Low energy electric air cycle with portal shroud cabin air compressor

Abstract

An environmental control system for an aircraft cabin includes a plurality of electrically-driven ported shroud cabin air compressors, each cabin air compressor compressing ram air received from the aircraft exterior, a heat exchange circuit comprising a primary heat exchanger receiving airflow from at least one of the cabin air compressors, and the secondary heat exchanger supplying airflow to the aircraft cabin, and an air cycle machine comprising a compressor adapted to receive airflow from the primary heat exchanger and supply compressed air to the secondary heat exchanger. The environmental control system may further comprise an air recirculation system, having an aft recirculation fan adapted to receive a portion of recirculation air from the aircraft cabin, and a recirculation heat exchanger, disposed in the heat exchange circuit in series with the primary and secondary heat exchangers, and adapted to receive airflow from the aft recirculation fan.

1 . An environmental control system for an aircraft cabin, comprising: 
 a plurality of electrically-driven cabin air compressors, each cabin air compressor compressing ram air received from the aircraft exterior;    a heat exchange circuit comprising a primary heat exchanger and a secondary heat exchanger in series, the primary heat exchanger adapted to receive airflow from at least one of the cabin air compressors, and the secondary heat exchanger adapted to supply airflow to the aircraft cabin; and    an air cycle machine comprising a compressor, adapted to receive airflow from the primary heat exchanger and supply compressed air to the secondary heat exchanger,    wherein at least one of the cabin compressors comprises: 
 a housing having an air inlet, and an air outlet in communication with the primary heat exchanger, the air inlet defining an outer circular wall, an inner circular shroud wall having at least one port extending therethrough, a central channel, and an annular channel disposed concentrically around the central channel and in communication with the central channel by way of the at least one port extending through the inner circular shroud wall, and  
 a compressor wheel having a plurality of vanes, the wheel being interposed between the inlet and the outlet, and disposed in the central channel.  
   
   
   
       2 . The environmental control system according to  claim 1 , wherein the air cycle machine compressor further comprises: 
 a shaft that is rotatably coupled to the air cycle machine compressor; and    a turbine that is rotatably coupled to the shaft, the turbine being adapted to receive airflow from the secondary heat exchanger and supply airflow to the aircraft cabin.    
   
   
       3 . The environmental control system according to  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 a reheater disposed upstream with respect to the turbine and adapted to receive airflow from the secondary heat exchanger;    a condenser disposed upstream with respect to the turbine, and adapted to receive reheated air from the reheater; and    a water extractor disposed upstream with respect to the turbine, and adapted to receive condensed air from the condenser and to supply airflow to the turbine.    
   
   
       4 . The environmental control system according to  claim 3 , wherein the reheater is further adapted to receive airflow from the water extractor and to supply airflow to the turbine.  
   
   
       5 . The environmental control system according to  claim 3 , wherein the condenser is further adapted to receive airflow from the turbine and to supply airflow to the aircraft cabin.  
   
   
       6 . The environmental control system according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an air recirculation system, comprising: 
 a forward recirculation fan adapted to supply a portion of recirculation air from the aircraft cabin to the airflow supplied from the secondary heat exchanger to the aircraft cabin.  
   
   
   
       7 . The environmental control system according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an air recirculation system, comprising: 
 an aft recirculation fan adapted to receive a portion of recirculation air from the aircraft cabin;  
 a recirculation heat exchanger, disposed in the heat exchange circuit in series with the primary and secondary heat exchangers, and adapted to receive airflow from the aft recirculation fan.  
   
   
   
       8 . The environmental control system according to  claim 7 , wherein the recirculation heat exchanger is further adapted to supply airflow from the aft recirculation fan to the to the airflow supplied from the secondary heat exchanger to the aircraft cabin.  
   
   
       9 . The environmental control system according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchange circuit has ambient ram air passing therethrough, which cools air in at least the primary and secondary heat exchangers.  
   
   
       10 . The environmental control system according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchange circuit receives external air drawn during aircraft flight.  
   
   
       11 . The environmental control system according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchange circuit is driven by an electric fan disposed downstream from the primary and secondary heat exchangers.  
   
   
       12 . The environmental control system according to  claim 1 , comprising two pairs of the cabin air compressors, and a pair of the air cycle machines, each pair of cabin air compressors providing airflow to one air cycle machine.