Assignment 3 - Oxygen Systems

Robert Henderson

On most jet airliners each crew station holds quick-donning diluter demand mask/regulators that the aircrew oxygen system uses. Below is a schematic of the oxygen system in an executive jet. Most executive jets that operate at high altitude are equipped with diluter demand or pressure demand oxygen regulators for the flight crew and a continuous flow system for the occupants of the cabin.

On a Boeing 737 the oxygen in the cabin is supplied by a single cylinder and the flow is controlled by a pressure-reducing regulator, allowing low pressure oxygen to be supplied. Normal pressure is 1850 psi. The mask/regulator on a 737 is stored in a box that is adjacent to each crew station. The mask is placed over the head and levers are released to allow the mask harness to contract and properly fit the mask to the head and face. A regulator is mounted on each oxygen mask to control the flow of oxygen. Communication must be maintained at all times while using the mask so each mask is fitted with a microphone. The type of oxygen system on an aircraft is determined by the oxygen regulator. There are two basic types of regulators in use, and in each type there are variations. For almost all pressurized aircraft, the aircrew use diluter demand systems and the passengers use continuous flow systems.

Oxygen System Boeing 737

Crew member oxygen station - Boeing 737

Passenger Oxygen Compartment Boeing 737

Demand regulators
More efficient systems use the demand-type regulators. These allow a flow of oxygen only when the user inhales and shuts it off during exhale. There are several types of demand regulators. Below is an example of a simple demand-type oxygen regulator.

Diluter Demand Regulators

Diluter demand type regulators are used by most commercial jets. Whenever the system is operated below 34,000ft it automatically dilutes the oxygen in the regulator with approximate amounts of atmospheric air.

Typical Diluter-Demand Regulator

FAR Part 91 requires that under certain flight conditions, the pilot operating the controls wear and use an oxygen mask. Because of this, passenger aircraft that operate at high altitude are equipped with diluter demand or pressure demand oxygen regulators for the flight crew. Oxygen flows from the supply into the regulator when the supply lever is turned on. The pressure is decreased by a pressure reducer at the inlet of the regulator to a value that is useable by the regulator. All flow of oxygen to the mask is shut off by the demand valve until the wearer inhales and decreases the pressure inside the regulator. This decreased pressure opens the demand valve by pulling the demand diaphragm over so oxygen can flow through the regulator to the mask. A diluter demand regulator dilutes the oxygen supplied to the mask with air from the cabin. This air enters the regulator through the inlet air valve and passes around the air metering valve. The air inlet passage is open at low altitude and the passage to the oxygen demand valve is restricted so the user will get mostly air from the cabin. As the aircraft climbs in altitude, the barometric control bellow expands and opens the oxygen passage while shutting off the air passage. The air passage completely closes off as the aircraft reaches an altitude of around 34,000ft and as the user inhales, only pure oxygen is metered to the mask. This flow of pure oxygen can also be controlled manually, if for any reason the flight crew needs pure oxygen, the oxygen selector on the face of the regulator can be moved from the NORMAL position to the 100% position. This closes the outside air passage and opens a supplemental oxygen valve inside the regulator, allowing pure oxygen to flow to the mask. An additional safety feature is incorporated that bypasses the regulator. When the emergency lever is place in the EMERGENCY position, the demand valve is held open and oxygen flows continuously from the supply system to the mask as long as the supply lever is in the ON position.

Pressure Demand Regulators

Aircraft that fly at altitudes of more than 40,000ft, such as military aircraft, must have provision to supply 100% oxygen under a positive pressure to the mask. As we breathe we expand our lungs and the atmospheric pressure forces air into them, but at altitudes above 40,000ft we cannot get enough oxygen into our lungs, even with the regulator on 100%. Pressure demand regulators also create airtight and oxygen-tight seals, but they also provide a positive pressure application of oxygen to the mask face piece that allows the users lungs to be pressurized with oxygen. This feature makes pressure demand regulators safe at altitudes above 40,000 feet. Some systems may have a pressure demand mask with the regulator attached directly to the mask, rather than mounted on the instrument panel or other area within the flight deck. The mask-mounted regulator eliminates the problem of a long hose that must be purged of air before 100 percent oxygen begins flowing into the mask. Individual pressure demand regulators allow the user to adjust the airflow to their own requirements. A different technique is required with this system when breathing at high altitudes. This technique is the exact opposite of normal breathing because effort is not required by the user as the air flows into the lungs but is required to force the used air out of the lungs.

Typical Pressure-Demand Oxygen System

Continuous Flow Regulators

Smaller piston-engine powered aircraft normally use a continuous flow regulator that allows the oxygen to flow from the storage cylinder regardless of whether the user is inhaling or exhaling. These systems, although not economical of the oxygen, are desirable when the demand for oxygen is low because of their low cost and simplicity. For this reason, the emergency oxygen systems that drop the mask to the passengers of large jet transport aircraft in the event of cabin depressurisation are of the continuous flow type. Because the oxygen for this system is carried in a high pressure bottle, a pressure reducing valve regulates the pressure down to about 400psi. Before being delivered to the mask, the oxygen is metered by a pressure regulator to around 70psi. In the event of a reducing valve failure, a pressure relief valve is incorporated into the system to prevent damage. Manual Continuous Flow Regulator

The picture shows a typical manually adjusted continuous flow oxygen regulator. The pressure of the oxygen in the system is shown on the gauge on the right and indicates indirectly the amount of oxygen available. The flow indicator is the gauge shown on the left and is adjusted by the knob in the lower center of the regulator. As the aircraft ascends into less dense air, more oxygen is needed to breathe. With this type of regulator the user is able to adjust the flow of oxygen to correspond with the altitude being flown and the regulator will meter the correct amount of oxygen.

