit (PTU) as the name suggests transfer power from one hydraulic system
to another. The PTU is a backup device that allows the transfer of energy from one system to
another.
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For example, if a hydraulic pump was to fail in a particular system, a PTU would allow the
hydraulic pressure to be transferred from the other still functioning system. The Power Transfer
Unit (PTU) is a transfer of power only, it does not transfer any fluid between systems. The
PTU can either by selected on manually by the pilots or it can operate automatically if a loss
of pressure is detected in one hydraulic system.
For example, the PTU on the Airbus A320 operates automatically if it detects a difference in
pressure between the yellow and green systems of 500 psi. This arrangement also allows the
hydraulics to be powered on the ground with the engines stopped – the yellow system can be
powered by an electric pump and with the use of the PTU the pressure is transferred to the
green system.

Hydraulic Fluid
Obviously, an essential part of the hydraulic system, hydraulic allows the transfer of pressure
from the pumps to the actuators.
There are a number of highly-desirable properties for aircraft hydraulic fluid:
• Incompressibility
• Non flammable
• Resistance to corrosion
• Resistance to heating/freezing
• Good lubrication
• Low viscosity
Fluids used on aircraft have a relatively flat (compared to industrial fluids) viscosity vs.
temperature curve — in other words, they are somewhat thin. One characteristic of aircraft
hydraulic fluids that makes them unique is that they remain fluid at –65° F, a temperature at
which water and vegetable-based oils will freeze. The current fluids of choice in the aerospace
industry are:
MIL-H-5606 — first introduced over fifty years ago and still used on many aircraft. Used on
business jets and many U.S. Air Force aircraft, it is highly flammable and considered
responsible for the loss of at least one military aircraft, due to the fire created.

MIL-H-83282 — first used by the Air Force in 1982 and the U.S. Navy in 1997, it is less
flammable than 5606, but much more viscous at low temperature. The lower temperature limit
of MIL-H-83282 is considered –40° F, and it is used in virtually all Navy aircraft.

MIL-H-87257 — this newest fluid is used in C135, E3, and U2 aircraft; it is less flammable
than 5606 (similar to 83282) but its viscosity at low temperatures allows use down to –65° F.
Considered the fluid of choice for newer aircraft being developed, and

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Skydrol and Hyjet — these alkyl phosphate ester-based fluids are used on commercial
aircraft, and are less flammable than the military fluids described above. Maximum
temperature limit is 160° F. These fluids have been around at least since the 1960s.

Hydraulic Valves
There are numerous types of valves used in aircraft hydraulic systems, generally falling into
the categories of Flow Control Valves or Pressure Control Valves.
• Flow Control Valves allow the pressure to be directed to where it is needed and come
in the form of selector, sequence, shuttle and restrictor valves.
• Selector valves allow you to select the direction of flow of the fluid whereas sequence
valves are used to create a sequence of events – for example during landing gear
retraction.
• Shuttle valves can be used in emergency situations to isolate the main supply and
instead route hydraulic pressure from an emergency supply. This can serve to supply
hydraulic pressure to essential services even in the event of a leak in the main system.
• Restrictor valves control the speed of operation – for example they can be used to
regulate the speed of flap deployment.
• Priority valves: These valves are used to protect vital aircraft systems in the event of
a serious hydraulic failure. During normal operation the pressure entering the priority
valve is sufficient to allow the fluid to flow out to both primary and secondary services.
In the case of a reduction in pressure the valve partially closes and cuts off supply to
the secondary (less important services) thereby protecting critical controls.
For example, the Airbus A330 hydraulic system has a a priority valve system that, in
the event of low hydraulic pressure, will cut off “heavy load users” such as the landing
gear, nosewheel steering and emergency generator to protect the pressure supply for the
flight controls and normal braking.

Hydraulic Fluid Cooling

Due to the immense pressures exerted on hydraulic fluids cooling them is critical. If the fluid
becomes too hot it may cause the fluid to expand or break down causing damage to the entire
system. This temperature is usually measured at the pumps and at the reservoir. A “heat
exchanger” is used to dissipate heat and cool the fluid. On light aircraft this cooling is often
achieved with airflow. On larger aircraft the heat exchanger operates to cool the fluid using
cold aircraft fuel. Often during cruise the temperature of the fuel can become very cold. For
example, the Airbus A320 FUEL LOW TEMP ECAM triggers at about -45ºF/-43ºC.

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Real World Examples

Now that we have a good understanding of the various parts of an aircraft’s hydraulic system,
let’s take a look at a real-world example:

Airbus A330 Hydraulic System

The Airbus A330 hydraulic system is comprised of three independent systems that operate
continually to power the flight controls and various systems including the landing gear, brakes,
nose wheel steering and the emergency electrical generator (EMER GEN).

The Green, Blue and Yellow hydraulic systems each have their own reservoir and are supplied
with a normal system pressure of 3000psi by engine driven pumps (EDPs). Each system (green,
blue and yellow) also has its own backup electrical pump which can supply pressure in the
event of EDP failure or engine failure.

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A Hydraulic System Monitoring Unit (HSMU) monitors the system for faults and displays
them on ECAM (Electronic Aircraft Centralized Monitor). The HSMU also controls the
electric pumps, fire shutoff valves, leak measurement valves and the RAT extension in an
emergency. The ECAM (Electronic Centralized Monitoring) system will also provide warnings
to the pilots and checklists to deal with any emergency situations.

