SubscribeNewly developed cooling system will be soon introduced in the market by Cavotec. The new PCA Caddy from Cavotec is able to deliver pre-conditioned air to an aircraft, without using diesel or Freon gases.
PCA Caddy
It's a revolutionary system that allows to cool even the A380. Mr. Michael Widegren, Managing Director of Cavotec Fladung states: “We did several extensive field tests, in the most extreme working conditions, and they prove beyond doubt that the PCA Caddy can cool most types of aircraft significantly faster than traditional cooling methods."
Tests have been conducted in Dubai airport and results have been excellent. The project has been finalized and the next final test will be carried out in Abu Dhabi next September with Etihad Airways.
How Does Cavotec PCA Caddy Work?
The PC Air systems which have been used so far have no possibilities of going to minus degrees; they can only reach a minimum equal to +5 C degrees. This means that the A380 cannot be cooled, like it should be today, with maximum flow and minimum temperature. That's why Cavotec has invested in a system that works with compressed air. The PCA Caddy is a motorised reel trolley fitted with a state of the art air pre-conditioning unit using compressed air. The compressed air is expanding in a Cavotec expander unit and when it expands it becomes around minus 30 C degrees
without ice. This minus 30 C degrees are used to produce some extra compressed air that can be pushed into the airplane: around 100 cubic metre per minute at -25 C degrees. This new system produces dry air at -25 C degrees able to cool the airplane in the proper way.
The fact that Cavotec PCA Caddy uses no type of diesel generator adds to the Caddy's appeal and makes an environmentally friendly and extremely efficient option.
Advantages And Benefits Of The Cavotec PCA Caddy
Today there are no restrictions for airplanes to use the APU (Auxiliary Power Unit).
The APU is a generator (compressor) placed in the back of the airplane, using from 100 to 600 litres of fuel per hour to cool the air inside the aircraft. Actual refrigeration systems cannot cool an aircraft and presently there are no alternatives: when the temperature goes up, the pilot switches the APU on. For instance in the airports of the Middle East countries such as Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Bahrain, due to the hot outside temperatures, the APU is always at work: when the aircraft is on the ground, the APU is on. Considering the airport traffic, if in one airport there are 20-25 airplanes having the APU on with an average consumption of 300 litres per hour, this implies a huge waste of resources. Several hundred litres of fuel per hour are used, equivalent to approximately 6000-7500 litres per hour. Cavotec Caddy PCA is an extremely efficient option. Cavotec PCA Caddy stationary unit is able to deliver pre-conditioned air to an aircraft with a reduced consumption of KW per hour, significantly faster than traditional cooling methods, without using diesel or Freon gases.
Cavotec PCA Caddy involves other several advantages for both the airports and the airlines. Michael Widegren explains: "It's a win win situation. The first winner is the environment, but also the airlines and the airports will benefit from Cavotec PC Air. Decisions made today can have an effect well into the future. The airports installing
Cavotec PC Air will have a return on investment in approximately 2/3 years, depending on the airport traffic. They could invest in PCA Caddy units and by asking the airlines to pay for a fee corresponding to the cost of the fuel saved, after a short period, they will start earning money too. They will contribute to build their green identity, but they will also operate with greater efficiency and control so as to continually work towards excellence."
Michael Widegren continues: "On the other hand the airlines by paying to the airports a fee corresponding to the cost of the fuel saved from not using the APU, will not sustain any additional cost for using Cavotec PC Air unit. In addition they will reduce maintenance costs as the APU needs several and constant maintenance services and in the future it could be used to provide the air conditioning, the heating and the electricity, only when flying, in case an engine stops working. As a consequence, the use of Cavotec PC Air consents also to the airlines to increase safety as it allows the
APU to be always in good conditions." Further, Cavotec PCA Caddy requires less maintenance than the APU: it can work for 50.000 hours, about 10 years, with no maintenance.
Currently the air produced by the traditional refrigerant cooling methods is pushed into the aircraft through a hose lying in a basket on the ground; the air inside the hose condenses and becomes full of germs. Studies carried out in Germany have shown dangerous level of bacteria. Another important advantage of Cavotec cooling method is the quality of the air produced. The compressed air, before cooling, is heated up to 350 degrees. The result is a clean, sterilized dry air, able to ensure the most suitable level of humidity inside the aircraft: the best breathing air quality. "We should call it Breathing Air instead of Pre-Conditioned Air", says Mr. Widegren.
Advantages And Benefits
For the environment: no diesel or Freon gases, no pollution; reduced consumption of kW per hour; faster than traditional methods.
• For the airlines: same cost of using APU, but lower costs of APU maintenance; safety feature; no maintenance for approximately 10 years.
