Cabin Air Compressor Motor Cooling Blower With Integrated Rotor Containment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The flow of cooling air to cabin air compressor motors in aircraft environmental control systems is limited by pressure drop from the compressor inlet to the ram air system, leading to reduced performance of the compressor and potential rotor fragmentation issues.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a movable blower in the cooling gas pathways to create a pressure differential and boost the flow rate of cooling air, which is then guided along a static structure to enhance cooling and containment, while maintaining a lightweight and compact design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a blower is added to boost cooling air flow, then cooling efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blower is integrated with the containment structure, merging two separate functions (cooling air delivery and rotor containment) into a single unified component. This reduces the number of separate parts while achieving both cooling enhancement and containment safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The containment structure is designed to serve dual purposes: it contains rotor fragments for safety while simultaneously housing the blower to deliver boosted cooling air flow. This multi-functionality addresses both safety requirements and cooling performance needs without adding separate dedicated components.
2Reliability
If containment structure is placed closer to rotor, then containment effectiveness is improved, but axial length is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The containment structure and blower are merged into a single integrated assembly that can be positioned close to the rotor. The blower housing forms part of the containment structure, allowing the system to achieve effective containment at reduced axial distances while maintaining cooling functionality.
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 solution increases the cooling efficiency of the cabin air compressor motor, enhances the containment structure's effectiveness, and maintains a lightweight design with minimal axial length increase, thereby improving overall system performance and safety.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure differential between said cooling gas inlet and said cooling gas exit draws cooling flow through said pathways
Implementation Method 2
means for creating a pressure differential between said cooling gas inlet and said cooling gas exit that draws cooling flow through said means for transporting
Implementation Method 3
means for boosting a flow rate of said cooling flow
Data Source
AI summary
A cabin air compressor assembly that include a cabin air compressor disposed at a compressor inlet and a cabin air compressor motor operably connected to the cabin air compressor. At least one cooling flow inlet is configured to direct a cooling flow through various pathways in the cabin air compressor assembly, including across the cabin air compressor motor. A blower is configured to boost the cooling flow across the cabin air compressor motor, thereby increasing cooling flow provided to the air compressor motor. A static seal plate is downstream of the blower and guides the boosted cooling flow toward a cooling flow exit. In addition, the static seal plate isolates boosted cooling flow from a moving rotor of the cabin air compressor, and also forms part of a containment structure that contains fragments and breakage that may come from the cabin air compressor rotor.