Turbo Air Cycle Machine Bleed Air Pre-cooling and Power Generation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft bleed air systems waste excess heat, and existing technologies do not efficiently utilize the energy from low and high pressure bleed air to meet the dynamic demands of environmental control systems while generating electrical power.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that selectively supplies low and high pressure bleed air to a turbo air cycle machine, utilizing a turbo-ejector to combine and condition the air streams, generating electrical power by transforming excess mechanical power, and delivering the conditioned air to meet the environmental control system's demands.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a pre-cooler heat exchanger is used to pre-condition hot bleed air, then the air temperature is reduced to sustainable levels for ECS, but waste heat is exhausted without utilization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful waste heat from the pre-cooler into a useful resource by routing it through a heat exchanger that transfers thermal energy to the refrigerant in the air cycle machine. This allows the waste heat to contribute to the cooling process rather than being exhausted, thereby reducing the amount of cold bleed air needed from the engines and improving overall system efficiency.
2Adaptability or versatility
If low pressure and high pressure bleed air are mixed and supplied to a turbine, then the environmental control system receives conditioned air, but the system cannot efficiently meet dynamic demands while generating electrical power
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic control system with controllable flow valves that can adjust the ratio of low pressure to high pressure bleed air supplied to the turbine based on real-time ECS demands. This allows the system to adaptively respond to varying temperature, pressure, and flow rate requirements while maintaining optimal energy utilization efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a multi-functional system where the turbo air cycle machine not only conditions bleed air for the ECS but also generates electrical power through an integrated generator. The system can simultaneously fulfill multiple functions: cooling, pressurization, and power generation, thereby improving overall energy utilization efficiency.
3Loss of energy
If excess mechanical power is not transformed into electrical power, then the system operates with unused energy capacity, but adding a generator increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the power generation function with the existing air cycle machine by integrating a generator onto the same shaft that drives the compressor and turbine. This combined approach allows excess mechanical power from the turbine to be directly converted to electrical power without requiring separate systems, thereby minimizing the increase in device complexity while maximizing energy utilization.
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 approach preconditions bleed air efficiently, reduces waste heat, enhances engine efficiency, and allows for variable bleed air conditioning and power generation, improving flight range and reducing fuel costs.
Implementation Method 1
supplying low pressure bleed air and high pressure bleed air to a first turbine section of a turbo air cycle machine, with the first turbine section emitting a cooled air stream
Implementation Method 2
a portion is also supplied to a compressor section of the turbo air cycle machine, with the compressor section emitting a compressed air stream
Implementation Method 3
transforming excess mechanical power into electrical power via a generator
Data Source
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AI summary
A method and aircraft for providing bleed air to environmental control systems (48) of an aircraft using a gas turbine engine (12), including determining a bleed air demand for the environmental control systems (48), proportionally supplying low pressure and high pressure bleed air (66, 68) to the environmental control systems (48), wherein the proportional supplying is controlled such that the conditioned air stream satisfies the determined bleed air demand.