System for cooling a heat exchanger on board an aircraft

• US 9,284,057 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2009
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Kelnhofer, Juergen
• Primary Examiner(s): Wongwian, Phutthiwat
• Assistant Examiner(s): Duger, Jason H
• Application Number:
  US13/125,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20110283713A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,332 Days
• Field of Search: 607/95, 608/06, 607/82, 607/85
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2013/0618 with arrangements for reducing or managing bleed air, using another air source, e.g. ram air
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/50 On board measures aiming to increase energy efficiency

Abstract

A system for cooling a heat exchanger on board an aircraft includes an engine bleed air line connected to an engine of the aircraft and adapted to supply engine bleed air to the heat exchanger. The system further includes a process air line branching off from the engine bleed air line such that the engine bleed air is supplied to the process air line and connecting to an input side of a turbine. The system also includes a cooling air line connected to an output side of the turbine such that cooling air produced by an expansion of the engine bleed air supplied to the turbine is supplied to the cooling air line and then to the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is adapted to transfer cooling energy from the cooling air to the engine bleed air supplied to the heat exchanger from the engine bleed air line.

Claims

1. A system for cooling a heat exchanger on board an aircraft comprising:

an engine bleed air line including a first end and a second end, the first end of the engine bleed air line being connected by a plurality of engine bleed air line branches to an engine of the aircraft at a plurality of positions such that engine bleed air is supplied to the engine bleed air line, the engine of the aircraft generating propulsion force to move the aircraft, wherein the heat exchanger is attached to the engine bleed air line between the first end and the second end of the engine bleed air line, and the engine bleed air line is adapted to supply a first portion of the engine bleed air to the heat exchanger;

a process air line including a first end and a second end, the first end of the process air line branching off from the engine bleed air line upstream of the heat exchanger such that a second portion of the engine bleed air supplied to the engine bleed air line is supplied to the process air line, and the second end of the process air line being attached to an input side of a turbine such that the second portion of the engine bleed air is supplied to the turbine; and

a cooling air line including a first end and a second end, the first end of the cooling air line being attached to an output side of the turbine such that a flow of cooling air produced by an expansion of the second portion of the engine bleed air supplied to the turbine is supplied to the cooling air line, and the second end of the cooling air line being attached to the heat exchanger, wherein the heat exchanger is adapted to transfer energy between the flow of cooling air and the first portion of the engine bleed air supplied to the heat exchanger, thereby cooling the first portion of the engine bleed air, wherein the heat exchanger to be cooled is also positioned in a cooling duct connected to a source of ambient air so as to allow the heat exchanger to be flown through by a first flow of ambient air, to thereby transfer energy between the first flow of ambient air and the first portion of the engine bleed air, thereby cooling the first portion of the engine bleed air, wherein the cooling duct is separate from the engine, the cooling duct being positioned between the first end and the second end of the engine bleed air line, and the engine bleed air line passing through the heat exchanger and the cooling duct, such that the first portion of the engine bleed air is adapted to flow through the heat exchanger and the cooling duct within the engine bleed air line.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the process air line branches off from the engine bleed air line in a direction of flow of the engine bleed air through the engine bleed air line.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the cooling duct includes an inlet control valve that controls the amount of ambient air flowing to the heat exchanger.

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

a compressor driven by the turbine and adapted to draw in and compress a second flow of ambient air, the compressor being separate from the engine of the aircraft.

5. The system according to claim 4, further comprising:

an ambient air line connected to an input side of the compressor such that the second flow of ambient air is supplied to the ambient air line and is subsequently supplied to the input side of the compressor, wherein the ambient air line is adapted to supply the second flow of ambient air to the heat exchanger before being supplied to the input side of the compressor.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the ambient air line includes a portion that opens into the cooling duct and/or the ambient air line is formed at least partially by the cooling duct.

7. The system according to claim 4, further comprising:

a compressor air line connected to an output side of the compressor such that compressed compressor air is supplied to the compressor air line from the compressor, and then to the heat exchanger.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the compressor air line includes a portion that opens into the cooling duct and/or is formed at least partially by the cooling duct.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first portion of the engine bleed air is directly supplied to the heat exchanger.