Abstract: An air conditioning system for conditioning a supply of hot pressurised air for use in an environment the system including a primary heat exchanger in which heat in the hot pressurised air supply is exchanged with a cooling fluid, a compressor to compress the supply of pressurised air cooled in the primary heat exchanger, a secondary heat exchanger in which heat in the compressed air supply is exchanged with a cooling fluid, and an expansion device for expanding and cooling the compressed air supply cooled in the secondary heat exchanger, mixing apparatus for mixing the expanded and cold supply air with recirculating air from the environment, a by-pass flow path for compressed cooled supply air from the secondary heat exchanger to the environment, and a secondary supply flow path for the hot pressurised air to the secondary heat exchanger, a first valve in a primary supply flow path to the primary heat exchanger, a second valve in the secondary supply flow path to the secondary heat exchanger, a third valve i

Abstract: A method of, and apparatus, for, controlling the temperature of pressurized air such as bleed air from a gas turbine engine, wherein the air is passed through a heat exchanger to exchange heat with coolant air which is caused to flow through the heat exchanger by operation of an ejector device powered by some of the pressurized air, the supply of the pressurized air to the ejector device is controlled to control the flow of coolant air and hence control the temperature of the pressurized air downstream of the heat exchanger.

Abstract: An air cycle air conditioning system for conditioning recirculating air from an enclosure includes an enclosure air recirculation loop, a first expansion turbine to which hot pressurized working air is provided, a heat exchanger to which a proportion of the hot pressurized working air is provided, from upstream of the first expansion turbine, and in which heat is exchanged to the cooler expanded air from the first expansion turbine. The working air from the heat exchanger expanded by the first expansion turbine and the cooled pressurized working air from the heat exchanger are combined prior to feeding the combined flows to a second expansion turbine. The system including a mixing apparatus in which the recirculating enclosure air from the loop and the cooled combined working air flows from the second expansion turbine are mixed prior to being provided to the enclosure.

Abstract: A breathing gas supply system for supplying breathable gas in an aircraft includes an oxygen enriching apparatus which is operable in at least two modes to provide product gas with varying oxygen concentrations. A first feed line feeds more highly enriched product gas to one or more breathing gas outlets, and a second feed line feeds less highly enriched product gas e.g. to an aircraft cabin for breathing during normal high altitude flight. A control means controls oxygen enrichment apparatus to provide highly enriched product gas to the breathing gas outlet or outlets in the first mode of operation or less highly enriched product gas e.g. to the cabin for normal breathing, and controls a diverter valve. which directs the product gas to the respective feed line.

Abstract: A life-support system for an aircraft B includes a first oxygen supply apparatus A operable to provide a limited supply of first product gas being one of pure oxygen and oxygen enriched gas, to a breathing gas supply apparatus 12, 13, 14, and a second oxygen supply apparatus B operable to supply a durable supply of second product gas which is an oxygen enriched gas containing a lower concentration of oxygen than that in the first product gas, to the breathing gas supply apparatus 12, 13, 14, wherein the second product gas is supplied as the pressure which is higher than that at which the first product gas is supplied to the breathing gas supply apparatus 12, 13, 14.

Abstract: An air conditioning system for an aircraft in which cabin air is recirculated and mixed with cold air from an air conditioning machine which includes at least one expansion turbine over which warm pressurized air is expanded and cooled, and wherein the system includes a heat exchanger in which a heat load from hot cabin air is exchanged with the warm pressurized air prior to the pressurized air being expanded by the expansion turbine, further including a condenser heat exchanger in which recirculating cabin air is used to cool and promote water removal from the warm pressurized air before it is expanded by the expansion turbine.

Abstract: An apparatus for supplying pressurized gas to a plurality of gas outlets from an upstream gas supply, in which each of the plurality of gas outlets in use is connected to a common gas feed line via a respective valve, each valve being adapted to close to prevent the flow of gas downstream of the valve in the event of the integrity of the feed line being breached downstream of the respective valve, to prevent the escape of gas from the breached feed line, and wherein each valve includes a valve member which is moveable into engagement with a valve seat to close the valve, and a valve member damping means to resist movement of the valve member into engagement with the valve seat.

Abstract: An ionic conduction device of the kind including a tri-layer including an electrolytic membrane having a pair of opposed surfaces, and a gas permeable electrode in contact with each opposed surface. The device has a first gas flow path for a first gas across one of the opposed surfaces, and second gas flow path for a second gas across the one of the opposed surfaces, and a third gas flow path for a third gas along the other of the opposed surfaces of the membrane. The device includes a fourth flow path through the device for a heat exchanging fluid. The fourth flow path bringing the heat exchanging fluid into heat exchange relationship with the tri-layer.

