Aircraft Sorption Dehumidifier Regeneration for Lower Cooling Load
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Solution Overview
Problem
Air conditioning systems for aircraft face high energy consumption due to the need for extreme cooling to dehumidify ambient air in warm and humid conditions, leading to increased primary energy usage.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioning system equipped with a sorption device containing a sorbent, such as activated carbon or zeolite, that dehumidifies fresh air before it reaches the air conditioning units, reducing the cooling capacity required and allowing for energy-efficient operation by using a sorption device that can be thermally coupled to a heat source for regeneration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If ambient air is cooled down to a very low temperature to dehumidify the air in warm and humid conditions, then the moisture content of the air is reduced, but the primary energy consumption of the air conditioning system increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The air conditioning system is divided into separate functional modules: a dehumidifying device that removes moisture from ambient air using desiccant material, and a subsequent cooling stage. This segmentation allows dehumidification to occur independently of extreme cooling, reducing the energy burden on the cooling system.
Solution Approach 2:
A desiccant material (such as silica gel, molecular sieve, or activated alumina) is introduced as an intermediary substance to absorb moisture from the ambient air. This mediator enables dehumidification through adsorption rather than through extreme cooling, significantly reducing the energy consumption of the air conditioning system.
2Quantity of substance
If the cooling capacity of the air conditioning packs is increased to achieve adequate air dehumidification in warm and humid conditions, then the dehumidification effectiveness is improved, but the system complexity and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The air conditioning pack is segmented into a dehumidifying device section and a cooling section. The dehumidifying device uses desiccant material to remove moisture, while the cooling section provides necessary cooling. This segmentation simplifies each individual component's requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the approach to dehumidification from temperature-based (cooling) to moisture-based (adsorption). By using desiccant material with specific adsorption properties, the system achieves dehumidification without requiring extreme temperature reduction, simplifying the cooling capacity requirements.
3Quantity of substance
If ambient air is extremely cooled to guarantee adequate air dehumidification, then the moisture content is reduced to acceptable levels, but the cooling capacity required increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Desiccant material serves as an intermediary that chemically/physically binds with moisture molecules through adsorption. This intermediary mechanism removes moisture from air without requiring the air to be cooled to extremely low temperatures, thereby reducing the power demand for cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical cooling process is partially replaced by a chemical/physical adsorption process. Instead of relying solely on refrigeration cycles to remove moisture through condensation, the system uses desiccant material to adsorb moisture directly, reducing the mechanical cooling capacity needed.
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 setup significantly reduces the cooling capacity needed, enabling the air conditioning system to operate more efficiently, especially in warm and humid conditions, by dehumidifying air without cooling it, thus lowering energy consumption.
Implementation Method 1
a sorption device (16) is disposed in the fresh air line (12), in relation to the direction of flow of the fresh air through the fresh air line (12), downstream of the fresh air inlet (14). The sorption device (16) contains a sorbent (18) for taking up moisture from the fresh air flowing through the fresh air line (12)
Implementation Method 2
The sorption device (16) is thermally coupled to a heat source (34), which is adapted to release thermal energy
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft air conditioning system has a fresh air line connected to a fresh air inlet for supplying fresh air to the air conditioning system and a sorption device disposed in the fresh air line which contains a sorbent for taking up moisture from the fresh air flowing through the fresh air line. The sorption device is adapted to expose the sorbent contained in the sorption device to ambient pressure surrounding an aircraft carrying the aircraft air conditioning system when the aircraft is flying for the purpose of regeneration of the sorbent. The sorption device is thermally connectable to a heat source that is adapted, when the aircraft is flying and while the sorbent contained in the sorption device is exposed to the ambient pressure, to supply thermal energy from the heat source to the sorbent contained in the sorption device for the purpose of assisting the regeneration.