Table of Contents

AirCon & Pressurisation B737-800

Slide 1 of 15

Presentation Outline Slide No.

Introduction ……………………………………….…. 2
Air Systems Overview ……………………………... 3
Air Conditioning Controls & Indicators ……...…. 4
Air Conditioning Packs ……………….…………… 5
Air Conditioning Distribution ……..……………... 7
Equipment Cooling ……………….………………... 9
Pressurisation Indicators ……….………………... 11
Cabin Pressure Controls …….….………………... 12
Questions ……………………………………..…….. 15
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This briefing remains the property of QANTAS. Copying for other than student’s own use is illegal. The subject
content of this briefing is correct at the time of publication. In any case, the Flight Crew Operations Manuals are
the authoritative documents. It is the responsibility of users to ensure that they are aware of changes or
corrections to subject matter circulated by QANTAS.
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AirCon & Pressurisation B737-800

Slide 2 of 15

Introduction
• Conditioned air for the cabin
is obtained from:
• Air conditioning packs
• Pre-conditioned
ground source
• Aircraft air
conditioning packs
• With engine
bleed air switches
ON do not operate
packs in HIGH during
take-off, approach &
landing (Limitations)
• One pack will provide
pressurisation & air conditioning to ceiling
• With one pack inoperative at dispatch
cruise is limited to 25,000 ft (MEL 21-1)
• Do not operate two packs from one engine bleed air source
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Slide 3 of 15
To Fwd
Air Systems Overview Cabin
To Aft
Cabin
• Conditioned air
Flow Rates
• Obtained from left and right packs
Normal 75 lb/min
• Approximately15% of conditioned air from High 105 lb/min
left pack goes directly to flight deck APU High 131 lb/min

• Remaining air distributed to passenger Limitation

cabin via the Mix Manifold With engine bleeds ON
• Recirc fans reduce load on packs do not operate packs in
HIGH during take-off,
landing or approach
• Flow control
• With pack switches in
AUTO get ‘normal flow’
• If a pack switched OFF in
flight with flap up, other
pack provides ‘high flow’
• With both engine bleeds
OFF & APU bleed ON,
get ‘high flow’ anytime
• On the ground with APU
providing air & either pack
selected to HIGH get ‘APU high flow’
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LEFT ELECTRONIC CONTROLLER RIGHT ELECTRONIC CONTROLLER

Lt pack primary control Rt pack primary control
Rt pack stby control Lt pack stby control
Aft Pax Zone temp control Fwd Pax Zone temp control
Cockpit stby Temp Control Cockpit primary Temp Control
Lt Ram Air Control Rt Ram Air Control
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Forward Overhead Panel
Air Conditioning Controls & Indicators
• Air Temperature Source Selector
• Supply duct for either of three zones
• Passenger cabin in fwd or aft zones
• Pack outlet temperature

• Temperature Selectors
• In AUTO, temperature controlled automatically -
temperature range is 18°C to 30°C
• Failure of a zone temperature controller will cause
zone temperature default to 24°C
• When one selector positioned OFF, closes related trim
air valve & selector is ignored by system
• If all selectors positioned OFF, left pack maintains 24°C
& right pack maintains 18°C
• Trim Air Switch
• Signals the trim air pressure regulating & shutoff valve
to open & allows bleed air to be directed to the three
trim air modulating valves
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Air Conditioning Packs

Pack operation
Pack Valve selected by Pack Switch
& pressure actuated
Pack Temp Control Valve determines
the amount of bleed air to bypass
air-cycle machine

Pack Temp Control Valve is positioned

by an electronic controller
& system also has a standby valve & controller

Primary Heat Exchanger pre-cools bleed air

& air-cycle machine expands & cools pre-cooled air

Several water extractors provide water to be sprayed over heat exchangers

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Air Conditioning Packs

• Pack operation
• Over temp in the air-cycle
machine or pack outlet or
failure of both controllers
causes PACK light Pack Valve
closes & Pack Temp Control
Valve closes (unless
both controllers failed)
• May get PACK on
Master Caution recall

• Ancillary controls
• Fan Bypass Check Valve
opens when ram
air pressure is low &
augments flow through duct
• Ram Air Modulation Panel is full
open on ground, in flight with flap
or as commanded
• Ram Air Deflector Door is open on ground & closed in flight
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Air Conditioning Distribution
• Trim air system
• Both packs produce the minimum
demanded temp
• Trim air adjusts all zone temps to that
required
• Failure of an electronic controller
causes trim air modulating valve
to close - packs run independently
• Failure of both CONT CAB Temp
controllers will cause MC and ZONE
TEMP light
• May get ZONE TEMP light
for Pax Zones on recall

• Recirc fans
• Fans normally
selected to AUTO
While in flight:
• One pack HIGH - left fan off
• Both packs HIGH - both fans off
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Slide 9 of 15
Forward Overhead Panel
Air Conditioning Controls & Indicators
• Zone Temp Lights
• Duct temperature overheat for the control cabin zone
or either passenger cabin zone will illuminate the
associated ZONE TEMP light
• Failure of the primary & standby electronic temp
controllers for control cabin will illuminate the
associated ZONE TEMP light
• Failure of either primary or standby electronic
temp controller will illuminate ZONE TEMP light
on Master Caution recall only
• Failure of either aft or fwd passenger cabin
electronic temp controller will illuminate
ZONE TEMP light on Master Caution recall

