Aircraft Air Conditioning System Process Air Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft air conditioning systems face inefficiencies in process air consumption, leading to high fuel costs and environmental impact, particularly due to the need for compressed air from engines or auxiliary power units and the challenge of maintaining cabin pressure and humidity during flight and ground operations.
Innovation Solution
The system incorporates a process air line with a heat exchanger unit that utilizes both compressed process air and ambient air, featuring a ram air channel and a water extractor to minimize process air consumption by controlling the flow and cooling capacity, with a control arrangement to manage the fluid connection between the water extractor and the ram air channel based on humidity and altitude to prioritize cooling or prevent leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If compressed process air from engine or APU is used for air conditioning, then cooling capacity is achieved, but process air consumption increases leading to high fuel costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the air conditioning system with the engine intake system by introducing a pre-cooler that uses ambient air to cool the compressed process air before it enters the air conditioning unit. This combination allows waste ambient air to be utilized for cooling purposes, reducing the thermal load on the air conditioning system and thereby reducing the amount of compressed process air needed, which directly reduces fuel consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The pre-cooler acts as an intermediary component between the compressed process air and the air conditioning unit. It introduces ambient air as a cooling medium to pre-cool the process air, reducing its temperature before it enters the main air conditioning system. This intermediary cooling step reduces the energy required for compression and the overall process air consumption.
2Temperature
If process air is bled from engine during flight operation, then air conditioning is provided, but cabin pressure control becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The pre-cooler performs preliminary cooling of the compressed process air before it enters the air conditioning unit. By reducing the temperature of the process air in advance, the system reduces the thermal expansion effects that can interfere with pressure control, making cabin pressure management more predictable and controllable during flight operation.
3Use of energy by moving object
If ambient air is used for cooling, then fuel efficiency improves, but cooling capacity may be insufficient in high altitude conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates control mechanisms that monitor the cooling effectiveness and adjust the operation of the pre-cooler and air conditioning unit accordingly. By using feedback from temperature and pressure sensors, the system can optimize the amount of ambient air used for cooling and adjust compression ratios to maintain adequate cooling capacity even at high altitudes where ambient air density is lower.
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 reduces process air consumption, achieves significant fuel savings, and allows for cost-efficient and environmentally friendly operation by optimizing the use of compressed air and ambient air, while maintaining effective cabin temperature and humidity control.
Implementation Method 1
a heat exchanger unit which is disposed in the process air line and arranged within the ram air channel so as to thermally couple the process air flowing through the air line with the ambient air flowing through the ram air channel
Implementation Method 2
a water extractor disposed in the process air line downstream of the heat exchanger unit so as to extract water from the process air flowing through the process air line
Implementation Method 3
a conveying device, for example a blower, may be disposed in the ram air channel
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft air conditioning system including a process air line having a first end connected to a process air source to allow a flow of process air therethrough. A ram air channel of the air conditioning system allows ambient air flow therethrough. A heat exchanger unit is disposed in the process air line and arranged within the ram air channel to thermally couple process air flowing through the process air line to ambient air flowing through the ram air channel. A water extractor disposed in the process air line downstream of the heat exchanger unit extracts water from the process air. A water supply system supplies extracted water into the ram air channel. The water supply system has a control arrangement to control a fluid connection between the water extractor and the ram air channel in dependence on an operating state of the aircraft air conditioning system.