EFA RADAR COOLING SYSTEM:

EFA STORES MANAGEMENT SYSTEM: TANK EJECTOR UNITFUNCTIONAL INTRODUCTION (FAMILIARISATION)

1. TANK EJECTOR UNIT, CENTER FUSELAGE PYLON - GENERAL DATA

A. DESCRIPTIONThe Tank Ejector Unit (TEU) lets you latch or release the external 1000 liter supersonic fuel tank to the center fuselage and center wing station on ground. During flight, the TEU lets you eject the Supersonic Fuel Tank (SFT) by an electrical signal from the Stores Management System (SMS). When the TEU is attached to the aircraft, it delivers a signal Tank On Station (TOS) to the SMS.

The TEU is located in the pylon structure of the SFT and is ejected together with the tank. The main components of the TEU are the:

- Block and Barrel Assembly

- Safety Mechanism (Kinematic Assembly)

- Crutching Mechanism

- Breech Assembly

- Electrical Assembly (Isolation Unit and Harness)

Block and Barrel Assembly

This assembly provides an attachment for the complete unit and a location for the crutching mechanisms. The ejector piston (9, Figure 1 - 2/2) and its ground safety lock in the cam (10) are in the Block and Barrel Assembly. The latching element (located in slots at the upper end of the barrel) is used to latch and keep the tank to the spigot housing on the aircraft. This is done when the latching element catches between a groove in the aircraft fitting and a surface on the head of the ejector piston. An attachment with four bolts attaches the Block and Barrel Assembly to the fuel tank.Safety Mechanisms

The Safety Mechanisms has the cam system and a kinematics assembly. The kinematics joins the cam system to the three-position operating lever (safety handle). The safety handles have the following three positions:

- SPIGOT UNLOCK

- SAFE

- ARMED

When the safety handle is in the SPIGOT UNLOCK position, a cam inside the Block and Barrel Assembly is rotated to move the piston upwards for manual release.In the SAFE position, the safety mechanisms physically prevents movement of the release/eject piston. It also interrupts electrically the firing lines.In the ARMED position all the safety is removed and the TEU is ready to be ejected.

Crutching MechanismThe Crutching Mechanism has a conical engagement ring which moves upwards to engage with the spigot housing for the aircraft. The ring moves on a crutching collar which is located around the barrel. The crutching collar rotates on the barrel and is operated by a worm-and-wheel gearbox, located on the main mounting block.1. Breech AssemblyTwo cartridge holder assemblies (1, Figure 2), an expansion chamber and a cartridge-fired indicator (3, Figure 2) are in the Breech Assembly (7). The firing pins for the cartridges base in the back of the breech and interface with the electrical system.

If the cartridges are fired, gas exits throught the gas channel (2) from the breech through the cut-off valve (6). Then the gas passes into the gas channel (4) of the Block and Barrel Assembly to the base of the ejector piston through a gas tube which houses a force-control orifice throttle (5, Figure 2).

2. Electrical Assembly

The Electrical Assembly has an isolation unit (with the cartridge firing circuitry) on the back of the breech, a safety switch (operated by the safety handle) and the harness.

The isolation unit has dual redundant firing circuits, each with a connector, surge limiter, current-limiting resistors, low-pass filter and two relays. The firing connections are made by sliding connector pins which engage in the backs of the breech firing pins.B. OPERATION

The TEU main operational modes are as following:

- Supersonic Fuel Tank (SFT) Loading

- In-Flight SFT Release

- SFT Off-LoadingOn ground, the TEU is operated mechanically through operation points. They are identified with labels on the SFT aircraft fairing (Figure 3). The labels show the meaning of the operation points and their positions.1. SFT Loading

For SFT load operation the ground crew must set the safety handle to SPIGOT UNLOCK position. Then the SFT with the TEU must be moved up towards the carriage position. The SFT must be moved up until the latching element engages with the groove of the aircraft fitting.

Thus, during automatic latching, the safety kinematic snaps into a locked state. At this moment, the ground safety handle automatically turns into a position between SPIGOT UNLOCK STEP2 and the SAFE position.

The ground crew must set the safety handle fully into the SAFE position. Then a tool must be inserted into the SPIGOT PRELOAD hole (pre-load operating point). With this tool, the worm of the wormgear of the crutching mechanism can be rotated. When the worm of the crutching mechanisms is rotated, the gear rotates the crutching collar to move the conical ring vertically. The worm must be rotated clockwise.

As a consequence, the collar moves vertically downwards compressing a set of disc springs located under the collar. This compression generates a pre-load force in the barrel and the safety interlock is unlocked by the disc springs (this interlock is invisible that means it is different from the mechanical INTERLOCK left above the safety handle axle).

With the safety interlock unlocked, the safety handle can be turned from the SAFE to the ARMED position and back. The SAFE position is used on ground, whereas the ARMED position must be selected for flight.2. In-Flight SFT Release

The ejection of the SFT is done by gas pressure from the breech which has two cartridges (ARD 446). When fired the rapidly expanding gases are transmitted to an actuator piston which unlocks the latching system and moves the SFT downwards by the ram (included in the spigot bolt of the piston).

To avoid any accidental release on ground, a dedicated safety handle is available to mechanically and electrically inhibit the release if turned into the SAFE position.

3. SFT Off-Loading

For the Off-load operation the safety handle must be set from ARMED to SAFE position, then you can remove the pre-load from the crutching system by turning the SPIGOT PRELOAD counterclockwise.

The tank is now ready to be removed after the mechanical interlock (left, above of the safety handle

axle) is unlocked and the safety handle is turned into the SPIGOT UNLOCK position.Figure 1 Main components of the TEU (1/2)1 Latching Element

2 Conical Ring

3 Stop Sleeve4 Preload Operating Point

5 Cartridge Cap

6 Isolation Unit

7 Electrical Connector

8 Breech Assembly

9 Safety Handle

10 Mechanical Interlock

11 Cartridge Fired Indicator

12 Safety Kinematic Assembly

13 Gas Channel

14 4 Bolt Attachment to SFT

15 Safety Interlock

16 Block and Barrel AssemblyFigure 1 Main components of the TEU (2/2)1 Cartridge Holder Assembly

2 Gas Channel

3 Cartridge-Fired-Indicator and Expansion Chamber4 Gas Channel

5 Orifice Throttle

6 Cut-Off Valve

7 Breech Assembly

8 Block and Barrel Assembly, Cylinder

9 Piston with spring

10 Cam AssemblyTechnical Data:TEU ejection system:.........................................

Type.................................................................... Ram operated (ram included in spigot bolt) .......

Minimum ram area............................................. 490 mm2 .............................................................

Number of cartridges.......................................... 2.........................................................................

Type of cartridge................................................. ARD446..............................................................

Necessary power for the TEU:...........................

Supply voltage.................................................... between 16 and 30,5 VDC.................................

Fire supply current.............................................. 12,0 A for 50 ms max.........................................

Isolation relay current......................................... 200 mA max each isolation relay .......................

TEU dimensions:................................................

Length................................................................ 316,3 mm...........................................................

Width.................................................................. 120 mm (without operating handles)..................

Height................................................................. 193,1 mm (without the spigot bolt).....................

Mass...................................................................20,3 0,1 kg ......................................................

Spigot bolt dimensions:......................................

Height................................................................. 152 mm..............................................................

Base diameter.................................................... 86 mm................................................................

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