Liquid-Cooled Cabin Air Compressor Jacket for Motor Heat Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cabin air compressors in aircraft environmental control systems face inefficiencies in cooling, as air-cooled electric motors may not adequately manage heat, leading to potential overheating and reduced reliability of motor and bearing components.
Innovation Solution
A liquid-cooled jacket is integrated around the compressor, featuring insulating material and passages for cooling air and liquid flow, specifically designed to cool the motor and bearings, enhancing heat removal through convection and fluid circulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If air-cooled electric motors are used in cabin air compressors, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but the cooling efficiency is insufficient leading to overheating and reduced reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling jacket is nested around the motor and bearing assemblies, with internal cooling passages formed within the jacket structure. This nested configuration allows the cooling system to be integrated around existing components without requiring complete system redesign, thereby improving reliability while controlling complexity
Solution Approach 2:
A cooling jacket serving as an intermediary component is introduced between the heat-generating components (motor and bearings) and the external environment. The jacket contains internal passages that facilitate heat removal through a separate cooling fluid circulation system, effectively mediating the thermal management function
2Loss of energy
If traditional air-cooling methods are used, then the device structure is simple, but the heat removal efficiency is insufficient under high load conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from air-cooling to liquid-cooling by introducing a cooling jacket with internal passages through which cooling fluid circulates. This hydraulic cooling approach significantly improves heat removal efficiency compared to conventional air-cooling methods, particularly under high load conditions where excessive heat generation occurs
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 liquid-cooled jacket effectively reduces motor and bearing temperatures, enhancing the reliability and longevity of the compressor by providing a more efficient cooling mechanism beyond traditional air-cooled methods.
Implementation Method 1
enhancing heat removal through convection and fluid circulation
Implementation Method 2
The cooling jacket is configured to cool a motor, a forward motor support bearing, and an aft motor support bearing of the compressor
Implementation Method 3
the cooling jacket may at least partially include insulating material
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a cabin air compressor (CAC) of an aircraft environmental control system, the CAC having: a CAC case (115) defining a forward end (110), an aft end (130) axially spaced apart from the forward end, wherein the forward end defines a compressor inlet (150); and a supplemental cooling jacket (500), positioned around at least a portion of the CAC case and at least partially conforming the CAC case, and wherein the supplemental cooling jacket is configured to direct a cooling medium (510) through it.