Aircraft thermal management system
First Claim
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1. An aircraft thermal management system comprising:
- a first heat exchanger;
a second heat exchanger;
a first fluid system containing a first fluid, wherein the first heat exchanger communicates with the first fluid system;
a second fluid system containing a second fluid, wherein the second heat exchanger communicates with the second fluid system; and
a fluid loop containing a thermally neutral heat transfer fluid that communicates with the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, wherein the fluid loop includes;
a first pressure adjustment device that adjusts the pressure of the thermally neutral heat transfer fluid being delivered to the first heat exchanger to match the pressure of the first fluid by minimizing the pressure differential between the first fluid and the thermally neutral heat transfer fluid; and
a second pressure adjustment device that adjusts the pressure of the thermally neutral heat transfer fluid being delivered to the second heat exchanger to match the pressure of the second fluid by minimizing the pressure differential between the second fluid and the thermally neutral heat transfer fluid;
wherein the first heat exchanger is configured to transfer heat from the first fluid to the thermally neutral heat transfer fluid and the second heat exchanger is configured to transfer heat from the thermally neutral heat transfer fluid to the second fluid.
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Abstract
An aircraft thermal management system includes a first fluid system containing a first fluid, a fluid loop containing a thermally neutral heat transfer fluid, a second fluid system containing a second fluid, a first heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from the first fluid to the thermally neutral heat transfer fluid, and a second heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from the thermally neutral heat transfer fluid to the second fluid. The fluid loop is configured to provide the thermally neutral heat transfer fluid to the first heat exchanger at a pressure that matches the pressure of the first fluid.
25 Citations
17 Claims
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1. An aircraft thermal management system comprising:
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a first heat exchanger; a second heat exchanger; a first fluid system containing a first fluid, wherein the first heat exchanger communicates with the first fluid system; a second fluid system containing a second fluid, wherein the second heat exchanger communicates with the second fluid system; and a fluid loop containing a thermally neutral heat transfer fluid that communicates with the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, wherein the fluid loop includes; a first pressure adjustment device that adjusts the pressure of the thermally neutral heat transfer fluid being delivered to the first heat exchanger to match the pressure of the first fluid by minimizing the pressure differential between the first fluid and the thermally neutral heat transfer fluid; and a second pressure adjustment device that adjusts the pressure of the thermally neutral heat transfer fluid being delivered to the second heat exchanger to match the pressure of the second fluid by minimizing the pressure differential between the second fluid and the thermally neutral heat transfer fluid; wherein the first heat exchanger is configured to transfer heat from the first fluid to the thermally neutral heat transfer fluid and the second heat exchanger is configured to transfer heat from the thermally neutral heat transfer fluid to the second fluid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for cooling a fluid on an aircraft, the method comprising:
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delivering the fluid to a first side of a first heat exchanger at a first pressure; delivering a thermally neutral heat transfer fluid to a second side of the first heat exchanger at a second pressure that matches the first pressure, wherein a fluid loop includes a first pressure adjustment device that adjusts the pressure of the thermally neutral heat transfer fluid being delivered to the first heat exchanger to match the first pressure by minimizing the pressure differential between the first pressure and the second pressure, and wherein heat is transferred from the fluid to the thermally neutral heat transfer fluid in the first heat exchanger; delivering the thermally neutral heat transfer fluid to a first side of a second heat exchanger at a third pressure; and delivering a second fluid to a second side of the second heat exchanger at a fourth pressure that matches the third pressure, wherein the fluid loop includes a second pressure adjustment device that adjusts the pressure of the thermally neutral heat transfer fluid being delivered to the second heat exchanger to match the fourth pressure by minimizing the pressure differential between the third pressure and the fourth pressure, and wherein heat is transferred from the thermally neutral heat transfer fluid to the second fluid in the second heat exchanger. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification