EEC - ELECTRONIC ENGINE CONTROL

PCS - PROPULSION CONTROL SYSTEM

FADEC - Full-authority digital-electronic engine controls

MCP -

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Acesso: 17.07.2019

737-600/-700/-800/-900 Propulsion Control System

Next-generation 737 airplanes (737-600/-700/-800/-900) feature a new, electronically

based propulsion control system that almost completely replaces the hydromechanical
systems used in earlier and current-generation 737 models (737-100/-200/-300/-400/-
500). One of the principal differences is the addition of the electronic engine control
(EEC), which continuously looks for and alerts flight crews to several levels of faults
that could affect engine operation. Flight crews will find that the new PCS looks and
feels much like the systems in previous models while representing improvements to the
operability, capability, reliability, and maintainability of those systems. In addition,
maintenance crews will find that many tools useful to them are built into the system.

Electronic engine control is the key feature of the improved propulsion control system
(PCS) on all next-generation 737 airplanes. Installed on the CFM56-7 engines of 737-
600, 737-700, 737-800, and 737-900 airplanes, this new type of PCS is designed for
maximum engine performance, optimum engine operability, and effective integration
with other airplane systems.

Full-authority digital-electronic engine controls (FADEC) are not new; the first such
system entered commercial service on the Boeing 757 in 1984, and most new jetliners
have this capability. The FADEC in the PCS on next-generation 737s replaces the
hydromechanical control on 737-100/-200 models, and the electronic-supervisory
control on 737-300/-400/-500 models. (The various types of engine-control systems are
described in the April-June 1988 issue of Airliner magazine.)

The chief differences between the PCS in the next-generation 737s and earlier 737s
fall into three categories:

1. Components and installations.

2. Flight operations.
3. Maintenance operations.
1 Components and Installations
The 737-600/-700/-800/-900 propulsion controls look, feel, and work very much the
same way as those of previous 737s, even though many components (and the way
they operate) are completely different. For example, thrust-set and engine-fuel on/off
control are done electrically, not by mechanical control cables; most interfaces with
other airplane systems are now digital; and many of the engine displays in the flight compartment are
driven by the engine controls. The following are the major system components and installations of the
PCS:

 Electronic engine control (EEC).

 Hydromechanical unit.
 EEC alternator.

ELECTRONIC ENGINE CONTROL (EEC).

The primary propulsion-control component is the electronic engine control (EEC) (figure 1). An EEC is
installed on the fan case of each engine.

The EEC receives inputs from the airplane and engine sensors, computes the desired engine thrust in
terms of fan speed (N1), and sends electrical commands to the various engine actuators to make the
engine accelerate or decelerate to this desired N1--quickly, accurately, and without surges, rotor-speed
overshoots, or other instabilities.

In addition to governing engine operation, the EEC acquires, processes, and outputs data for the flight-
compartment displays and for maintenance use; detects and accommodates faults that would otherwise
impair engine operation; and can be operated in an interactive maintenance mode.

HYDROMECHANICAL UNIT (HMU).

This unit, as shown in figure 2, is installed on the aft-left side of the accessory gearbox.

The HMU contains the fuel metering valve that controls the fuel sent to the combustor, and other control
valves that operate the variable stator vanes, variable intercompressor bleed valve, turbine active-
clearance-control system, and fuel-nozzle staging.

The HMU also contains the fuel high-pressure shutoff valve (HPSOV), which closes directly from the flight
compartment start lever CUTOFF command.

EEC ALTERNATOR.
The EEC alternator (figure 3) supplies each EEC channel with primary electrical power. It is installed on
the forward face of the accessory gearbox.

The EEC alternator powers the EEC at engine speeds greater than 12% N 2. At lesser speeds, the EEC
uses 115-V ac power from the airplane electrical system. When the engine is shut down, power is turned
off.
2 Flight Operations
The new PCS results in several operational differences, though most of these are invisible to the flight
crew. They are also similar enough to operations in earlier 737s to allow flight crews of earlier and next-
generation 737s to retain the same type rating. The differences are in the following categories:

 Aisle-stand engine controls.

 Intersystem interfaces.
 Propulsion-control operations.

AISLE-STAND ENGINE CONTROLS.

To the flight crew, the aisle-stand engine controls (figure 4) are unchanged, but the installations inside the
aisle stand and beneath the floor have been completely redesigned.

For each engine, a connecting rod transfers the flight crew's thrust-lever command to the auto-throttle
assembly, where a double-resolver unit sends an electrical thrust command to each EEC channel. (When
the autothrottle is engaged, servo-motors position both resolvers, back-driving the thrust levers through the
connecting rods so that the thrust levers reflect the autothrottle command.)

