CAC Motor Water Cooling Using Separated Turbine Water
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling solutions for cabin air compressor (CAC) motors in aircraft create undesirable drag and fail to provide sufficient cooling, necessitating improved methods to manage heat generation.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a turbine to deliver air to a water separator, which directs cooling water through cooling channels in the CAC motor, with the option of additional air cooling and repurposing steam for utility or turbine enthalpy, controlled by a predictive model to activate cooling when temperature thresholds are exceeded.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If ram air cooling is used for the CAC motor, then cooling is provided, but undesirable drag is created and sufficient cooling is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from air cooling to water cooling by directing cooling water from the turbine through cooling channels in the CAC motor housing. This hydraulic cooling system provides superior heat transfer efficiency while avoiding the drag penalties associated with ram air cooling, as water has higher specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity compared to air.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling water serves multiple functions: it cools the turbine, provides additional cooling to the CAC motor through dedicated cooling channels, and can be evaporated to provide steam for utility purposes or to increase turbine enthalpy. This multi-functional approach maximizes the utility of the cooling system while resolving the drag issue.
2Temperature
If additional water cooling is added to the CAC motor, then cooling capacity is enhanced, but water usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling water is not simply discarded after cooling the motor; instead, it is evaporated to produce steam that can be used for utility purposes or to increase turbine enthalpy. This multi-functional use of the same water resource enhances cooling capacity while minimizing net water consumption by recovering thermal energy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes phase transition of water from liquid to steam within the cooling channels. The evaporation process absorbs heat from the motor (enhancing cooling) while the resulting steam is captured and reused, either for cabin utility or to increase turbine enthalpy, thereby reducing the need for continuous water supply.
3Temperature
If cooling water is directed through cooling channels in the CAC motor housing, then cooling capacity increases by up to 40°C, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system merges the turbine cooling function with the CAC motor cooling function by using the same water source and integrating cooling channels directly into the motor housing. This combined approach achieves enhanced cooling (up to 40°C) while avoiding the complexity of separate independent cooling systems, as the water infrastructure is already present for turbine cooling.
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 effectively cools the CAC motor with minimal drag, efficiently repurposing airflow and water resources, and enhances cooling capacity by up to 40°C with controlled water flow, reducing the need for excessive water usage.
Implementation Method 1
the cooling water that is evaporated into steam within the first cooling channels
Implementation Method 2
A system for cooling a cabin air compressor (CAC) motor includes a turbine including a turbine outlet
Data Source
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AI summary
A system for cooling a cabin air compressor (CAC) motor (116) includes a water separator (106) which extracts water from airflow through a turbine (104) and/or a fuel cell, and a CAC motor (116) including cooling channels connected to an inlet and an outlet. The inlet of the CAC motor receives water from the water separator. The steam at the outlet of the CAC motor can be repurposed for warming utilities in an aircraft cabin, or for de-icing or increasing enthalpy of the turbine. The cooling water flow can be directed to the CAC motor in response to a predicted temperature of the CAC motor exceeding a threshold. The predicted temperature can be generated by feeding inputs including CAC motor input power measured by a power sensor, differential pressure measured by a pressure sensor, and a temperature at an air cooling inlet measured by a temperature sensor to a processor which generates a map model.