The unit provides compressed air for air conditioning while the airplane is on the ground and at limited altitude in flight.
Auxiliary power unit plane.
It also features a dual speed sensor exhaust gas temperature sensor oil and fuel signaling filter contamination and signaling of low oil levels.
Unlike the aircraft s main engines the apu outputs almost no thrust.
An auxiliary power unit apu is a device on a vehicle that provides energy for functions other than propulsion they are commonly found on large aircraft and naval ships as well as some large land vehicles.
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.
Aircraft apus generally produce 115 v alternating current ac at 400 hz rather than 50 60 hz in mains supply to run the electrical systems of the aircraft.
The airborne auxiliary power is obtained from a gas turbine auxiliary power unit apu.
The primary purpose of an aircraft apu is to provide power to start the main engines.
There are many different apus available for the 737.
As with everything in aviation it s primarily known by its acronym the apu.
How an auxiliary power unit works.
In airliners apu s are usually located at the very rear of the aircraft below the tail.
The apu is a compact self contained unit that provides compressed air for engine starting on the ground.
Auxiliary power units are usually found on large aircraft and naval ships as well as some large land vehicles.
Others can produce 28 v.
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.
I m assuming you mean the actual apu in the aircraft and not the large separate model used on the ground.
The aircraft apu provides power to start the main engines.
The auxiliary power unit is an actual turbine engine more appropriately called a turboshaft engine.