Air conditioning system with multiple cabins independently adjustable and control method thereof

Abstract

The present application belongs to the helicopter environmental control system, and specifically proposes an air conditioning system capable of independently adjusting multiple cabins and a control method thereof. Identical air conditioning modules are configured for each cabin, high-temperature bleed air from an engine, low-temperature refrigerant from a refrigeration unit and fresh air from outside the aircraft are uniformly distributed as inputs, so that each cabin has independent air conditioning and filtering capabilities. Moreover, the system has good expansion capability, the overall architecture is simple, the components are concentrated, and the space on the aircraft can be greatly saved and the weight requirement can be reduced.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The invention patent belongs to the helicopter environmental control system, and particularly relates to the design of a helicopter air conditioning system. BACKGROUND

[0002] The invention relates to the architecture design of a helicopter air conditioning system, and meets the independent heating, refrigeration and ventilation requirements of multiple cabins. Armed helicopters mainly adopt longitudinal double-cabin design, such as Z10 and Apache, and various transport helicopters also separate the cockpit and cabin. Different cabin sections have different heat loads, and each person has different evaluation of environmental comfort. In order to realize independent control of multiple cabins, the helicopter air conditioning systems at home and abroad often independently design the heating, ventilation and refrigeration systems of each cabin, which causes problems such as complex system, large space occupation on the machine and large weight cost. The dust and poison prevention requirements are also insufficiently considered.

[0003] In the prior art, patent CN201910981724.1 discloses a helicopter multi-cabin double-system environmental control system; in addition, patent CN201910981721.8 discloses a helicopter multi-cabin double-system air conditioning system based on compressor intermediate air supplement technology. The patent improves the heating efficiency through the compressor intermediate air supplement technology on the basis of a helicopter multi-cabin double-system environmental control system. Both the patents utilize the heat pump / refrigeration double-system principle of the evaporation cycle system, need to utilize the oil as a heat source, the oil is slow to heat up, and the heating time is long. Especially for low-temperature environments, the oil temperature itself is low, and it is difficult to obtain heat. The design of the circulating pipeline requires high sealing performance. Once leakage occurs, the high-pressure refrigerant has the risk of entering the oil system, thereby affecting flight safety. The control system proposed in the patent is coupled with the refrigeration cycle and the oil cycle during operation, the fluid temperature and pressure in the two cycles affect each other, and the control method is relatively complex. SUMMARY

[0004] In order to overcome the shortcomings of the above system, the invention proposes an air conditioning system and a control method for independent adjustment of multiple cabins. The same air conditioning modules are configured for each cabin, high-temperature bleed air from the engine, low-temperature refrigerant from the refrigeration unit and fresh air from outside the machine are used as inputs and are uniformly distributed, so that each cabin has independent air conditioning and filtering capabilities. Moreover, the system has good expansion capability, the overall architecture is simple, the components are concentrated, and the space on the machine can be greatly saved and the weight requirement can be reduced.

[0005] Technical solution: The application provides a multi-cabin independently adjustable air conditioning system, which comprises an engine bleed air adjusting assembly, an evaporation cycle refrigeration device, an air source switching assembly, an air fan, a plurality of sensors, a controller and an air distribution mechanism; the controller independently controls the working mode corresponding to each cabin section according to the requirement of each cabin section; any cabin section shares the same engine bleed air source, the evaporation cycle refrigeration device and the ambient air source; the working mode corresponding to any cabin section at least comprises ventilation, heating and refrigeration; in the ventilation mode, the air fan inhales cabin air and outside air into the system, and the mixed proportion of the inhaled air is adjusted by the air source switching assembly; the air distribution mechanism distributes the adjusted air to the cabin; in the heating mode, the air distribution mechanism is used to judge the supply air temperature, the engine bleed air adjusting assembly is adjusted, a certain amount of high-temperature bleed air of the engine is introduced, the supply air temperature is increased after the bleed air is mixed with the air inhaled by the air fan, and the air is distributed to the cabin; in the refrigeration mode, the air distribution mechanism is used to judge the supply air temperature, the evaporation cycle refrigeration device is adjusted, the air inhaled by the air fan is cooled, the supply air temperature is reduced, and the air is distributed to the cabin.