Automatic Continuous Flow Regulator

An automatic regulator, such as the one shown below, has a barometric control valve that automatically adjusts the flow of oxygen to correspond to the altitude being flown. When the valve on the front of the regulator is opened the correct amount of oxygen will be metered into the system for the altitude being flown.

Over-Pressurisation disc There is a blow-out disc located on the aircrafts skin to allow excess pressure to be evacuated overboard. The disc blows out overboard giving a green visual indicator ring on the skin surface. Some aircraft deploy a red streamer, in an over pressure condition, through the blow out orifice.

Masks
There are numerous types of oxygen masks in use that vary in design detail. It is important that the masks used be compatible with the particular oxygen system involved. Crew masks are fitted to the users face with a minimum of leakage. Crew masks usually contain a microphone. Most masks are the oronasal-type, which covers only the mouth and nose. Passenger masks may be simple, cup-shaped rubber mouldings sufficiently flexible to obviate individual fitting. They may have a simple elastic head strap or the passenger may hold them to the face. Continuous Flow Masks

For continuous flow systems, all masks are usually re-breather type and are either disposable bag type masks or rubber bag type masks. The passenger oxygen system and some of the portable systems use the disposable type while the rubber bag type masks are used for some of the flight crew systems. The passenger mask typically has a reservoir bag, which collects oxygen from the continuous flow oxygen system during the time when the mask user is exhaling. The oxygen collected in the reservoir bag allows a higher aspiratory flow rate during the inhalation cycle, which reduces the amount of air dilution. Ambient air is added to the supplied oxygen during inhalation after the reservoir bag oxygen supply is depleted. The exhaled air is released to the cabin.

Oxygen enters a re-breather mask (shown in picture) at the bottom of the bag and the mask fits to the face of the user very loosely so air can escape around it. The lungs fill with oxygen if the re-breather bag is full of oxygen when the user inhales. Oxygen flows continuously into the bag, filling it from the bottom at the same time the user exhales used air into the bag from the top. When the bag fills, the air that was in the lungs longest will spill out of the bag into the outside air, and when the user inhales, the first air to enter the lungs is that which was first exhaled and still has some oxygen in it. This air is mixed with pure oxygen, and so oxygen rich air is always breathed with this type of mask. More elaborate re-breather type masks have a closefitting cup over the nose and mouth with a built-in check valve which allows the air to escape, but prevents the user breathing air from the cabin. The oxygen masks that automatically drop from the overhead compartment of a jet transport aircraft in the event of cabin depressurisation are of the re-breather type. The plastic cup that fits over the mouth and nose has a check valve in it and the plastic bag attached to the cup is the rebreather bag. Demand-type Masks

All demand-type masks must fit tightly to the face so no outside air can enter to disturb the metering of the regulator, as shown below. Demand masks all connect to the regulator with a large diameter corrugated hose, whereas the continuous flow masks all use a small diameter tube to carry the oxygen to the mask.

A full-face mask is available for use in case the cockpit should ever be filled with smoke. These masks cover the eyes as well as the mouth and nose, and the positive pressure inside the mask prevents any smoke entering

Portable Oxygen
Flight Crew Portable Oxygen

The flight crew portable oxygen unit provides both demand type and constant flow capabilities. The example below consists of a portable oxygen cylinder, a pressure regulator (constant flow), an on-off valve, a pressure gauge to show oxygen supply, a demand regulator and a sling type carrying strap. The equipment is located in the cockpit and has a full face smoke mask attached to it. The demand regulator has a connection for a demand-type mask and delivers 100% oxygen when a supply valve is opened and the mask is donned with the mask straps tightened. A bayonet-type fitting accommodates a disposable continuous flow mask for constant flow oxygen. Using the three litre constant flow outlet, the cylinder provides oxygen for duration of approximately 103 minutes.

Flight Crew Portable Oxygen System Boeing 737

Passenger Portable Oxygen

Installed at suitable locations throughout the cabin are first aid and supplemental portable oxygen cylinders. They are equipped with a pressure gauge, pressure regulator and an on/off valve. At a pressure of 1800psi and temperature of 21C the cylinders have a capacity of 311 litres of free oxygen. On each cylinder two continuous flow outlets are provided, one regulates flow at two litres per minute for walk-around and the other provides flow for first aid at four litres per minute. Duration can be determined by dividing the capacity by the outflow (311 litres divided by 4 litres/min = 77 minutes).

Passenger portable oxygen equipment Boeing 737

Usually there are two independent oxygen systems on passenger jets. There are a number of differences between these two oxygen systems. There are differences in the two systems because of a lower demand for passenger oxygen and a higher priority for the crew members because they are in control of the plane. Below are the main points and differences of each system.

Flight Crew Oxygen System

Each crew member station has a diluter demand mask regulator. Have availability of 100% oxygen The flight compartment crew receives their oxygen from a high pressure storage cylinder. Demand masks all connect to the regulator with a large diameter corrugated hose The demand valve shuts off all flow of oxygen to the mask until the wearer inhales A diluter demand regulator dilutes the oxygen supplied to the mask with air from the cabin As the aircraft goes up in altitude, the barometric control allows more oxygen to flow Emergency bypass (demand valve is held open and oxygen flows continuously from the supply system to the mask)

Passenger Oxygen System

Provided from chemical oxygen generators or a single cylinder Continuous flow system because of its low cost and simplicity 100% oxygen flows from each mask Oxygen flows for approximately 12 minutes and cannot be shut off Can be deployed electrically either by a switch on the pilots overhead panel The chemical oxygen generators are manually activated by pulling on the mask