Pneumatic Test Equipment > Pneumatic Testing Panels
Overview
Each panel is built and designed to pressurise various sections of the aircraft wing
by opening the isolation valve positioned in the door of the panel, and allowing the
air to pressurise the cavity until test pressure has been reached. The isolation valve
can then be shut to trap the pressure in the system, and allow for the determination of
leakage figures within an allocated time period that can be measured.
The air pressure can be adjusted to suit the requirements of each test by adjusting the
Precision Pressure Regulator positioned in the panel door. The panel-mounted pressure
gauge, also positioned in the door will signify the pressure that has been set. Also
included in the door is a panel mounted Emergency Stop Valve that will allow the air
in the system to be completely exhausted if the button is depressed. The exhaust flow
of the air can be adjusted by means of a Flow Control Valve that is housed inside the
panel.
System Operation
Air enters each panel via a quick release coupling positioned in the top left hand
position of the Control Panel. The Air then passes through a Coalescing Filter, which
conditions the air and does not allow particles of a greater size than 0.3 microns
through.
The air then flows into 2 lines. The first line feeds an air supply to the E/Stop Valve,
which in turn feeds an air signal to the Pilot Valve in the panel. This Pilot Valve
allows the air to pass directly through it in normal conditions. However, if the E/Stop
button is depressed, this will kill the pilot air supplying the Pilot Valve signal port,
and the Pilot Valve will spring back into a base position, which allows the total
downstream air to be evacuated out of the panel via an adjustable flow control valve
positioned inside the panel. On reset of the E/Stop Valve, the pilot air signal will be
reinstated to the Pilot Valve, and allow the mains air to pass through the system again.
The 2nd line that the air passes through passes to the Isolating Shut Off Valve, and
then directly to the main feed port of the Pilot Valve. If both of these valves are open,
the air then passes to the outlet port of the panel with a tee off to the panel mounted
Pressure Gauge which will register the outlet air pressure.