How Much Heat Does Commercial Aircraft APU Produce?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the heat production of commercial aircraft Auxiliary Power Units (APUs), specifically seeking average and maximum heat outputs, as well as the atmospheric temperatures surrounding the APU during operation. The scope includes technical specifications and operational characteristics of APUs in various aircraft.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant inquires about the average and maximum heat produced by commercial aircraft APUs.
  • Another participant requests additional information regarding atmospheric temperatures around the APU when it operates at maximum potential.
  • A participant notes that the heat output can vary significantly depending on the specific aircraft and APU model, citing the example of the GE-90B engine used in Boeing 777s.
  • It is mentioned that an APU might produce heat equivalent to approximately three times its horsepower output, with a maximum output of around 1800 hp.
  • Exhaust gas temperatures for APUs can reach between 600 to 760 °C, depending on the model and operating conditions.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying views on the specifics of heat production and temperature ranges, indicating that there is no consensus on a single value or range applicable to all commercial aircraft APUs.

Contextual Notes

The discussion highlights the dependence on specific aircraft models and APU types, suggesting that assumptions about heat output may not be universally applicable.

Seth.T
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how much heat roughly does commercial aircraft APU produce? I'm interested in an average and maximum range. Any experts?
 
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I'm sorry you are not generating any responses at the moment. Is there any additional information you can share with us? Any new findings?
 
So kind of you Greg, sadly no. I am really interested to know what's the atmospheric temperature of the commercial plane tail, APU surrounding when APU is running at maximum potential.
 
It depends on the plane. Not every aircraft is the same. Not every airliner is the same. For instance a GE-90B engine has enough power to make a 747 fly which actually uses 4 engines. But these GE-90Bs are only used in Boeing 777s. The APU does the work of the engine when needed. As every engine is different, the type of APU used is different. Hope this helps.
 
First post you asked how much heat
An APU might be as large as 1800 hp
so probably 3X that much heat leaves with the exhaust gas.
http://www.smartcockpit.com/download.php?path=docs/&file=B737-APU_Systems_Summary.pdfThird post you asked what temperature
gas turbine exhaust can be as high as 600 to 700 C
http://www.boeing-727.com/Data/systems/infoapu.html
APU EGT Operating GTCP85-98 and 98C 98CK
Maximum 760 °C 710 °C
Continuous 710 °C 663 °C
 

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