Bleedless Motorized Air Cycle Machine With Integrated Motor Cooling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air conditioning systems in aircraft face challenges in achieving high efficiency with respect to engine fuel burn, as approaches to eliminate bleed air and use electrical power or lower engine pressure provide limited efficiency.
Innovation Solution
An environmental control system that utilizes multiple inlets for different media, including a thermodynamic device with a compressor, turbine, and electric motor, where the second medium acts as a heat sink to remove heat from the electric motor, and incorporates a ram air circuit with heat exchangers and fans to optimize energy use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If bleed air is eliminated and electrical power is used to compress outside air, then system efficiency improves, but the approach provides limited efficiency with respect to engine fuel burn
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the electric motor cooling function with the ram air heat exchanger function. The second medium (cabin discharge air or ambient air) is used to cool the electric motor through the ram air circuit, eliminating the need for separate cooling systems. This integration recovers waste heat from the motor and utilizes it effectively, improving overall system efficiency and reducing energy loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own waste heat and available air flows to serve cooling requirements. The electric motor is cooled by the second medium flowing through the ram air circuit, which acts as a self-contained thermal management system. This self-service approach eliminates external cooling requirements and improves fuel efficiency.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the second medium is used as a heat sink to remove heat from the electric motor, then energy efficiency improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ram air circuit is designed to serve multiple functions: it acts as a heat exchanger for cooling the electric motor, provides thermal management for the thermodynamic device, and utilizes available air flows from the cabin discharge or ambient sources. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate cooling systems and simplifies the overall architecture despite the advanced thermal management capabilities.
3Loss of energy
If ram air circuit with heat exchangers and fans is incorporated, then fuel burn efficiency improves, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system recovers waste heat from the electric motor and cabin discharge air through the ram air heat exchanger. By capturing and utilizing this waste thermal energy for cooling purposes, the system eliminates the need for heavy conventional cooling systems while improving fuel efficiency. The fan motor also benefits from waste heat recovery, reducing its cooling requirements.
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
The system achieves high fuel burn efficiency by utilizing ambient air and cabin discharge air to operate efficiently, reducing weight and energy consumption while eliminating the need for upstream air supply systems and conventional heat exchangers.
Implementation Method 1
The second inlet is fluidly connected to the electric motor such that a flow of the second medium is operable as a heat sink to remove heat from the electric motor
Implementation Method 2
a ram air circuit has at least one ram heat exchanger and the electric motor is fluidly connected to the ram air circuit
Data Source
AI summary
An environmental control system of a vehicle includes a first inlet for receiving a first medium, a second inlet for receiving a second medium, and at least one thermodynamic device fluidly coupled to the first inlet and the second inlet. The at least one thermodynamic device includes a compressor, at least one turbine, and an electric motor, operably coupled by a shaft. The second inlet is fluidly connected to the electric motor such that a flow of the second medium is operable as a heat sink to remove heat from the electric motor.