A330 cargo aircraft main deck cargo compartment fire suppression system

In the below video and article we will talk about the A330 cargo aircraft main deck cargo compartment fire suppression system:

A330 cargo aircraft available in two different shapes either:

1. A330-200F was originally manufactured by airbus as cargo aircraft starting from January 2010.
   or
2. available as A330 passenger to freight P2F converted aircraft through EFW company based in Dresden Germany starting from December 2017.

A330 cargo aircraft areas:

Figure 1: A330 Cargo aircraft areas

in A330 cargo aircraft upper fuselage includes:

• cockpit,
• courier area,
• and the main deck cargo compartment,

lower fuselage includes:

• avionics compartment,
• the lower deck forward
• and aft cargo compartments

lower fuselage in A330 cargo aircraft is the same as in A330 passenger aircraft the cockpit or the flight deck is the area where the pilot set to fly an airplane it includes seats for the captain, first officer, third occupant, and fourth occupant

Figure 2: A330 Cockpit (Flight Deck)

The courier area is in the forward entrance area and contains a lavatory, galley, and seats for the company staff.

Figure 3: courier area

The courier area may include an optional flight-crew rest compartment (FCRC) for pilots rest in long flights,

Figure 4: A330 P2F Courier area FCRC

the main deck cargo compartment used for loading containers and pallets also may include the option cargo loading system for rapid loading and unloading

Figure 5: A330 Cargo - Main Deck Cargo Compartment (MDCC)

Cargo or freighter aircraft main deck cargo compartments are classified as class E compartments.

Class E cargo compartment requirement according to civil aviation regulation:

1. the compartment needs to be equipped with a smoke detection system.
2. Ventilation control system. 
3. Flight crew procedure for fire suppression. No active fire fighting system.
4. The smoke barrier between the main deck cargo compartment and courier area.

Figure 6: MDCC classified as Class E compartments

A330 “Class E” MDCC Fire Protection Systems:

 For A330 Class E main deck cargo compartment fire protection system we will cover the following points

1. 1. Main deck cargo compartment smoke detection system.
   2. Main deck cargo compartment smoke barrier.
   3. Main deck cargo compartment fire suppression system
   4. main deck cargo compartment smoke and crew oxygen requirements

1. Main deck cargo compartment smoke detection system.

Figure 7: MDCC SMOKE DETECTION

The smoke detectors of the main deck cargo compartment. are installed in pairs in the main deck cargo compartment ceiling. A330-200F is equipped with a dual-loop smoke detection system which includes fifteen pairs of smoke detectors the smoke detectors are connected to the smoke detection function of the CIDS director, when the CIDS smoke detection function confirmed smoke detection in the main deck cargo compartment it launches warning in the cockpit,  courier area, and the main deck cargo compartment.

Figure 8: A330-200F MDCC SMOKE DETECTION

In Figure 9  the A330-200F main deck cargo compartment smoke indication and the control panel located in the cockpit overhead panel right-hand side.

Figure 9: A330-200F MDCC Smoke Indication and Control Panel

A330-200 P2F is equipped with a dual-loop smoke detection system which includes fifteen (15) pairs of smoke detectors the smoke detectors are connected to the main deck cargo smoke control panel (MDC-SCP) in the cockpit overhead panel the system is a stand-alone system with no interface to the existing smoke detection control unit (SDCU) or CIDS computers.

Figure 10: A33-200 P2F MDCC Smoke Detection System

A330-300 P2F same as A330-200 P2F but the main deck cargo compartment is equipped with seventeen smoke detectors instead of seventy pairs of smoke detectors instead of fifteen pairs because the A330-300 fuselage is longer than the A330-200 fuselage, figure 10 shows the main deck cargo smoke control panel (MDC-SCP) for both A330-200 P2F and A330-300 P2F located in the cockpit overhead panel right-hand side  Main deck cargo compartment smoke indication.

Figure 10: A33-300 P2F MDCC Smoke Detection System

Figure 11: A330 P2F Main Deck Cargo Smoke Control Panel (MDC-SCP)

1. Cockpit indications

   – The related SMOKE warning light illuminate

   – The MASTER WARNING red light flash

   – The Continuous Repetitive Chime to sound

   – A Red warning message on the upper ECAM display

2. Courier area indication

   – The "No Smoking" and "Fasten Seat Belt" signs illuminate

3. MDCC indications

   – The ″LEAVE COMPARTMENT″ signs illuminate

   – The smoke chime rings (sequence of continuous single-tone, high pitched chime)

Figure 12: MDCC signs and loud speakers

The A330-200 P2F MDCC is equipped with 10 lighted signs "LEAVE COMPARTMENT“ and 14 loudspeakers. For aural warning in case of smoke in the main deck cargo compartment, The ″LEAVE COMPARTMENT″ signs illuminate and, the smoke chime rings.

2. MDCC compartment, smoke barrier:

The smoke barrier protects occupied areas like the cockpit and courier area against the hazardous quantity of fumes and smoke from the main deck cargo compartment

A330-200F equipped with a rigid wall barrier with two access doors the rigid wall barrier work as a smoke barrier in case of main deck cargo compartment fire

Figure 13: A330-200F Rigid Wall Barrier

A330 P2F is equipped with a 9G barrier net from the courier area side and a smoke curtain from the MDCC side the smoke curtain has two access doors the smoke curtain work as a smoke barrier in case of main deck cargo compartment fire.

Figure 14: A330 P2F 9G barrier net from courier area side

Figure 15: A330 P2F Smoke Curtain from MDCC side

3. Main deck Cargo compartment Fire suppression system:

When the MDCC smoke is detected, the system automatically isolates the airflow to the Compartment through :

• Closing the Main Deck Shut-off valves (MSOV)
• Opening the Main Deck Bypass Valve (MBV)
• Closing the Galley &Toilet extraction fan
• Closing the CAB Recirculation FAN
• Shutting off PACK 1 (and PACK 2 automatically goes high flow)
• Closing the LD FWD, LD AFT, and BULK cargo compartments isolation valves.

Figure 16: MDCC Fire Suppression System

 

in addition to main deck cargo compartment airflow isolation which carried out automatically after a smoke detection
no active fire extinguishing system is installed in the main deck cargo compartment, the fire fighting procedure is based on the depressurization of the main deck by increasing manually the cabin altitude up to twenty thousand feet while simultaneously reducing cruising flight attitude to twenty thousand feet the procedure reduces the oxygen concentration in the air And consequently suppresses the fire.

4. Main deck cargo compartment, smoke, and the crew oxygen requirement.

The freighter oxygen system gives hypoxia protection to the cockpit crew and the courier area occupants after a cabin decompression for (15 min), during the cargo smoke evacuation procedure for (up to 180 minutes ETOPS diversion time)

Figure 17: Crew Oxygen Masks

the flight compartment is equipped with four oxygen masks as shown because the flight crew members vary from 2 to 4  pilots according to flight duration courier area occupants the number varies from 4 up to 6 occupants in the case of main deck cargo compartment smoke detection courier area oxygen system activated and the masks dropped automatically to supply the occupants with oxygen up to reaching aircraft attitude 10,000 feet before landing

Figure 18: Automatic activation of courier area oxygen system

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