Handed Air Cycle Machine Bypass Layout for Easier ECS Service

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing aircraft Environmental Control Systems (ECS) configurations of turbine housings are specifically designed for either left or right hand ECS packs, making them difficult to access for maintenance and replacement, especially the bypass valves which are positioned in hard-to-reach areas.

Innovation Solution

A modular air cycle machine housing arrangement that allows a common air cycle machine to be used on both sides of the aircraft, featuring a duct with interchangeable ports for bypass valves and plugs, enabling easy maintenance access by positioning the bypass valves on the gravitational bottom, thus facilitating swapping and rotation of components to accommodate both left and right hand ECS packs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If turbine housing is specifically configured for left or right hand ECS pack, then the housing can be optimized for specific positioning, but the bypass valve becomes difficult to access for maintenance and replacement

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehousing configuration optimizationVSAvoidbypass valve accessibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The duct is designed with asymmetric port positioning where the first port is located at a first position and the second port is located at a second position, allowing the bypass valve to be positioned on the gravitational bottom for accessibility while maintaining optimized housing configuration for specific ECS pack positioning

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The housing and duct configuration enables a common air cycle machine to be used on both left and right hand ECS packs by strategically positioning ports to allow bypass valve installation on the gravitational bottom regardless of orientation, making the same housing design universal for both sides

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Productivity

If common air cycle machine housing is used on both sides of aircraft, then maintenance efficiency improves and downtime reduces, but the housing must accommodate interchangeable components for different orientations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemaintenance efficiencyVSAvoidinterchangeable component configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The duct is segmented into multiple ports (first port at first position, second port at second position) that can independently receive different components, allowing the housing to be divided into functional segments that can be independently configured for different orientations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The housing design incorporates dynamic adaptability through interchangeable ports that can receive different components (bypass valve or plug) depending on the required orientation, enabling the same housing to dynamically serve both left and right hand configurations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS11415344B2Air cycle machine with handed turbine bypass

Publication Date: 2022.08.16 HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORP

AI summary

An air cycle machine includes a housing, a duct, a bypass valve, and a plug. The duct extends from and connects two different portions of the housing and includes a first port and a second port. The first port is attached to the first inlet of the housing. The second duct is attached to the second inlet of the housing. The bypass valve is inserted into one of the first port and second port of the duct. The plug is inserted into the other of the first port and second port that the bypass valve is not inserted into. Both the first port and the second port are capable of receiving and forming a sealing interface with both of the bypass valve and the plug.