Air conditioning system with integrated water extraction loop
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air conditioning systems for aircraft are bulky due to the size of the water extraction loop, which occupies valuable space and requires extensive piping, limiting their compactness and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The water extraction loop is redesigned to be more compact by arranging the heater, condenser, and water separator in series along or around the turbine engine axis, reducing the overall size and improving performance by minimizing pressure drops.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the water extraction loop is designed with conventional separate components and extensive piping, then the system can perform water extraction function, but the overall system size becomes bulky and occupies valuable space
Solution Approach 1:
The heater, condenser, and water separator are merged into a single integrated water extraction loop assembly that is fluidically connected in series between the compressor air outlet and turbine air inlet. This consolidation eliminates the need for extensive separate piping while maintaining all necessary water extraction functions, directly resolving the contradiction between compact size and functional completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The water extraction loop components are arranged in a nested configuration where the heater, condenser, and water separator are positioned in series along the same fluid path. This nesting approach allows multiple functional elements to occupy minimal space while maintaining proper fluid flow sequences, effectively reducing overall system volume without sacrificing extraction performance.
2Volume of moving object
If the water extraction loop components are arranged in series along the turbine engine axis, then the system becomes more compact, but the piping layout becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The water extraction loop is segmented into distinct functional modules (heater section, condenser section, water separator section) that are arranged in series along the turbine engine axis. Each module can be manufactured and tested independently, then assembled in a standardized sequence, reducing overall complexity despite the compact series arrangement.
Solution Approach 2:
The components are arranged in a linear series configuration along the axial dimension of the turbine engine rather than being distributed in three-dimensional space. This dimensional organization simplifies the piping layout by confining all connections to a single plane or axis, making assembly more straightforward despite the compact footprint.
3Volume of moving object
If the water extraction loop is compacted, then space is saved, but pressure drops may increase affecting system performance
Solution Approach 1:
The compact water extraction loop is designed with locally optimized flow channels and component geometries that maintain adequate flow areas despite the reduced overall size. Each component (heater, condenser, separator) is configured with specific local characteristics that minimize flow resistance, ensuring that pressure drops remain acceptable while achieving system compactness.
Solution Approach 2:
The series arrangement of heater, condenser, and water separator is designed upfront to optimize the cumulative pressure drop across all components. By pre-configuring the flow paths and component dimensions in the design phase, the system achieves compactness while maintaining pressure drop within acceptable limits for proper system operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration significantly reduces the overall size of the air conditioning system while enhancing the performance of the water extraction loop, improving reliability and efficiency by reducing erosion of the turbine and minimizing pressure drops.
Implementation Method 1
Air supplied by the air conditioning system successively passes through the heater and condenser as a hot pass
Implementation Method 2
The air leaving the condenser passes through the water separator, which recovers the water that can be used in the air conditioning system
Implementation Method 3
a second heat exchanger referred to using the term 'condenser'
Implementation Method 4
The air leaving the condenser passes through the water separator, which recovers the water
Data Source
AI summary
Air conditioning system for a cabin of an air or rail transport vehicle, comprising: a pneumatic turbine engine that comprises at least one compressor and at least one turbine (126) and is connected by a mechanical shaft extending along an axis, referred to as the turbine engine axis (132), said turbine comprising an air inlet and an air outlet; and a water extraction loop that comprises a heater (110), a condenser (112) and a water separator (114), is fluidically arranged between an air outlet of the compressor and the air inlet of said turbine (126), and is configured to dry the air supplied to said turbine (126), characterized in that said heater (110), said condenser (112), and said water separator (114) are arranged in series on the turbine engine axis (132) or around said axis, forming the air inlet of said turbine (126).