EP0888966A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
High efficiency environmental control systems and methods
Assignee: Boeing North American Inc
•
Filing: 1998-06-29
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Granted: —
•
Expires: 2018-06-29
Abstract
Abstract A high efficiency environmental control system (10) uses air (16) exhausted from a pressurized cabin (12) to cool compressed air (14) entering the cabin (12). Air (16) exhausted from the cabin (12) may flow directly from the cabin (12) through a heat exchanger (60) which cools the compressed air (14) entering the cabin (12). Alternatively, air (16) exiting the cabin (12) may flow through a turbine (66) which expands and cools the air (16) prior to passing through the heat exchanger (60). The turbine (66) may be used to drive a compressor (68) to provide the compressed air (14) to the cabin (12). Supplemental power to drive the compressor (68) may be provided by a second turbine (70) driven by bleed air (44) from one or more turbine engines (20), or by an electric motor. Bleed air (44) may also be mixed with air from the compressor to provide fresh air to the cabin (12). To further increase efficiency and meet the cooling requirements of the cabin (12) on the ground and at altitude, switch dampers may be employed to selectably vary the flow path of air supplied to the cabin (12).
Inventors
- 👤 Franklin D. Farrington
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 09:12
CPC Classifications
B; B64; B64D; B64D13/00; B64D13/06; B64D2013/0603; B64D2013/0618; B64D2013/0644; B64D2013/0648; B64D2013/0688; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T50/00; Y02T50/40; Y02T50/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
110 words
An environmental control system for a
pressurized cabin having an inflow port for supplying
air to the cabin and an outflow port for exhausting air
from the cabin, the system comprising: a heat exchanger having a first inlet and
corresponding first outlet in fluid communication with
the outflow port of the cabin, the heat exchanger also
having a second inlet and corresponding second outlet in
fluid communication with the inflow port of the cabin,
wherein air exhausted from the cabin passes through the
first inlet and outlet of the heat exchanger to cool air
supplied to the cabin through the second inlet and
outlet to increase efficiency of the system.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
307 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising
a fan interposed the first inlet of the heat exchanger
and the outflow port of the cabin for moving air through
the heat exchanger when cabin pressure is insufficient
to attain a desired cooling level of air supplied to the
inflow port of the cabin,
and/or further preferably comprising: a turbine interposed the cabin and heat
exchanger having a turbine inlet in fluid communication
with the outflow port of the cabin and a turbine outlet
in fluid communication with the first inlet of the heat
exchanger, the turbine expanding and cooling the air
exhausted from the cabin to further cool the air supplied
to the cabin,
and/or further preferably comprising: a compressor mechanically coupled to and
driven by the turbine, the compressor receiving ram air
through a compressor inlet and compressing the ram air
to provide compressed air at a compressor outlet, the
compressor outlet being in fluid communication with the
second inlet of the heat exchanger,
and/or further preferably comprising: a motor coupled to the compressor for providing
energy to drive the compressor,
and/or further preferably comprising: a second turbine mechanically coupled to the
compressor for providing energy to drive the compressor,
the second turbine having an inlet for receiving bleed
air from at least one engine and an outlet in fluid
communication with the second inlet of the heat exchanger,
and/or further preferably comprising: a second turbine having an inlet for receiving
bleed air from at least one engine and an outlet in
fluid communication with the second inlet of the heat
exchanger; and a generator coupled to the second turbine for
converting mechanical energy from the second turbine to
electrical energy for the cabin,
and/or further preferably comprising: a generator coupled to the turbine for converting
mechanical energy from the turbine to electrical
energy for the cabin.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
255 words
An environmental control system for a
vehicle powered by at least one turbine engine, the
vehicle including a cabin having an inflow port for
receiving conditioned air and an outflow port for
exhausting air, the system comprising: a first turbine having an inlet in fluid
communication with the outflow port of the cabin, the
first turbine expanding and cooling the air exhausted
from the cabin, the air exiting the first turbine
through an outlet; a heat exchanger having a first inlet and
corresponding first outlet in fluid communication with
the outlet of the first turbine for cooling air passing
through a second inlet and corresponding second outlet
prior to entering the inflow port of the cabin; a compressor mechanically coupled to and
driven by the first turbine, the compressor receiving
ram air through a compressor inlet to provide compressed
air at a compressor outlet, the compressor outlet being
in fluid communication with the second inlet of the heat
exchanger; a second turbine mechanically coupled to the
compressor for providing energy to drive the compressor,
the second turbine having an inlet receiving bleed air
from the engine and an outlet providing conditioned air
to the cabin; and at least one switch damper for selectively
coupling the inlet of the second turbine either directly
to the bleed air from the engine or to the second outlet
of the heat exchanger and for selectively coupling the
outlet of the second turbine to either the inflow port
of the cabin or the second inlet port of the heat
exchanger.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
328 words
The system of any of the preceding claims
further comprising: a fan interposed the outflow port of the cabin
and the inlet of the first turbine for selectively moving
air through the first turbine and the heat exchanger when
a reduced pressure ratio across the turbine provides
insufficient air movement,
and/or further preferably comprising a motor coupled to the second turbine and the compressor
to provide additional energy to drive the compressor,
and/or wherein preferably at least
one switch damper comprises: a first switch damper interposed the engine
and the second turbine having a first selectable state
for coupling bleed air from the engine to the inlet of
the second turbine and a second selectable state for
coupling bleed air from the engine to the outlet of the