To select reverse thrust after landing, the flight crew lifts the reverse-thrust levers. An electrically operated
"balk" blocks each lever at the reverse-idle position until the thrust reversers deploy. Then each balk is
removed to allow selection of full-reverse thrust. This electrically operated balk replaces the thrust control
cable interlock used on previous 737s.

The engine start levers no longer operate mech-anical cables. A start-lever-operated electrical switch
signals a fuel high-pressure shutoff valve (HPSOV) solenoid. Two new ENG VALVE CLOSED indicator
lights on the fuel panel show the HPSOV status (open, closed, or in-transit).

INTERSYSTEM INTERFACES.
The propulsion controls have important interfaces with other airplane systems: the common display
system, the flight management system, and the autothrottle. ARINC-429 digital databuses transfer data
between the EECs and these systems for efficient integrated operation.

PROPULSION-CONTROL OPERATIONS.
Several new PCS features cause some subtle changes in engine operation from earlier 737s. These
features are described below:

 Start and Non-start Automatic Protection Features (these features are disabled for inflight starts).
Several new features help prevent engine damage if an abnormal ground engine start occurs.

-- Wet-start protection stops fuel and ignition if the exhaust-gas temperature (EGT) doesn't
increase within 15 seconds after the engine start lever is moved to IDLE.

-- A hot-start alert blinks the EGT-readout outline if the EGT is too hot for the current N2 speed.

-- Hot-start protection stops fuel and ignition if the EGT exceeds the start limit of 725�C. The
flight crew's engine-start procedures do not change because of these new features; the crew still
 must sequence the start controls, monitor the engine indications, and act promptly if the start
does not proceed normally.

-- Engine rollback protection (active only on the ground) stops fuel and ignition if the engine, once
started, decelerates to less than a sustainable idle speed and the EGT exceeds the start limit.

-- Flameout protection turns the ignition on if an engine control detects an uncommanded engine
deceleration. This must happen in order to relight the engine if it has flamed out but fuel is still
available. The control turns ignition off after 30 seconds or when engine speed is less than 50%
N2.

 No-dispatch Alert. An amber ENGINE CONTROL light on the aft-overhead panel (figure 5)
illuminates when the airplane is on the ground and an engine-control fault prevents airplane
dispatch. The light is suppressed in flight because there is no defined flight crew procedure for
this condition. If the ENGINE CONTROL light comes on after landing, the flight crew should notify
maintenance personnel immediately, because the associated fault must be fixed before the
airplane can be redispatched. If the ENGINE CONTROL light comes on after engine start, takeoff
is prohibited.
 Alternate thrust-setting mode. The propulsion controls have two thrust-set modes: normal and
alternate. In normal mode, the engine control uses flight condition data from the airplane air data
system to compute the command N1. If valid flight condition data is not available, the engine
control switches to alternate mode, which calculates command N 1 from a different thrust-lever-to-
N1 schedule. At the mode change a temporary N1-speed offset prevents a thrust change. The
amber ALTN light in the EEC switch (figure 5) alerts the flight crew that the alternate mode is
active. (The EEC switches replace the 737-300/-400/-500 power management control switches,
which have a similar function.) To remove thrust-lever stagger that may develop as flight
conditions change, the flight crew retards both thrust levers to mid-power and operates both EEC
switches. This puts both engines in alternate mode and removes the N 1-speed offset. When in
alternate mode, thrust can exceed the certified engine rating at forward thrust-lever positions. To
avoid overboost, flight crews should use the flight management computercalculated thrust limit to
set thrust for the current flight mode (takeoff, climb, or cruise). This limit is shown as a green
"crows-foot" N1-reference cursor (figure 6).
 Performance-reserve thrust. The CFM56-7 engines on the next-generation 737s can be operated
at one of six thrust ratings. Table 1 lists the available engine models, and which engine models
can be used on each 737 model.

Depending on the airplane-engine model combination, extra performance-reserve thrust may be

available for emergency use during takeoff and go-around. For example, performance-reserve
thrust is available for a 737-700 with -7B22 engines, since the -700 airplane can accept the
higher -7B24 thrust. The engine control allows takeoff/go-around thrust up to this rating when the
thrust lever is pushed full forward. If the installed engine has the highest rating offered for that
737 model (for instance, a 737-600 with the -7B22 rating), there is no performance-reserve
capability. Like the "overboost" thrust of the 737-100/-200/-300/-400/-500, performance-reserve
thrust is for emergency use only.
  Engine indication enhancements. The common display system N1 thrust setting indication is
shown in figure 6. Changes to this indication from the 737-300/-400/-500 are:

-- REV indications (green or amber) replace amber REVERSER UNLOCKED lights.

