Aircraft and airborne electrical power and thermal management system

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention is a unique airborne electrical power and thermal management system. Another embodiment is a unique aircraft. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for aircraft and electrical power and thermal management systems. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith.

1 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . An electrical power and thermal management system, comprising:
 a gas turbine engine including: a combustor and a turbine in fluid communication with the combustor;   a generator powered by the turbine and configured to provide electrical power to an electrical load;   a refrigerant compressor powered by the turbine;   a condenser in fluid communication with the refrigerant compressor; and   at least one evaporator in fluid communication with the condenser, wherein the at least one evaporator is configured to extract heat from at least one heat source;   wherein the gas turbine engine, the generator, the refrigerant compressor and the condenser are disposed in an external pod.   
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the at least one evaporator is disposed in the external pod. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the at least one heat source includes a directed energy weapon system. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the combustor is operative to mix fuel with air received from a bleed air port of another gas turbine engine, combust the mixture, and discharge the combustion products to the turbine. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the at least one heat source is a plurality of heat sources, further comprising a chilled fluid manifold, wherein the at least one evaporator is configured to chill a fluid for delivery to the chilled fluid manifold; and wherein the chilled fluid manifold is configured to distribute chilled fluid to the plurality of heat sources. 
     
     
         32 . The system of claim  1 , wherein the gas turbine engine further includes a compressor in fluid communication with the combustor. 
     
     
         33 . The system of claim  1 , further comprising a refrigerant receiver; a thermal energy storage system; and an evaporator in fluid communication with the refrigerant receiver and operative to receive a liquid refrigerant from the refrigerant receiver and extract heat from the thermal energy storage system. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33 , further comprising a refrigerant circulation pump configured to pump the liquid refrigerant to the thermal energy storage system. 
     
     
         35 . A vehicle, comprising:
 a fuselage;   a wing coupled to the fuselage;   an empennage coupled to at least one of the fuselage and the wing;   an external pod coupled to the vehicle; and   an electrical power and thermal management system including a gas turbine engine having a combustor and a turbine;   a generator powered by the gas turbine engine and configured to provide electrical power to an electrical load;   a refrigerant compressor powered by the gas turbine engine;   a condenser in fluid communication with the refrigerant compressor; and   at least one evaporator in fluid communication with the condenser, wherein the at least one evaporator is configured to extract heat from at least one heat source   wherein the gas turbine engine, the generator, the refrigerant compressor and the condenser are disposed in the external pod;   wherein the at least one evaporator is disposed in either the external pod or the fuselage.   
     
     
         36 . The vehicle of  claim 35 , wherein the electrical load and the at least one heat source are disposed in the fuselage. 
     
     
         37 . The vehicle of  claim 35 , wherein the at least one heat source includes components of a directed energy weapon system. 
     
     
         38 . The vehicle of  claim 35 , wherein the condenser is configured for cooling with ambient air supplied to the condenser from outside the external pod. 
     
     
         39 . The vehicle of  claim 38 , wherein the condenser is configured for ram-air cooling. 
     
     
         40 . The vehicle of  claim 35 , wherein the combustor is operative to mix fuel with air received from the bleed air port, combust the mixture, and discharge the combustion products to the turbine. 
     
     
         41 . The vehicle of  claim 35 , wherein the at least one heat source is a plurality of heat sources; wherein the at least one evaporator is a plurality of evaporators corresponding in number to the plurality of heat sources; and wherein each evaporator of the plurality of evaporators is configured to extract heat from a corresponding each heat source of the plurality of heat sources. 
     
     
         42 . The vehicle of  claim 41 , further comprising a refrigerant circulation pump configured to pump liquid refrigerant to the plurality of evaporators. 
     
     
         43 . The vehicle of  claim 42 , further comprising a refrigerant receiver fluidly disposed between the condenser and the refrigerant circulation pump, wherein the refrigerant receiver is configured to accumulate liquid refrigerant. 
     
     
         44 . The vehicle of  claim 43 , wherein the refrigerant receiver is configured to separate liquid refrigerant from refrigerant vapor. 
     
     
         45 . A vehicle, comprising:
 a fuselage;   a wing coupled to the fuselage;   an empennage coupled to at least one of the fuselage and the wing;   a fuel tank;   an electrical power and thermal management system including a gas turbine engine, at least one evaporator, a refrigerant compressor, and a condenser,   wherein the gas turbine engine has a combustor to provide energy for electrical power and thermal management, and wherein the combustor is in fluid communication with the fuel tank; and   an external pod, wherein the gas turbine engine, the refrigerant compressor, and the condenser of the electrical power and thermal management system are disposed in the external pod;   wherein the at least one evaporator is disposed in the external pod or the fuselage.   
     
     
         46 . The vehicle of  claim 44 , wherein the external pod is configured to appear similar to a conventional external fuel tank pod employed by the vehicle.