Parker Aerospace has been selected by Airbus to supply both the fuel and hydraulic systems for its new A350 extra-widebody (XWB) aircraft. Parker will provide the entire fuel system equipment package, including the inerting system, fuel measurement and management system, fluid mechanical equipment, and engine feed and transfer fuel pumps. The contract will generate more than U.S. $1 billion over the life of the program for Parker.
The fuel tank inerting system uses air separation modules with patented fibers. The air separation modules generate nitrogenenriched air by removing the oxygen molecules from its air source and distributing the nitrogen to all the aircraft's fuel tanks, thereby reducing the flammability of fuel vapors in the fuel tank and increasing the aircraft's safety.
The fuel measurement system gages the fuel quantity in the tanks located in an aircraft's wings and fuselage as well as the fuel management system, which monitors the distribution of fuel while commanding pumps and valves in the fuel system to provide fuel transfer and refuel.
The fluid mechanical equipment and the engine feed and transfer fuel pumps are new product wins for Parker Aerospace on Airbus aircraft. These products will provide multiple functions for the aircraft, including refueling and defueling, transfer, engine feed, and fuel tank venting. During aircraft operation, the pumps transfer fuel from tank to tank and supply fuel to the engine. The Parker fluid mechanical equipment will provide the control valves for fuel shutoff, isolation, emergency shutoff, and venting air in and out of the tanks.
Parker Aerospace has also won the hydraulic power generation and distribution system on the new A350 XWB. This complex bill of material is comprised of seven individual work packages including pumps, reservoirs, manifolds, accumulators, thermal control, isolation, and software. Together, these products provide the hydraulic system functions necessary to power and control the aircraft. This system expands Parker's capability and product offering to the aerospace industry, including a newly designed engine-driven pump, an electric motor-driven pump with control and protection functions, an automatic air bleeding bootstrap reservoir, and hydraulic system control and health monitoring software to DO-178 Level B.
"These are exciting wins for Parker and reflect three years of dedicated work from many Parker divisions and team members," says Bob Barker, president of Parker Aerospace. "We are pleased to be a part of this technologically advanced aircraft program."
Parker supports many Airbus aircraft platforms, including the A300, A310, A320, A330, A340, A340-500/600, and A380.
Explore the January February 2008 Issue
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