Modular Aircraft Cooling Pack Expansion With Minimal Grounding
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional aircraft cooling systems require extensive upgrades and replacements to increase capacity, leading to prolonged aircraft grounding and significant expenses, as they struggle to accommodate increased heat generation from retrofitted improvements and accessories.
Innovation Solution
A modular expandable cooling system that includes a rack for receiving multiple modular cooling units, utilizing ram air and refrigerant circulation to cool aircraft sections, allowing for incremental capacity expansion without replacing existing cooling packs, engine bleed systems, or duct networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If conventional cooling systems are upgraded to increase cooling capacity, then cooling capacity is improved, but aircraft must be grounded for extended periods and considerable expense is incurred
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is divided into modular cooling units that can be independently installed or removed from the rack. Each module contains complete cooling components (compressor, condenser, evaporator, expansion device), allowing individual module replacement without affecting other modules or requiring full system disassembly, thus minimizing aircraft grounding time during capacity upgrades
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple modular cooling units are nested within a common rack structure that provides shared infrastructure including refrigerant distribution manifolds, ductwork connections, and control systems. This nested arrangement allows modules to be added or removed while maintaining the overall system framework, reducing the time and cost of system upgrades
2Power
If conventional cooling systems are upgraded to increase cooling capacity, then cooling capacity is improved, but considerable expense is incurred
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is divided into modular cooling units that can be independently installed or removed from the rack. Each module contains complete cooling components (compressor, condenser, evaporator, expansion device), allowing individual module replacement without affecting other modules or requiring full system disassembly, thus minimizing aircraft grounding time during capacity upgrades
Solution Approach 2:
The modular cooling units are designed with standardized interfaces and common rack infrastructure that can accommodate different module configurations. The rack structure, refrigerant manifolds, and control systems serve multiple functions and can support various numbers and types of cooling modules, reducing overall system cost through component sharing and standardized installation procedures
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
Enables efficient and cost-effective increase in cooling capacity by allowing additional modular units to be easily integrated into the existing system, reducing downtime and expenses associated with full system replacements.
Implementation Method 1
a condenser mounted in the housing in fluid communication with the ram air inlet
Implementation Method 2
an on-board evaporator through which refrigerant circulates to cool a portion of the aircraft
Data Source
AI summary
A modular expandable cooling system including a rack sized for receiving multiple modular cooling units having a ram air inlet connected to a ram air source. The system also includes a modular cooling unit having a housing for receipt in the rack, a ram air inlet and outlet, and a refrigerant inlet and outlet. The system includes a condenser mounted in the housing in fluid communication with the ram air inlet, a compressor mounted in the housing downstream from the condenser, an accumulator in fluid communication with the compressor inlet.