• For the airports: "green identity"; return on investment after 2/3 years; opportunity to increase traffic.
• For the passengers: clean breathing air Different types of Cavotec PCA Caddy
Airports around the world often have very different views on how best to service an aircraft. The decision to work with a specific type of system depends on many internal and external influences and variables. For this purpose Cavotec Fladung has developed systems for both aboveground or underground supply.
The PCA Caddy Aboveground
The PCA Caddy is a motorised reel trolley fitted with a state of the art air preconditioning unit. This unit is driven by a 24 VDC electric motor. This power plant ensures easy handling while simultaneously reeling or unreeling the cable. The
battery loader is mounted on the PCA Caddy itself and charges the battery automatically when the main power cable is connected. The motorised hose reel, fitted with the compressed air hose, is fully automatic in both reeling directions. The hose reel is powered by a 400VAC 3 phase frequency controlled motor, providing an even and constant tension. The output hose is stored, on top of the air preconditioning unit, allowing for easy connection to aircraft without the need for ladders. The hose is easy to remove, so it can be replaced or repaired with a minimum loss of
time. A folding steering arm allows for easy activation and steering. The steering arm retracts automatically to a vertical (braked) position when released. With the steering arm in its vertical position, the unit can be locked to protect against possible misuse or accidental activation. The PCA Caddy is fitted with a towing eye and the drive unit can be technically disengaged if longer transportation of the unit is required.
The PCA Caddy Underground
To resolve the ever increasing problems of tarmac-apron congestion, Cavotec Fladung has developed a revolutionary underground system which supplies the aircraft through pop-up systems located very near the parking line. After operation these pop-up units can recede back into the tarmac-apron closing completely flush with the tarmac apron, leaving it free for any crossing traffic. One of the main services that can be provided through this type of underfloor system is the PCA. The spiral hose, which is required to transport the air-conditioned air in the aircraft is directly
mounted on the pit system and is just 1/10th of its original length when stored. To supply PCA, the spiral hose needs to be connected to the air delivery side of the airconditioning equipment, while the adapter at the top end of the hose must be connected to the aircraft.
Cavotec Fladung
Established in 1968, the Fladung company has grown into a leader in the field of innovative ground support systems. Starting with the supply of 400Hz technology to airports, the company soon started to expand their range of systems for the airport industry.
In 2003 the company became a member of the Cavotec Group, and started operating as Cavotec Fladung GmbH. Today, the company is seen as one of the leading ground support equipment manufacturers in the world. With an extensive range of underground and above ground supply systems, coupled with innovations like the Power and PCA Caddy's, Cavotec Fladung has become a natural choice for airport operators around the world.
Since several years Cavotec Fladung has provided a totally new range of systems aimed at supplying aircraft with power, water and pre-conditioned air while reducing costs, time and pollution.
Market expectations
Airports across the world are gearing up to accommodate the entry of the Airbus A380 in 2007 by making high investments in facilities enlargement. Nearly 60 airports in the world will be able to accommodate the jet by 2010, although the actual operations of the A380 will itself be limited to between 40 - 50 airports. Costs incurred to prepare
airport facilities to handle the A380 derive from the anticipation of the multiple advantages that will be involved in the future. The most important driver is the enhanced efficiency of airport operations. Considering that in the hot countries the A380 cannot be cooled by the traditional methods, at present Cavotec PCA Caddy, using compressed air, is the only alternative to the APU, the only efficient solution from a cost-advantage evaluation.
Further, over the past years, main airport management structures have developed procedures to better identify, analyse, avoid and reduce the environmental impact of all airport activities. Some airports made a commitment to sustainable growth and are committed to measuring performance and progress through the use of key sustainability performance indicators such as, the annual tonnage of CO2 and of primary NOx emitted per passenger, the degree day corrected energy consumption per passenger, the percentage of waste recycled, the compliance with environmental legislation. Airports are aware that the commensurate increase in aircraft movements expected for the future, unless managed properly, it will have an ever greater impact upon the environment and the neighbours, against the policy of a sustainable airport growth. Cavotec PCA Caddy gives an important contribution to the decrease in both CO2 and NOx; this decrease could be used to satisfy the additional traffic demand by exploiting airport potentiality in full respect of the environmental standards.
New regulations are expected in the near future and it could be reasonable to forbid the use of the APU. In this case airports will have no choice but to adopt Cavotec PCA Caddy, the only efficient alternative now available. Expectations are great. Presently the geographical area showing the greatest interest in Cavotec PCA Caddy is the
Middle East. Cavotec is talking with Dubai, Abu Dhabi, but Singapore Airport and Airbus are interested as well.