• Associated trim air modulating valve closes

(creating a flow of cooler air through the duct)
• Reset by pressing the Trip Reset switch
(any cooling period required?)
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Equipment Cooling
• Normal & Alternate systems • Supply & Exhaust fans
• Normal powered by Grd Srv Bus No.1 & Xfer Bus No.2 • Normal system uses
• Alternate powered by Xfer Busses No.1 & 2 one supply & one
exhaust fan
• Alternate system uses
one supply & one
exhaust fan
• If no flow detected in
ducts the OFF light
illuminates - giving
MASTER CAUTION &
OVERHEAD annunciator
• Crew call horn in nose
wheel well will sound if
no flow detected to IRSs
when they’re operating
• Switches are on Forward
Overhead Panel
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Equipment Cooling
• Supply fans
• Draw air through a filter & push
that air over the Captain’s DUs, the
Lower DU & through racks in E&E bay
• Air then discharged into the lower nose
compartment
• Exhaust blowers
• Draw air through the P6 & P5 panel, the
First Officer’s DUs, the Upper DU & racks
in the E&E bay
• Air then directed to Overboard Exhaust Valve

• Overboard Exhaust Valve

• Overboard Exhaust Valve is open whenever:
• On the ground or a pressure differential < 2 psi
(normal flow mode - exhausts cooling air)
• Anytime either pack in HIGH & right recirc fan
OFF (smoke clearance flow mode - NNC.0.39)
• When valve closed, warm air from exhaust
blowers is directed under forward cargo hold
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Pressurisation Indicators Forward Overhead Panel

• Cabin Altimeter/Differential Indicator
• Inner scale indicates cabin altitude
• Outer scale indicates difference between
cabin pressure & ambient pressure
• Altitude warning horn sounds when cabin
reaches 10,000’ altitude (same sound
used for take-off configuration warning)
• Two pressure relief valves limit differential to
9.1 psi (Air Systems Limitation)
• Caution band 8.4 psi to 9.1 psi
• Observe differential limit of 0.125 psi for
take-off & landing
• Cabin Rate Indicator
• Cabin rate indicated in feet per minute
• Detects pressure changes from port on back
of indicator
• AUTO system (see next slide) uses max
350 fpm descent & max 500 fpm climb
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Forward Overhead Panel
Cabin Pressure Control
• Auto & Alternate System
• Both systems are DC powered
• Requires cruise altitude &
destination airport altitude
• Cabin slightly pressurised during
take-off & depressurised after
landing with thrust near idle
• Monitor cabin rate & altitude to
ensure correct operation
• The AUTO FAIL light illuminates if:
• Loss of DC power; or
• Controller has internal fault; or
• Cabin rate >2,000 fpm; or
• Cabin altitude >15,800’; &
• Controller trips automatically to
ALTN but selector remains in AUTO
• The OFF SCHED DESCENT illuminates
if descent occurs before FLT ALT
• Controller assumes return to point
of departure unless FLT ALT reset
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Slide 14 of 15
Forward Overhead Panel
Cabin Pressure Control
• Manual System
• Powered from the DC Standby Bus
- MANUAL light illuminated when
active - full range takes 20 sec
• Assumes failure of auto & alternate
systems - modulate main outflow
valve as necessary
• Determine cabin altitude required
for the cruise using placard located
below the panel
• Closely monitor the Cabin Rate
Indicator & the Cabin Altimeter
• Supplementary Procedure SP.2.6 -
Manual Mode Operation
• Make thrust lever changes as
slowly as possible
• Before landing, depressurise
the cabin in the circuit
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Slide 15 of 15

Auto & Alternate Mode Pressurisation

Constant FLT ALT Setting

Aircraft Altitude
Altitude

Cruise Mode activates Descent Mode activates

0.25 psi before cruise 0.25 psi after descent

Normal Pressure Differential

Cabin pressurises to Cabin initially climbs at
7.45 psi at or below 28,000 ft
elevation minus 200 ft 500 fpm to 8.35 psi diff
7.80 psi above 28,000 ft
when take-off thrust then climbs with aircraft
8.35 psi above 37,000 ft
applied

Landing
Take-Off
Cabin Altitude

Cabin depressurises
(from 300 ft below)
once on ground with
thrust near idle

Taxi Climb Hold Climb Cruise Off Altitude Descent Taxi

Cabin Altitude vs Aircraft Altitude

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Slide 16 of 15

Questions
• With a pack switch in AUTO, when would the related pack automatically
switch to ‘high air flow’?
• Ans : Inflight with flap up & the other pack is not operating (pack valve closed)
Anytime engine bleed switches are OFF with APU providing bleed air (ref: 2.30.1)

• From where is bleed air normally obtained & what purpose does the
High Stage valve serve?
• Ans: 5th stage of the compressor; allows bleed air to be obtained from 9 th stage (ref:
12.20.2)

• When does the Load Fan augment flow through the ram air duct?
• Ans: Whenever ram air pressure in the duct is low (fan augments flow through the duct & hence
cooling flow over the heat exchangers) (ref: 2.30.2)

• What would cause the illumination of a PACK light?

• Ans: Compressor discharge or turbine inlet temp exceedance in the air-cycle machine;
Pack (air-cycle machine) outlet temp exceedance;
Failure of both the primary & standby Pack Controllers (ref: 2.20.2)