compressor and the second outlet of the heat exchanger
to the inlet of the second turbine; a second switch damper interposed the first
switch damper and the compressor having a first selectable
state for coupling the outlet of the second
turbine to the outlet of the compressor and a second
selectable state for coupling the bleed air from the
engine to the outlet of the compressor and the outlet of
the second turbine to the inflow port of the cabin; and a third switch damper interposed the heat
exchanger and the cabin having a first selectable state
for coupling the second outlet of the heat exchanger to
the inflow port of the cabin and a second state for
coupling the outlet of the second turbine to the inflow
port of the cabin and the second outlet of the heat
exchanger to the inlet of the second turbine,
and/or further preferably comprising: a switch damper interposed the first turbine
and the heat exchanger having a first selectable position
for coupling the outlet of the first turbine to the
first inlet of the heat exchanger and a second selectable
position for coupling ram air to the first inlet of
the heat exchanger.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
294 words
An environmental control system for an
aircraft powered by at least one turbine engine, the
aircraft including a cabin having an inflow port far
receiving conditioned air and an outflow port for
exhausting air, the system comprising: a first turbine having an inlet in fluid
communication with the outflow port of the cabin, the
first turbine expanding and cooling the air exhausted
from the cabin, the air exiting the first turbine
through an outlet; a heat exchanger having a first inlet and
corresponding first outlet in fluid communication with
the outlet of the first turbine for cooling air passing
through a second inlet and corresponding second outlet
prior to entering the inflow port of the cabin; a compressor mechanically coupled to and
driven by the first turbine, the compressor receiving
ram air through a compressor inlet to provide compressed
air at a compressor outlet, the compressor outlet being
in fluid communication with the second inlet of the heat
exchanger; a second turbine selectively coupled to the
compressor having an inlet selectively coupled to the
second outlet of the heat exchanger and an outlet
selectively coupled to the inflow port of the cabin; a motor selectively coupled to the second
turbine and coupled to the compressor for providing
driving energy to the compressor; a first directional valve interposed the heat
exchanger and the inflow port of the cabin for selectably
coupling the second outlet of the heat exchanger to
either the inlet of the second turbine or the inflow
port of the cabin; and a second directional valve interposed the
first directional valve and the inflow port of the cabin
for selectably coupling either the outlet of the second
turbine or the second outlet of the heat exchanger to
the inflow port of the cabin.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
86 words
The system of any of the preceding
claims further comprising: a fan interposed the outflow port of the cabin
and the inlet of the first turbine for selectively
moving air through the first turbine and the heat
exchanger when a reduced pressure ratio across the
turbine provides insufficient air movement,
and/or further preferably comprising: a mixing valve interposed the outlet of the
first turbine and the first inlet of the heat exchanger
for selectively mixing ram air with air exiting the
outlet of the first turbine.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
220 words
An environmental control system for an
aircraft powered by at least one turbine engine, the
aircraft including a cabin having an inflow port for
receiving air supplied to the cabin and an outflow port
for exhausting air from the cabin, the system having a
maximum cooling mode and an economy mode, the system
comprising: a compressor receiving ram air through a
compressor inlet to provide compressed air at a compressor
outlet; a heat exchanger having a first inlet and
corresponding first outlet for cooling air passing
through a second inlet and corresponding second outlet,
the first inlet being in fluid communication with the
outflow port of the cabin when in the maximum cooling
mode; and a first turbine mechanically coupled to the
compressor, the first turbine having an inlet in fluid
communication with the second outlet port of the heat
exchanger when in the maximum cooling mode and in fluid
communication with the outflow port when in the economy
mode, the first turbine also having an outlet in communication
with the inflow port of the cabin when in the
maximum cooling mode, the outlet being in fluid communication
with the second inlet of the heat exchanger when
in the economy mode, wherein the heat exchanger recovers
energy from air exhausted from the cabin to cool air
supplied to the cabin.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
82 words
The system of any of the preceding claims
further comprising a second turbine selectively
mechanically coupled to the compressor when functioning
in the economy mode, the second turbine having an inlet
receiving bleed air from the engine and an outlet in
fluid communication with the outlet of the compressor
when functioning in the economy mode,
and/or further preferably comprising
a motor mechanically coupled to the compressor for
driving the compressor while functioning in both the
maximum cooling mode and the economy mode.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
83 words
A method for improving efficiency of an
environmental control system for a cabin having an
inflow port supplying air to the cabin and an outflow
port exhausting air from the cabin, the method comprising: supplying compressed air to the cabin; and cooling the compressed air supplied to the
cabin through the inflow port using air exhausted from
the cabin through the outflow port to recover energy
from the air exhausted from the cabin so as to improve
efficiency of the environmental control system.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
39 words
The method of any of the preceding claims
wherein the step of cooling comprises expanding the air
exhausted from the cabin using a turbine,
and/or further preferably comprising: modulating operation of the turbine to control
pressurization of the cabin.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
52 words
An environmental control system for a
pressurized cabin having an inflow port for supplying
air to the cabin and an outflow port for exhausting air
from the cabin, the system comprising: a heat exchanger having a first inlet and
corresponding first outlet in fluid communication with
the outflow port of the cabin.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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