[0006] Further, the engine bleed air adjusting assembly comprises an electric valve and an injection nozzle; during operation, the high-temperature and high-pressure bleed air from the engine bleed air pipeline is uniformly distributed, the opening degree of the electric valve is adjusted, the air inhaled by the fan is mixed with the high-temperature bleed air, and the heating requirement of each cabin section is met.

[0007] Further, the air conditioning system further comprises a noise reduction mixing assembly arranged at the engine bleed air injection nozzle, which is used to reduce the noise during the engine bleed air process.

[0008] Further, the air source switching assembly can adopt an air source switching valve, which can adjust the mixing proportion of the cabin air and the outside air and can directly close one air source.

[0009] Further, the evaporation cycle refrigeration device comprises a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve and an evaporator.

[0010] Further, the air distribution mechanism comprises a quick-release air filter element structure, different types of filter elements can be loaded according to requirements, and dustproof and antitoxic filtration can be realized.

[0011] Further, the controller comprises a temperature setting knob and a refrigeration switch; when the refrigeration switch is closed, the temperature setting knob is used to divide the ventilation and heating working modes and is associated with setting the target temperature of the supply air to the cabin; when the refrigeration switch is opened, the temperature setting knob is used to set the cabin temperature.

[0012] Another aspect of the present application also provides a control method of a multi-cabin independently adjustable air conditioning system, the control method comprising the following steps:

[0013] checking the state of the temperature setting knob and the cooling switch; when the cooling switch is off, the temperature setting knob is used to divide the ventilation and heating working modes and associate the target temperature of the air supply to the cabin; when the cooling switch is on, the temperature setting knob is used to set the cabin temperature;

[0014] When the controller determines the ventilation mode, the engine bleed air regulating assembly and the evaporative cycle refrigeration device are closed, and only the fan works, the fan inhales the cabin air and the outside air into the system, and the mixing ratio of the air inhaled into the system is adjusted by the air source switching assembly, and the adjusted air is distributed to the cabin by the air distribution mechanism;

[0015] When the controller determines the heating mode, the target air supply temperature is calculated according to the linear mapping relationship; the opening degree of the electric valve is adjusted to make the temperature collected by the air supply temperature sensor close to the target air supply temperature, so as to realize the heating in the cabin section.

[0016] When the controller determines the cooling mode, first, the air source switching valve is adjusted to cut off the ambient air source, the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve in the evaporative cycle refrigeration device is adjusted, the temperature at the outlet of the air source switching valve is compared with the temperature set by the temperature setting knob in real time, and the power of the evaporative cycle refrigeration device and the air volume of the fan are adjusted until the two temperature values are close.

[0017] Further, a temperature relay is arranged at the inlet of the air distribution mechanism, when the air supply temperature relay detects that the air supply temperature exceeds the set threshold, the electric valve is quickly closed to prevent high-temperature gas from entering the cabin.

[0018] Further, the temperature sensor arranged at the outlet of the air source switching valve can also collect the outside air temperature in real time, and the recorded data can be used for analysis and troubleshooting after a fault occurs.

[0019] Beneficial Technical Effects: In the helicopter environmental control system configuration, the evaporative cooling system and the engine bleed air heating system are organically combined, with components shared between the two independent systems, such as fans, air source switching valves, sensors, air distribution components, and filters. This significantly reduces system cost and weight. Simultaneously, the air conditioning system can be expanded into multiple air conditioning modules according to the helicopter configuration, enabling independent temperature control across multiple cabin sections. All cabin sections share the same engine bleed air source, evaporative cooling device, and ambient air source during operation. Compared to traditional configurations where ventilation, heating, and cooling systems are designed independently, this invention's modular design for temperature control within a single cabin section offers higher integration, greatly reducing system installation space and equipment costs. The environmental control system configuration proposed in this invention can support personalized needs for multi-cabin environmental control; for example, the need for cooling one cabin while heating another can be met without additional costs. Compared to existing helicopter multi-cabin environmental control systems, this invention introduces fresh ambient air, utilizes engine bleed air for temperature regulation, and employs a temperature control system with an air path design, resulting in high control linearity and eliminating the risk of control divergence. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the temperature control system architecture of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the air distribution mechanism.

