Electric Environmental Control System Energy Recuperation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Environmental control systems in aircraft face challenges in reducing fuel burn, weight, and complexity while maintaining operating efficiencies across different flight and ground contexts, necessitating improved apparatus and methods for energy recuperation and component reduction.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a pair of parallel operating environmental air compressors with regenerative heat exchangers, an air cycle machine, condenser, water extractor, reheater, and secondary heat exchanger, along with an actuated door to control outside air flow, utilizing energy recovered from interior exhaust air to drive compressors and heat exchangers, and limiting secondary heat exchanger efficiency to minimize ram flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If traditional ECS designs are used with mechanical drive systems, then system reliability is maintained, but fuel burn is high and operating costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical drive systems with an electric motor-driven compressor system. The electric motor is powered by a generator that utilizes waste heat energy from the aircraft engine, substituting mechanical coupling with an electro-mechanical system that reduces direct mechanical complexity while lowering fuel consumption through energy recovery
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters by introducing variable speed control for the electric motor and compressor system. This allows the system to operate at optimal efficiency points across different flight conditions, adjusting compression ratio and airflow parameters dynamically to minimize fuel burn while maintaining required cooling performance
2Weight of moving object
If system weight is reduced for better aircraft performance, then fuel efficiency improves, but component size and number of components must be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the air conditioning compressor system with the engine drive system by using the engine's generator to power the AC compressor. This consolidation eliminates separate mechanical drive components and reduces overall system weight while maintaining reliability through the robust engine-driven power source
Solution Approach 2:
The electric motor-compressor system is designed to serve multiple functions: it can operate in different modes (ground vs. flight), integrate with various power sources (engine generator or independent motor), and provide both cooling and potential heat recovery functions, reducing the need for separate specialized components
3Productivity
If energy recuperation is introduced to improve efficiency, then fuel burn decreases, but system complexity and component number increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a heat exchanger as an intermediary component that captures waste heat from the engine exhaust or cooling system and transfers it to drive the generator that powers the AC compressor. This intermediary energy recovery mechanism improves operating efficiency by utilizing previously wasted thermal energy without requiring direct modification of the primary engine or AC systems
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 configuration reduces fuel burn, decreases system weight and complexity, and enhances operating efficiencies by optimizing energy use and air conditioning in aircraft environments.
Implementation Method 1
a first regenerative heat exchanger downstream of the EAC compressors and upstream of the EAC turbines, wherein the first regenerative heat exchanger receives environmental air from an enclosure for occupants
Implementation Method 2
an air cycle machine (ACM) downstream of the primary heat exchanger
Implementation Method 3
an air cycle machine (ACM) downstream of the primary heat exchanger
Implementation Method 4
a condenser downstream of the ACM, wherein a conditioned air exits the condenser and into the enclosure
Implementation Method 5
a water extractor downstream of the condenser
Implementation Method 6
a reheater downstream of the water extractor and upstream of the ACM
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
An environmental control system includes a pair of parallel operating environmental air compressors (EACs) that receive a first outside air, wherein each EAC includes a respective EAC compressor and EAC turbine. A first regenerative heat exchanger is downstream of the EAC compressors and upstream of the EAC turbines, wherein the first regenerative heat exchanger receives environmental air from an enclosure for occupants. A primary heat exchanger is downstream of the first regenerative heat exchanger, wherein the primary heat exchanger receives a second outside air. An air cycle machine (ACM) is downstream of the primary heat exchanger. A condenser is downstream of the ACM, wherein a conditioned air exits the condenser and into the enclosure. A water extractor is downstream of the condenser. A reheater is downstream of the water extractor and upstream of the ACM. A secondary heat exchanger is downstream of the ACM, wherein the secondary heat exchanger receives the second outside air. An actuated door that controls an amount of second outside air to the primary heat exchanger and to the secondary heat exchanger, wherein, in a second outside air flow, the primary heat exchanger is downstream of the secondary heat exchanger.