-- A command sector is displayed during engine acceleration and deceleration.
-- A two-color TAI indication shows the engine thermal anti-ice status.
-- The entire indication turns red if N1 exceeds the redline speed.

Other engine indication changes include:

 An amber ENG FAIL appears on the EGT indication if N2 speed decreases to less than idle when
the Engine Start Lever is in IDLE.
 A red radial mark indicates the EGT Start Limit when the engine is not running.
 In flight, an amber X-BLD START message appears above the N2 indication if starter assist is
required.
 The EGT and N2 indications change color to red if the current value is greater than the redline,
and the EGT indication becomes amber if the temp-erature is in the amber band range.
 The oil-pressure-indication amber band varies with engine speed.

2 Maintenance Operations
The 737-600/-700/-800/-900 propulsion-control maintenance procedures are significantly different than
those of earlier 737s. Specifically, maintenance personnel must know how and when to check the
following:

 Dispatch status.
 Flight Management Computer/Control Display Unit (FMC/CDU) engine-maintenance pages.
 Other airplane systems.
 Engine overspeed and overtemperature.

DISPATCH STATUS.
Maintenance personnel must perform periodic checks of the propulsion-control dispatch status. Since EEC
logic detects and accommodates many faults, the engine can operate normally when faults exist. For
example, a complete failure of one EEC channel has no immediate effect on engine operation because the
second channel takes over. The ENGINE CONTROL lights and messages on the FMC/CDU maintenance
screens report these non-obvious faults.

The propulsion controls have four basic levels of operational health, listed below in order of improving
capability:

 No dispatch. An ENGINE CONTROL light indicates that the propulsion controls are in a no-
dispatch condition.
 Minimum Equipment List (MEL) dispatch. The airplane MEL defines the dispatch requirements if
an engine control is in the alternate thrust-setting mode (an ALTN light is on).
  Time-limited dispatch. A time-limited-dispatch condition results from a fault that has no immediate
consequences to engine operation. However, the airplane cannot be operated indefinitely this
way, as the fault reduces system redundancy, which in turn increases the probability of engine
shutdown.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has defined two time-limited-dispatch intervals for fixing
a time-limited-dispatch fault: short-time (typically 150 hours) and long-time (typically 500 hours).

Because time-limited-dispatch faults are not indicated to the flight crew, maintenance personnel
must periodically use the flight management computer/ control display unit (FMC/CDU)
maintenance pages to check for them. Each airline must have an inspection and repair policy that
ensures that these faults will be found and fixed before the operating time limit expires. Assuming
a 10-hour daily airplane utilization, a weekly check allows up to eight days to fix a short-time fault.

 Unlimited dispatch. If no time-limited-dispatch or no-dispatch faults occur and the ALTN light does
not show, the propulsion controls are in the unlimited dispatch condition. However, the propulsion
controls may still have economic faults; that is, operational equipment faults that do not affect
airplane operations. These faults should be repaired when convenient to ensure continued
operation of the affected functions.

FLIGHT MANAGEMENT COMPUTER/CONTROL DISPLAY UNIT (FMC/CDU) ENGINE MAINTENANCE

PAGES.
Figure 7 shows the top Engine-1 maintenance page on the FMC/CDU. The CDU menu pages allow
maintenance personnel to check for faults in each dispatch category; perform functional tests; check for
engine speed or temperature exceedances; monitor EEC input signals; and review the engine control
configuration.

OTHER AIRPLANE SYSTEMS.

The propulsion controls have several built-in tests that are accessed through the FMC/CDU maintenance
pages. When the engine pages are called up the EEC is automatically powered. Maintenance tests of
other airplane systems, such as the autothrottle, require that the propulsion controls be manually switched
on so the EECs can communicate with that system. To power an EEC, the flight crew sets the engine start
switch to CONT. After the tests, the flight crew places the start switch back to OFF and exits the FMC/CDU
engine maintenance pages so that the EEC depowers.

ENGINE OVERSPEED AND OVERTEMPERATURE.

After both engines are shut down, if the readout box for N 1, N2, or EGT turns red, an engine overspeed or
overtemperature has occurred. The exceedence magnitude and duration is shown on the FMC/CDU
exceedences maintenance page. The maintenance manual specifies what maintenance action, if any, is
required.

Summary
Boeing and CFMI designed the next-generation 737s with a propulsion control system (PCS) that
maximizes engine efficiency and operability. The PCS design of 737-600/-700/-800/-900 airplanes is a full-
authority digital-electronic engine control, or FADEC, which is significantly different than the PCS on all
earlier 737 models. Though the FADEC-based PCS contains several enhancements, the flight crew will
notice few changes from earlier 737s. In addition, maintenance personnel will appreciate the built-in
maintainability tools that will help them solve problems quickly.

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