Ignition

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General
The ignition systems supply electrical sparks in the combustion chamber for
combustion. Each engine has two ignition systems that operate independently. The
ignition system usually operates manually. However, the ignition systems operate
automatically when the electronic engine control (EEC) sees a possible engine
flameout condition.
You use ignition during these times:
>Ground start
>Take-off and landings
>In-flight (during heavy turbulence or bad weather)
>In-flight start.

Used during start, Take-offs, landings and during flight for bad conditions or starts.
Normally OFF in cruise.

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CONTROL STAND – Here we have the Start Levers, which control ignition power to
the EEC and let the EEC know we are going for a start. The Start levers pass 115 V AC
from the a/c system to the EEC for transmission to the ignition exciters.
IGNITION SELECTOR SWX – Where we select which engine and ignition we require
and initiate the start sequence.
IGNITION EXCITERS. What I usually call HEIUs. Cx the 115Vac to 15-20K V DC for the
spark igniters to flash
EEC. – Our favourite piece of engine Kit! Co-ordinating and conducting all the
requirements.
So lets find out where the bits live…

Electrical Power

The engine 1 ignition systems receive 115v ac from ac transfer bus 1 and the ac
standby bus. The EEC has internal switches that control the 115v ac to the ignition
exciters. The ignition exciters change the 115v ac input to a dc voltage of
approximately 15,000 to 20,000v for the spark igniters. The spark igniters give a spark
for combustion. The ignition systems of engine 2 receive ac power from ac transfer
bus 2 and the ac standby bus.

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Start Switches

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General

Each engine has a right and a left ignition system. These are the components of
each ignition system:

>Ignition exciter
>Ignition lead
>Air manifold
>Spark igniter.

Component Locations

The ignition exciters are on the right side, lower portion, of the fan case.

The ignition leads go from the ignition exciters to the spark igniters on the right and
left sides of the engine.

The air manifold goes around the ignition leads. The air manifold starts in the 6:00
strut and goes to the igniters.

The spark igniters are just forward of the fuel manifold, at the 4:00 position and the

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8:00 position.

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Upper box is RH

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General

These components which control the ignition system are in the flight
compartment:
>Engine start switches
>Ignition selector switch
>Start levers.

Component Locations

The ignition selector switch and engine start switches are on the forward overhead
panel (P5).

The start levers are on the control stand

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Control Stand

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Purpose

The ignition exciters supply power to spark igniters.

General

The ignition exciters change 115v ac to 20,000v dc. The output of the ignition
exciter is 14.5 to 16 joules. The spark igniter uses this power to ignite the fuel/air
mixture in the combustion chamber. Usually, only one ignition exciter per engine
operates at a time.

Physical Description

A 115v ac electrical connector attaches to the forward face of the ignition exciter.
The ignition lead attaches to the aft face of the ignition exciter.

The ignition exciters attach to the fan case with four shockmounts.

Each ignition exciter has a bond jumper that attaches to the engine.

Training Information Point

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 WARNING: MAKE SURE THAT THE IGNITION EXCITERS ARE DE-ENERGIZED FOR A
MINIMUM OF FIVE MINUTES BEFORE YOU START WORK ON THE IGNITION SYSTEM.
THE IGNITION SYSTEM VOLTAGE IS DANGEROUSLY HIGH. DO NOT TOUCH THE
ELECTRICAL CONTACTS. THE IGNITION EXCITERS CAN HAVE AN ELECTRICAL CHARGE
EVEN WHEN NOT ENERGIZED. IF YOU DO NOT OBEY THIS STEP, INJURY TO PERSONS
CAN OCCUR.

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Interesting thing here is the Air cooling of the Ignition leads. Booster air,

I.E. LP Compressor outlet air

is injected into the shrouded leads from this point Here (Show) and follows the lead
down to the spark igniter, for cooling purposes.

Purpose

The spark igniters supply an electrical spark to ignite the fuel/air mixture in the
combustion chamber.

The ignition leads transmit power from the ignition exciters to the spark igniters.

General Description

Each spark igniter has its own ignition lead. Air goes around each ignition lead to
decrease the temperature of the lead.

Ignition Lead Cooling

Each ignition lead goes into an air manifold at the 6:00 position at the aft end of the

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fan case. Booster air (low pressure compressor exhaust air), makes each ignition lead
cool. The booster air goes into the air manifold and moves around the inner part of
the ignition lead shroud. Booster air comes out of the spark igniter end of the ignition
lead to cool the spark igniter.

Spark Igniters

Each spark igniter installs into an adapter at the 4:00 and 8:00 positions on the
engine. The spark igniter electrode is inside the combustion chamber.

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General
These are the components that operate the ignition system:

Start levers

Engine start switches

Ignition selector switch

EEC.

The ac transfer bus 1 supplies 115v ac electrical power to the EEC for the left
ignition exciter. The ac standby bus supplies 115v ac electrical power to the EEC for
right ignition exciter. The left ignition exciter for engine 2 uses power from ac
transfer bus 2. The right ignition exciter uses the ac standby bus.

The EEC controls power to the ignition exciters. Input from the flight
compartment components give manual control. The EEC has internal logic for
automatic ignition system control.

Manual Control

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 The EEC and the CDS/DEUs monitor the position of these flight compartment
components:

Ignition selector switch

Engine start switches

Start levers.

Each CDS/DEU sends a digital data signals to the EEC with switch position
information.

The EEC looks at the CDS/DEU digital data signal and the analog signal. The EEC
compares the two signals. If the CDS/DEU 1 or CDS/DEU 2 digital data signal to the
EEC logic stops, the EEC uses the analog signal as the flight compartment input.

The EEC uses switch position data to control four internal EEC ignition on/off
switches. These switches control the 115v ac power to the ignition exciters. Each
EEC channel (A and B) controls one ignition on/off switch to each ignition exciter.
Only one EEC channel is active at a time. Therefore, only one ignition on/off switch,
for an ignition exciter, works at a time. The other EEC channel is in the standby
mode.

115v ac power goes to the EEC when you move the start lever to the idle position.
The 115v ac power goes through the start lever switches that are in the closed
position.

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NOTE that the ignition system will turn on BOTH ignitions systems (Flame out
protection) in the following circumstances:
* The engine start lever is in the IDLE position, the start switch is in the
FLT position
* The engine start lever is in the IDLE position, start switches in GRD or CONT
position, N2 less than idle and the airplane is in flight
* The engine start lever is in the IDLE position, engine speed
decreases uncommanded or N2 is less than 57% and N2 is
more than 50%. For this condition only, both ignition systems
are energized for 30 seconds
* The engine tart lever is in the IDLE position, the airplane is
in flight, start switch is in the OFF position, N2 speed is less
than idle, and N2 speed is more than 5%.

Ignition is turned OFF by the EEC when:

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* Ignition system energized because of N2 less than idle or
uncommanded decrease in N2 and engine speed goes back
to normal.

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General
The control display unit (CDU) helps you do troubleshooting of the ignition system.
You can also use the CDU to do a ground test of the ignition system.
See the engine indicating chapter for more information

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ENGINE RUN PROCEDURE NOTICE 12/03

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