[0022] The components include: 1. Air distribution assembly; 2. Air supply temperature sensor; 3. Air supply temperature relay; 4. Injector nozzle; 5. Electric valve; 6. Fan; 7. Evaporator; 8. Inlet air temperature sensor; 9. Air source switching valve; 10. Electronic expansion valve; 11. Refrigerant piping; 12. Engine bleed air piping; 13. Refrigeration assembly; 14. Fresh air piping; 15. Return air piping; 16. Air supply filter; 17. Temperature setting knob; 18. Refrigeration switch. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0024] An air conditioning system that allows for independent adjustment of multiple cabins (such as...) Figure 1As shown, the cockpit consists of an air distribution assembly 1, an air supply temperature sensor 2, an air supply temperature relay 3, an ejector nozzle 4, an electric valve 5, a fan 6, an evaporator 7, an intake air temperature sensor 8, an air source switching valve 9, an electronic expansion valve 10, a refrigerant line 11, an engine bleed air line 12, a refrigeration assembly 13, a fresh air line 14, a return air line 15, and an air supply filter 16. The air conditioning logic is the same for each compartment; only one compartment will be described: the fan 6, as the power source for air circulation, always operates. The air source switching valve 9 can select the air source entering the cockpit through its valve position, choosing either air from the cockpit return air line 15 or from the fresh air line 14 outside the cockpit, achieving "internal ventilation" and "external ventilation" functions. The air distribution assembly 1 delivers the regulated air supply to the cockpit through the distribution lines, where an air supply filter 16 can be inserted. For normal use, a regular impurity filter is inserted; for combat, a gas repellent filter is inserted beforehand. Together with the air supply filter 16, the system achieves the functions of air filtration and distribution. Air conditioning mainly includes three modes: heating, cooling, and ventilation. In heating mode, by adjusting the opening of the electric valve 5, the ejector nozzle 4 ejects high-temperature bleed air from the engine bleed air pipe 12, which mixes with the air supplied by the fan 6 to achieve heating. In cooling mode, by adjusting the opening of the electronic expansion valve 10, the low-temperature refrigerant from the cooling assembly 13 exchanges heat with the air supplied by the fan 6 in the evaporator 7 to achieve cooling. When both the electric valve 5 and the electronic expansion valve 10 are closed, the system operates in ventilation mode. Each compartment can select the air conditioning mode according to its needs without affecting each other.

[0025] In one feasible implementation, the engine bleed air regulating assembly may include an ejector nozzle 4 and an electric valve 5. During operation, high-temperature, high-pressure bleed air from the engine bleed air pipeline is uniformly distributed. By adjusting the opening of the electric valve 5, the air drawn in by the fan 6 is mixed with the high-temperature bleed air to meet the heating requirements of each compartment. A noise-reducing mixing assembly is designed at the ejector nozzle 4 of the engine bleed air to reduce noise during the engine bleed air process.

[0026] In addition, the air source switching component can be an air source switching valve 9, which can adjust the mixing ratio of air inside the cabin and air outside the cabin, and can also directly shut off one of the air sources.

[0027] During adjustment, the controller includes a temperature setting knob and a cooling switch. When the cooling switch is off, the temperature setting knob is used to distinguish between ventilation and heating modes and to set the target temperature for air supply to the cabin. When the cooling switch is on, the temperature setting knob is used to set the cabin temperature.

[0028] See appendix Figure 2An air supply filter 16 is added to the air distribution assembly 1. This filter includes a quick-release air filter element structure, which can be fitted with different types of filter elements as needed to achieve dust and toxic filtration. This is particularly significant for some special application scenarios.

[0029] The main innovative design features of the temperature regulation system and method proposed in this invention are reflected in the following aspects:

[0030] 1. High-temperature and high-pressure bleed air from engine bleed air line 12 is uniformly distributed. By adjusting the opening of electric valve 5, the air drawn in by fan 6 is mixed with the high-temperature bleed air to meet the heating requirements of each compartment.

