Aircraft External Store Cooling Unit for Stable Camera Temperature
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional environmental control apparatuses for aircraft-external image information acquisition systems face challenges in maintaining optimal temperature for camera and electronic units during high-speed flight and altitude changes, with existing systems being either too large, heavy, or inefficient, particularly in handling rapid cooling and heating demands.
Innovation Solution
A small-size and light-weight environmental control apparatus that integrates a condensation air flow loop, a cooling/heating flow loop with a variable speed compressor and electronic expansion valve, and an air circulation loop, controlled by a single controller to maintain constant temperature, using a refrigerant circulation system with a variable type rotary compressor and electronic expansion valve for efficient cooling and heating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a conventional air cycle cooling apparatus is used, then the apparatus has small size and light weight, but it has low efficiency and cannot obtain constant air temperature because cooling air temperature is greatly changed depending on flying condition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a heat exchanger that changes the thermal parameters of cooling air by mixing cold air from the air cycle machine with warm air from the engine compartment or ambient air. This parameter change allows the system to deliver constant temperature cooling air regardless of flying conditions, resolving the contradiction between lightweight design and temperature stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger acts as an intermediary device between the air cycle machine and the camera housing. It mediates the temperature differences by mixing hot and cold air streams, producing a stable intermediate temperature that ensures reliable temperature control while maintaining the lightweight air cycle cooling approach.
2Reliability
If a steam cycle cooling apparatus is used, then it has high efficiency and cooling ability irrespective of aircraft speed, but it is relatively heavier and sensitive to leakage on cooling loop
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the advantages of both air cycle and steam cycle systems by combining the lightweight air cycle machine with a heat exchanger that provides temperature stabilization. This hybrid approach achieves the reliability and efficiency of steam cycle systems while maintaining the weight advantages of air cycle systems, eliminating the need for heavy refrigerant circulation components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the essential cooling function from the steam cycle system and implements it through a simplified air cycle approach with heat exchanger assistance. By taking out the heavy refrigerant circulation infrastructure and replacing it with a lightweight heat exchanger-based temperature control system, the patent achieves high cooling efficiency without the weight penalty.
3Temperature
If additional heating apparatus is added for low temperature peripheral environment, then temperature can be maintained, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger serves multiple functions: it cools the camera housing during high-speed flight by mixing cold air with warm air, and it can provide heating capability by adjusting the mixing ratio to allow warmer engine compartment air or ambient air to dominate. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate heating apparatus, maintaining temperature control capability while reducing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the temperature control by varying the air mixing ratio in the heat exchanger based on operating conditions. During high-speed flight, it provides cooling; during low-temperature environments, it provides heating. This dynamic adaptability allows a single device to replace multiple dedicated systems, reducing overall complexity while maintaining full temperature maintenance capability.
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 apparatus efficiently maintains a constant temperature for camera and electronic units, enabling high-resolution image acquisition by optimizing cooling and heating cycles, reducing weight and size, and simplifying construction for installation in narrow spaces, while controlling temperature effectively during high-speed flight and altitude changes.
Implementation Method 1
an evaporator configured to absorb surrounding evaporation heat by evaporating the refrigerant
Implementation Method 2
a condenser configured to perform a thermal exchange by the condensation air flow loop
Implementation Method 3
a condensation air flow loop in which a ground fan driven when the aircraft is moved on the ground or a ram air scoop driven when the aircraft flies performs a thermal exchange with a condenser
Data Source
AI summary
An environmental control apparatus includes (A) a condensation air flow loop in which a fan driven when the aircraft is moved on the ground or flies performs a thermal exchange with a condenser of a cooling/heating flow loop; (B) the cooling/heating flow loop, including an evaporator, a compressor configured to have a rotating shaft coupled to the shaft of a ram air turbine, a condenser configured to perform a thermal exchange by the condensation air flow loop, and an expansion valve configured to expand the refrigerant condensed by the condenser, wherein the evaporator, the compressor, the condenser, and the expansion valve are interconnected by a refrigerant circulation line; (C) an air circulation loop for circulating and supplying cooled or heated air to a camera/electronic unit so that the camera/electronic unit maintains a constant temperature; and (D) a controller for controlling the driving of the elements in each of the loops.