AIRCRAFT REFRIGERATION SYSTEM HAVING A MOTOR-ASSISTED CABIN EXHAUST AIR TURBINE

• US 20200130849A1
• Filed: 10/23/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2018
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: HENNIG, Oliver, KLIMPEL, Frank, EVERTH, Henning
• Application Number:
  US16/661,447
• Publication Number:
  US 20200130849A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 13/006 the air being used to cool structural parts of the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 13/02 the air being pressurised
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 13/06 the air being conditioned pressurising B64D13/02
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 13/08 the air being heated or cooled
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2013/0611 combined with auxiliary power units (APU's)
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2013/0618 with arrangements for reducing or managing bleed air, using another air source, e.g. ram air
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2013/0648 with energy recovery means, e.g. using turbines
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2013/0688 with means for recirculating cabin air
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 33/02 of combustion air intakes air intakes for gas-turbine plants or jet-propulsion plants per se F02C7/04; air intakes for combustion engines in general F02M35/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 33/04 of exhaust outlets or jet pipes exhaust outlets for combustion engines in general F01N; jet pipes or nozzles for jet-propulsion plants per se F02K; plants characterised by the form or arrangement of the jet pipe or nozzle F02K ; attitude, flight direction, or altitude control by jet reaction B64C
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/50 On board measures aiming to increase energy efficiency

Abstract

An aircraft refrigeration system comprises an ambient air line, through which ambient air flows and which is connected to conduct ambient air to an aircraft, an ambient air compressor, arranged in the ambient air line, for compressing the ambient air in the ambient air line, a cabin exhaust air turbine, connected to a cabin exhaust air line and coupled to the ambient air compressor in the ambient air line and configured to expand cabin exhaust air flowing through the cabin exhaust air line and to drive the ambient air compressor, a transmission, configured to couple the cabin exhaust air turbine to the ambient air compressor and to set a speed of the ambient air compressor, and a motor, coupled to the transmission and configured to drive the ambient air compressor.

Claims

1. An aircraft refrigeration system, comprising:

an ambient air line, configured to allow a flow of ambient air and which is connected to an aircraft cabin in order to conduct ambient air to the aircraft cabin,

at least one ambient air compressor, arranged in the ambient air line, for compressing the ambient air flowing through the ambient air line, and

a cabin exhaust air turbine, connected to a cabin exhaust air line and coupled to the at least one ambient air compressor arranged in the ambient air line and configured to expand cabin exhaust air flowing through the cabin exhaust air line and to drive the at least one ambient air compressor arranged in the ambient air line,

a transmission, configured to couple the cabin exhaust air turbine to the ambient air compressor and to set a speed of the ambient air compressor, and

a motor, coupled to the transmission and configured to drive the at least one ambient air compressor arranged in the ambient air line.

2. The aircraft refrigeration system according to claim 1, wherein the motor is a hydraulic motor.

3. The aircraft refrigeration system according to claim 2, wherein the hydraulic motor is configured to be connected to a hydraulic system for actuation of an undercarriage of an aircraft equipped with the aircraft refrigeration system.

4. The aircraft refrigeration system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a fan configured to move air in a ram air duct, and at least one of;

an auxiliary train, coupled to the motor and to the fan, and being configured to drive the fan, or

an auxiliary transmission, configured to couple the motor to the fan, and to set a speed of the fan.

5. The aircraft refrigeration system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a thermal coupling device configured to be connected to a refrigeration unit as a heat sink to transfer heat from the ambient air flowing through the ambient air line to the refrigeration unit before the ambient air is conducted into the aircraft cabin.

6. The aircraft refrigeration system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a control device configured to control at least one of the transmission or the motor in accordance with operation of the cabin exhaust air turbine.

7. The aircraft refrigeration system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a cabin exhaust air valve arranged downstream of the cabin exhaust air turbine and being configured to direct the cabin exhaust air flowing through the cabin exhaust air line selectively either via a first segment of the cabin exhaust air line into a ram air duct upstream of at least one heat exchanger arranged in the ram air duct or via a second segment of the cabin exhaust air line to an outlet, which discharges the cabin exhaust air in a direction counter to a direction of flight of an aircraft equipped with the aircraft refrigeration system into an environment of the aircraft.

8. The aircraft refrigeration system according to claim 7, wherein the cabin exhaust air valve is equipped with a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the cabin exhaust air flowing through the cabin exhaust air line downstream of the cabin exhaust air turbine and to control the cabin exhaust air valve based on the measured temperature of the cabin exhaust air.

9. A method for operating an aircraft refrigeration system, comprising:

directing ambient air through an ambient air line connected to an aircraft cabin to conduct ambient air to the aircraft cabin,

compressing the ambient air flowing through the ambient air line in at least one ambient air compressor arranged in the ambient air line, and

expanding cabin exhaust air flowing through a cabin exhaust air line in a cabin exhaust air turbine connected to a cabin exhaust air line and being coupled to the at least one ambient air compressor arranged in the ambient air line and which drives the at least one ambient air compressor arranged in the ambient air line,

setting a speed of the ambient air compressor by means of a transmission which is configured to couple the cabin exhaust air turbine to the ambient air compressor, and

driving the at least one ambient air compressor arranged in the ambient air line by means of a motor coupled to the transmission.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the motor is a hydraulic motor, further comprising:

feeding hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic motor from a hydraulic system for actuation of an undercarriage of an aircraft.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

moving air in a ram air duct by means of a fan, and at least one of;

coupling the motor to the fan by means of an auxiliary train configured to drive the fan, or

coupling the motor to the fan by means of an auxiliary transmission configured to set a speed of the fan.

12. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

controlling at least one of the transmission or the motor in accordance with operation of the cabin exhaust air turbine.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

controlling at least one of the transmission or the motor in accordance with operation of the cabin exhaust air turbine, such that the ambient air compressor feeds the aircraft cabin with at least one of ambient air flowing through the ambient air line after compression to a setpoint cabin pressure or a constant volume flow of compressed ambient air.

14. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

providing a refrigeration unit, and

thermally coupling the ambient air line to the refrigeration unit as a heat sink in order to transfer heat from the ambient air flowing through the ambient air line to the refrigeration unit before the ambient air is fed into the aircraft cabin.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

controlling at least one of the transmission or the motor in accordance with a failure of the refrigeration unit, such that the at least one ambient air compressor feeds the aircraft cabin with a minimum volume flow of compressed ambient air required for emergencies or the at least one ambient air compressor maintains a minimum cabin pressure required for emergencies.