[0031] 2. The low-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant from the refrigeration component 13 is uniformly distributed. By adjusting the opening of the electronic expansion valve 10, the flow rate of refrigerant entering the evaporator 7 is controlled. The air drawn in by the fan 6 exchanges heat with the evaporator 7 and its temperature decreases, which can meet the refrigeration needs of each compartment.

[0032] 3. Fan 6 operates in heating, cooling, and ventilation modes. By setting the speed of fan 6, the airflow adjustment needs of each compartment can be met.

[0033] 4. The air source switching valve 9 can switch the air source in heating, cooling and ventilation modes. It can select cabin air from return air duct 15 or fresh air from fresh air duct 14. Each compartment can be adjusted independently according to needs.

[0034] 5. The air distribution assembly 1 can control the direction of airflow, including flow into the upper air outlet, the lower air outlet, or the demisting port. A filter element can be inserted into the air distribution assembly. A dust filter element can be inserted during normal use, and a gas filter element can be inserted in combat environments.

[0035] 6. The air conditioning modes of each compartment are independent of each other. When the cooling switch 18 is in the closed state, the electronic expansion valve 10 is closed, and the air conditioning in the corresponding compartment is in ventilation or heating mode. When the cooling switch 18 is in the open state, the electric valve 5 is closed, and the air conditioning in the corresponding compartment is in ventilation or cooling mode.

[0036] 7. The ejector nozzle 4 has an ejector function. During normal heating, if the fan 6 malfunctions, it will also eject some air to mix, preventing high-temperature gas from directly entering the air distribution component 1.

[0037] 8. The refrigeration component 13 includes a compressor and a condenser, which are integrated together and can be modularly replaced. When different compartments need refrigeration, they can be connected to refrigerant pipelines.

[0038] 9. The evaporator 7 is designed to be detachable. After the evaporator 7, electronic expansion valve 10, refrigerant piping 11, and refrigeration components 13 are disassembled, the ventilation and heating modes are not affected.

[0039] 10. The temperature setting knob 17 is set to a temperature range of 16–32°C. When the set temperature is 16–20°C, the electric valve 5 is closed, and the air conditioning in the corresponding compartment is in ventilation mode. When the set temperature is 20–32°C, 60°C is subtracted from four times the set temperature value to obtain the target air supply temperature. By adjusting the opening of the electric valve 5, the temperature collected by the air supply temperature sensor 2 is made close to the target air supply temperature, thus achieving heating in the compartment. The higher the set temperature value, the higher the air supply temperature; the lower the set temperature value, the closer the air supply temperature is to the set temperature, thus meeting the heating requirements while effectively saving bleed air from the engine bleed air pipe 12.

[0040] 11. When the gas supply temperature relay 3 detects that the gas supply temperature exceeds 93°C, the electric valve 5 closes quickly to prevent high-temperature gas from entering the cabin.

[0041] 12. The intake air temperature sensor 8 can collect the cabin air temperature from the return air duct 15 and the fresh air temperature from the fresh air duct 14. The recorded data can be used for analysis and troubleshooting after a malfunction occurs.

[0042] The proposed air conditioning system and control method for independently adjustable multi-cabin configuration in this invention configures each cabin with an identical air conditioning module. It uniformly distributes high-temperature bleed air from the engine, low-temperature refrigerant from the refrigeration unit, and fresh air from outside the aircraft as inputs, enabling each cabin to have independent air conditioning and filtration capabilities. Furthermore, the system exhibits excellent scalability, a simple overall architecture, and concentrated components, significantly saving aircraft space and reducing weight requirements. Compared to existing helicopter multi-cabin air conditioning systems, this invention introduces fresh air from the environment, utilizes engine bleed air for temperature regulation, and employs a temperature control system with a gas path design, resulting in high control linearity and eliminating the risk of control divergence.

[0043] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, providing a detailed description of the invention. Parts not covered herein are conventional techniques. However, the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A control method for an air conditioning system capable of independent adjustment of multiple cabins, characterized in that, The air conditioning system includes: an engine bleed air regulating component, an evaporative cooling system, an air source switching component, a fan, multiple sensors, a controller, and an air distribution mechanism. The controller independently controls the corresponding operating mode for each compartment according to its needs. All compartments share the same engine bleed air source, evaporative cooling system, and ambient air source during operation. Each compartment's operating mode includes at least three modes: ventilation, heating, and cooling. In the ventilation mode, the fan draws in both cabin and outside air into the system. During this process, the mixing ratio is adjusted by the air source switching component, and the adjusted gas is distributed to the cabin by the air distribution mechanism. In the heating mode, based on the ventilation mode, the engine bleed air regulating component is adjusted to introduce a certain amount of high-temperature bleed air from the engine, which mixes with the gas drawn in by the fan, increasing the supply air temperature and distributing it to the cabin. In the cooling mode, based on the ventilation mode, the evaporative cooling system is adjusted to cool the gas drawn in by the fan, decreasing the supply air temperature and distributing it to the cabin. The air source switching component can be an air source switching valve, which can adjust the mixing ratio of cabin air and outside air, and can also directly shut off one of the air sources; the controller includes a temperature setting knob and a cooling switch. When the cooling switch is off, the temperature setting knob is used to distinguish between ventilation and heating modes and to set the target temperature of the air supplied to the cabin; when the cooling switch is on, the temperature setting knob is used to set the cabin temperature. The control method includes the following steps: Check the status of the temperature setting knob and the cooling switch; when the cooling switch is off, the temperature setting knob is used to distinguish between ventilation and heating modes and to set the target temperature for air supply to the cabin; when the cooling switch is on, the temperature setting knob is used to set the cabin temperature. When the controller determines that the ventilation mode is activated, the engine bleed air regulating component and the evaporative cooling device are shut down, and only the fan works. The fan draws in the cabin air and the outside air into the system. During the process of drawing in the system, the mixing ratio is adjusted by the air source switching component, and the adjusted gas is distributed to the cabin by the air distribution mechanism. When the controller determines that the heating mode is activated, it calculates and determines the target air supply temperature according to the linear mapping relationship; by adjusting the opening of the electric valve, the temperature collected by the air supply temperature sensor is made close to the target air supply temperature, thereby achieving heating in the compartment. When the controller determines that it is in cooling mode, it first cuts off the ambient air supply through the air source switching valve, adjusts the opening of the electronic expansion valve in the evaporative cooling cycle device, compares the temperature at the outlet of the air source switching valve with the temperature set by the temperature setting knob in real time, and adjusts the power of the evaporative cooling cycle device and the fan air volume until the two temperature values ​​are close.

2. The control method for an air conditioning system capable of independent adjustment of multiple cabins as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The engine bleed air regulating assembly includes an electric valve and an ejector nozzle. During operation, it uniformly distributes high-temperature and high-pressure bleed air from the engine bleed air pipeline. By adjusting the opening of the electric valve, the air drawn in by the fan is mixed with the high-temperature bleed air to meet the heating requirements of each compartment.

3. The control method for an air conditioning system capable of independent adjustment of multiple cabins as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The air conditioning system also includes a noise reduction mixing component, which is located at the engine bleed air nozzle; used to reduce noise during engine bleed air intake.

4. The control method for an air conditioning system capable of independent adjustment of multiple cabins as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The evaporative cooling system includes a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator.

5. The control method for an air conditioning system capable of independent adjustment of multiple cabins as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The air distribution mechanism includes a quick-release air filter structure that can accommodate different types of filters as needed.

6. The control method for an air conditioning system capable of independent adjustment of multiple cabins as described in claim 1, characterized in that, A temperature relay is also installed at the entrance of the air distribution mechanism. When the air supply temperature relay detects that the air supply temperature exceeds the set threshold, the electric valve closes quickly to prevent high-temperature gas from entering the cabin.

7. The control method for an air conditioning system capable of independent adjustment of multiple cabins as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The temperature sensor installed at the outlet of the air source switching valve can also collect the temperature of the outside air in real time, and the recorded data can be used for analysis and troubleshooting after a failure occurs.

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