Human factors approach to control contaminant concentrations in aircraft supply air from engine and APU bleed air and ground air sources, and in recirculated air being delivered to aircraft cabins for the optimization of user experience and energy consumption

• US 9,776,725 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2015
• Issued: 10/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Fox, Richard B., Chase, Deanna P., Kurlak, Paul, Koerner, Mike, Hagh, Bijan F., Johnson, Russell W., Yates, Stephen, Michalakos, Peter M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Christopher P
• Application Number:
  US14/606,617
• Publication Number:
  US 20160214724A1
• Time in Patent Office: 980 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2258/06 Polluted air
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2259/4575 in aeroplanes or space ships
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/30 Controlling by gas-analysis apparatus regulating non electrical variables in general G05D
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 13/06 the air being conditioned pressurising B64D13/02
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2013/0603 Environmental Control Systems
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/32 Responding to malfunctions or emergencies
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2011/0002 for admittance of outside air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/50 Air quality properties
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/60 Odour
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/50 On board measures aiming to increase energy efficiency

Abstract

An Environmental Control System includes a sensor, an air purification subsystem, and a controller in communication with the sensor and air purification subsystem. The sensor detects a contaminant in the air and generates a contaminant signal. The controller compares the contaminant signal to a predicted sensory response threshold. When the contaminant signal reaches the predicted sensory response threshold, the controller commands the air purification subsystem to alter a condition in the air.

Claims

1. An environmental control system (ECS) having contaminants in air therein, comprising:

a sensor;

an air purification subsystem; and

a controller in communication with the sensor and air purification subsystem;

wherein the sensor;

detects a contaminant in the air; and

generates a contaminant signal;

wherein the controller;

compares the contaminant signal to a predicted sensory response threshold;

wherein the predicted sensory response threshold is one of odor, irritancy, mass, and a combination thereof;

wherein the predicted sensory response threshold is based on a plurality of contaminant sample population percentiles;

wherein the predicted sensory response threshold is below a dose addition sensory irritancy of 1.0; and

when the contaminant signal reaches the predicted sensory response threshold, commands the air purification subsystem to alter a condition in the air containing the contaminant.

2. The ECS of claim 1, wherein the air containing contaminants includes outside air entering the ECS through engine and APU bleeds, or other air sources including ground supplies and electric compressors, and recirculated air circulating through the ECS.

3. The ECS of claim 1, wherein the contaminant signal is based on one of odor, irritancy, mass, and a combination thereof.

4. The ECS of claim 1, wherein the contaminant signal is based on a sample of anticipated contaminants in the air.

5. The ECS of claim 1, wherein the predicted sensory response threshold is based on a percentile population of anticipated contaminants in the air.

6. The ECS of claim 1, wherein the predicted sensory response threshold is based on one of an odor threshold, an irritancy threshold, a mass threshold, and a combination thereof.

7. The ECS of claim 1, further comprising a valve, a mix manifold, and a fan in communication with the controller.

8. The ECS of claim 1, wherein sensor senses one of outside air entering the ECS, recirculated air circulating through the ECS, and a combination thereof.

9. A controller for an environmental control system (ECS) having a sensor and an air purification subsystem, wherein the controller:

communicates with the sensor and air purification subsystem;

receives a contaminant signal from the sensor;

compares the contaminant signal to one of a contaminant concentration look up table and a contaminant mass look up table;

wherein the comparison of the contaminant signal includes identifying a probability of contaminant detection against a predicted threshold of one of odor and irritancy;

wherein the probability is a dose addition sensory irritancy of a plurality of contaminants; and

based on the comparison, commands the air purification subsystem to alter a condition of contaminated air in the ECS.

10. The controller of claim 9, wherein the contaminant concentration look up table includes contaminant concentrations at population percentiles of a sample of anticipated contaminants in the contaminated air.

11. The controller of claim 9, wherein the contaminant mass look up table includes contaminant masses at population percentiles of a sample of anticipated contaminants in the contaminated air.

12. The controller of claim 9, wherein the comparison of the contaminant signal includes comparing the contaminant signal to an average sensory response threshold.

13. The controller of claim 9, wherein the comparison of the contaminant signal includes identifying a probability of contaminant detection against one of a contaminant concentration equivalent response from the sensor and a mass contamination response from the sensor.