Hyperloop environmental control system

Abstract

An environmental control system for conditioning a cabin of a vehicle positioned in an enclosed air-evacuated environment includes a first inlet for receiving a first medium; a second inlet for receiving a second medium, a first thermodynamic device and a second thermodynamic device. The first thermodynamic device is fluidly coupled to both the first inlet and the second inlet and the second thermodynamic device is fluidly coupled to the second inlet. The second medium is provided to the first thermodynamic device and the second thermodynamic device in parallel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An environmental control system for conditioning a cabin of a vehicle positioned in an enclosed air-evacuated environment, the environmental control system comprising:
 a first inlet for receiving a first medium;   a second inlet for receiving a second medium; and   a first thermodynamic device and a second thermodynamic device, the first thermodynamic device being fluidly coupled to both the first inlet and the second inlet and the second thermodynamic device being fluidly coupled to the second inlet, the second medium being provided to the first thermodynamic device and the second thermodynamic device in parallel.   
     
     
         2 . The environmental control system of  claim 1 , wherein the second thermodynamic device is a turbogenerator. 
     
     
         3 . The environmental control system of  claim 1 , wherein the first thermodynamic device further comprises a compressor and at least one turbine operably coupled by a shaft. 
     
     
         4 . The environmental control system of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one turbine is a dual entry turbine. 
     
     
         5 . The environmental control system of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one turbine further comprises a first turbine and a second turbine operably coupled by the shaft. 
     
     
         6 . The environmental control system of  claim 3 , wherein the compressor and the at least one turbine are arranged in series relative to the flow of the second medium. 
     
     
         7 . The environmental control system of  claim 6 , further comprising a heat exchanger fluidly coupled to both the compressor and the at least one turbine, the heat exchanger being positioned downstream from the compressor and upstream from the at least one turbine relative to the flow of the second medium. 
     
     
         8 . The environmental control system of  claim 7 , wherein the flow of the second medium output from the compressor is cooled within the heat exchanger by the flow of the second medium output from the second thermodynamic device. 
     
     
         9 . The environmental control system of  claim 3 , wherein a flow of the first medium and a flow of the second medium are mixed at a mixing point located downstream from an outlet of the at least one turbine. 
     
     
         10 . The environmental control system of  claim 9 , further comprising a bypass conduit extending between and fluidly coupling the second inlet to the mixing point such that a portion of the second medium provided at the second inlet is configured to bypass both the first thermodynamic device and the second thermodynamic device. 
     
     
         11 . The environmental control system of  claim 10 , further comprising a circulation fan operably coupled to the bypass conduit, the circulation fan being configured to pump the portion of the second medium through the bypass conduit and move air within the cabin. 
     
     
         12 . The environmental control system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one vessel of a pressurized first medium located on board the vehicle. 
     
     
         13 . The environmental control system of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is a train. 
     
     
         14 . A method of operating an environmental control system to condition a cabin of a vehicle positioned in an enclosed, air-evacuated tube, the method comprising:
 extracting energy from a first medium at at least one turbine of a first thermodynamic device;   pumping a first portion of a second medium to bypass the first thermodynamic device and a second thermodynamic device;   mixing a second portion of the second medium with a flow of medium output from a cooling system to form a third medium;   providing a first portion of the third medium to the second thermodynamic device and providing a second portion of the third medium to the first thermodynamic device; and   mixing the first medium, the first portion of the second medium, and the second portion of the third medium at a mixing point to form a conditioned medium.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein providing the first portion of the third medium to the second thermodynamic device further comprises extracting energy from the first portion of the third medium. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein providing the second portion of the third medium to the first thermodynamic device further comprises:
 compressing a second portion of the third medium at a compressor of the first thermodynamic device;   providing the second portion of the third medium from the compressor to the at least one turbine of the first thermodynamic device; and   extracting energy from the second portion of the third medium.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising cooling the second portion of the third medium output from the compressor using the first portion of the third medium output from the second thermodynamic device via a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger being arranged upstream from the at least one turbine. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising removing moisture from the conditioned medium. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 providing a first portion of the conditioned medium to the cabin; and   providing a second portion of the conditioned medium to the cooling system.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein providing the second portion of the conditioned medium to the cooling system further comprises removing heat from the cooling system.