A330 Green Hydraulic System

The green system is further backed up by a Ram Air Turbine (RAT) which can supply hydraulic
pressure to vital systems in the event of a serious electrical failure or a loss of both engines. In
the event of hydraulic pressure being supplied by the RAT the pressure is reduced to 2500psi.

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Particularly interesting is the RAT, or Ram Air Turbine. This last-gasp system comes online in
an extreme emergency. The RAT is a spring-loaded device usually located near the nose of the
plane, which is deployed in case of a total loss of power. The RAT basically consists of a
propeller that turns a hydraulic pump - providing enough power to allow the pilot to make
rudimentary landing gear and aileron adjustments upon landing. Its only drawback is noise -
commonly on the scale of 120 dBA.
Under normal circumstances, green hydraulic pressure on the A330 is supplied by engine
driven pumps (EDPs) – one in each engine. The green hydraulic system can also be supplied
by the green electric pump. In an emergency the green system can be pressurized by the Ram
Air Turbine (RAT). The RAT is a small propeller that can be deployed manually by pressing
the “RAT MAN ON” on the overhead panel. The RAT also deploys automatically in the event
of a loss of both engines or low hydraulic fluid level in the green and yellow, or green and blue,
reservoirs. If this is the case the available green hydraulic pressure is 2500psi. This is due to
the fact the RAT flow varies with air speed and only supplies between 15-45% of the pressure
that would be supplied by an engine-driven pump.
Systems Powered by Green Hydraulics
• Emergency Electrical Generator (EMER GEN)
• Nose Wheel Steering (NWS)
• Landing Gear
• Normal Braking
• Flaps & Slats
• Flap & Slat Wing Tip Brakes (WTB)
• Yaw Damper 1
• Spoilers 1 & 5
• Inboard & Outboard Aileron
• Lefthand & Righthand Elevator
• Rudder

A330 Blue Hydraulic System

Main blue hydraulic pressure on the A330 is supplied by an engine driven pump on engine
number 1 (EDP 1). Backup hydraulic supply to the blue system is by means of the blue
electrical pump.

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Blue Electric Pump

The blue electric pump (BLUE ELEC PUMP) can also pressurize the blue hydraulic system.
The blue electric pump can be selected on manually on the overhead panel. The blue pump will
also operate automatically in the event of an engine one failure, together with the loss of PRIM
1 or PRIM 3 (Flight Control Primary Computers) – this is to ensure sufficient control authority
is available on the electrical rudder (if installed) to counteract the yaw created by the engine
failure.
Systems Powered by Blue Hydraulics
• Alternate Braking
• Parking Brake
• Slats
• Slats Wing Tip Brakes (WTB)
• Pitch Trim 2
• Backup Yaw Damper Unit (BYDU)
• Spoilers 2 & 3
• Inboard Aileron
• Lefthand Elevator
• Rudder

A330 Yellow Hydraulic System

The yellow hydraulic system on the Airbus A330 is powered by an engine-drive pump (EDP)
in Engine 2. There are also an electric
pump and a hand pump able to supply
the yellow system with pressure.

Yellow Electric Pump

The yellow electric pump can be manually selected to run by a switch on the overhead panel.
It will also run automatically in either of the following situations:
• With a failure of Engine 2 in flight, and with the flap level not set to 0. The pump runs
to ensure flap retraction in proper time if the engine failures during take off.
• On the ground the pump will run when the cargo doors are operated by the ground crew.
The hand pump can be used by the ground crew to operate the cargo doors when there
is no electrical connection available to run the electrical pump.

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Systems Powered by Yellow Hydraulics

• Flaps
• Flaps Wing Tip Brakes (WTB)
• Pitch Trim 1
• Yaw Damper 2
• Backup Yaw Damper Unit (BYDU)
• Spoilers 4 & 6
• Outboard Aileron
• Righthand Elevator
• Rudder

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Conclusion:
Hydraulics used in airplanes provide many different advantages. For instance, they are very
reliable and dependable systems, and they require a small number of moving parts, which
means fewer things can go wrong. They also respond very quickly to control inputs, which is
important because it directly affects the efficiency and safety of the airplane.
In addition, hydraulic fluid is not susceptible to compression, which means that as the plane
takes off and lands, this fluid is not going to change the pressure and, therefore, the plane is
more reliable and efficient. Hydraulic systems enable the plane to provide a smoother, safer
ride and are especially important in critical flight situations where the pilot has to execute
certain functions without being concerned about how long those actions will take or if they will
happen at all.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that airplane hydraulic systems are perfect, because they are not.
These systems still need preventative maintenance provided by well trained and qualified
professionals. However, with regular and consistent maintenance, these systems are very
reliable and efficient, which is why so many airplanes now utilize them.

References:
• https://www.aerospacengineering.net/aircraft-hydraulic-system/
• https://www.aviationmatters.co/aircraft-hydraulic-systems/
• https://www.aviationmatters.co/airbus-a320-hydraulic-system/
• https://www.aviationmatters.co/airbus-a330-hydraulic-system-
an-authoritative-guide/
• https://aerocorner.com/blog/how-airplanes-use-hydraulics/
• https://www.aviationmatters.co/aircraft-ram-air-turbine-rat/
• https://www.powermotiontech.com/applications/aerospace/articl
e/21885021/the-challenges-of-aircraft-hydraulic-design
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ram_air_turbine

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