Abstract: An apparatus for supplying pressurized gas to a plurality of gas outlets from an upstream gas supply, in which each of the plurality of gas outlets in use is connected to a common gas feed line via a respective valve, each valve being adapted to close to prevent the flow of gas downstream of the valve in the event of the integrity of the feed line being breached downstream of the respective valve, to prevent the escape of gas from the breached feed line, and wherein each valve includes a valve member which is moveable into engagement with a valve seat to close the valve, and a valve member damping means to resist movement of the valve member into engagement with the valve seat.

Abstract: An environmental control system has a cooling loop including a cooling turbine which, in use, drives a compressor, and an intercooler apparatus, for cooling air compressed by the compressor prior to the air being expanded and cooled over the cooling turbine, and a heat exchanger to which at least a proportion of the cooled and expanded air from the turbine is fed to cool a heat load, and wherein, in a first mode of operation, the cooling loop is closed so that the air circulates around the closed loop from the compressor to the intercooler apparatus to the cooling turbine, and thence to the heat exchanger, and back to the compressor, and in a second mode of operation the cooling loop is open to allow working fluid to pass from the system whilst further working fluid is introduced into the cooling loop, and wherein an ambient air inlet valve is provided to provide for the admission of ambient air to the cooling loop, when the system is operating in the second mode of operation.

Abstract: A hydraulic system for raising and lowering aircraft landing gear (11, 12) includes an actuator (18) which is extendible and retractable to operate the landing gear, the actuator (18) including a movable member (19) in a casing (20), the movable member (19) being moved relative to the casing (20) in a first direction to extend the actuator (18) when fluid under pressure is supplied to a first side (22) of the movable member (19) while fluid is exhausted from a second side (23) of the movable member (19), and the movable member (19) being moved in a second direction to retract the actuator (18) when fluid under pressure is supplied to the second side (23) of the movable member (19) while fluid is exhausted from the first side (22) of the movable member (19), and there being selector valve (25) selectively to supply pressurized fluid to the first (22) or second (23) side of the movable member (19), and a check valve (40) to permit exhausted fluid from at least one of the first (22) and second (23) sides of the

Abstract: An air conditioning system (10) for an aircraft in which cabin (44, 45) air is recirculated and mixed with cold air from an air conditioning machine which includes at least an expansion turbine (41) over which warm pressurised air is expanded and cooled, and wherein the system (10) includes a heat exchanger (38; 38a, 38b) in which a heat load from hot cabin (44, 45) air and/or a hot avionics system (68) is exchanged with the warm pressurised air prior to the pressurised air being expanded by the expansion turbine (41).

Abstract: A method of controlling a gas adsorption apparatus including a sieve bed containing molecular sieve bed material, the bed being cyclically operable in a charge mode to adsorb non-product gas from an air supply thereby to increase the concentration of a product gas in a product gas supply which passes to a product gas line and in a vent mode to desorb the adsorbed non-product gas which passes to a non-product gas line, and there being a passage to permit a restricted amount only of the product gas supply to pass from the product gas supply line to the bed when operating in vent mode, and wherein the method includes operating a variable flow device to permit an increased amount of the product gas supply to pass to the bed when operating in vent mode, under predetermined conditions.

Abstract: A gas bottle assembly includes a container for containing a pressurized gas, and an operating head, the operating head including a valve member which in the absence of any demand for the gas, is positioned close to a valve seat such as to permit only a minimal flow of gas from the container past the valve seat, and an actuator moveable to move the valve member away from the valve seat thereby to permit a greater flow of gas past the valve seat, to an outlet for use, and wherein the actuator includes a plunger with which the valve member is integral or to which the valve member is affixed, and the actuator includes a piston part which is movable in a piston chamber in one direction in response an actuator spring acting at a first side of the piston part, to move the valve member away from the seat, and in an opposite direction in response to a combination of gas pressure and a valve return spring which is located in the piston chamber at a second opposite side of the piston part to the actuator spring.

Abstract: A method of, and apparatus, for, controlling the temperature of pressurized air such as bleed air from a gas turbine engine, wherein the air is passed through a heat exchanger to exchange heat with coolant air which is caused to flow through the heat exchanger by operation of an ejector device powered by some of the pressurized air, the supply of the pressurized air to the ejector device is controlled to control the flow of coolant air and hence control the temperature of the pressurized air downstream of the heat exchanger.

Abstract: A method of providing an indication of the position of a valve member of a valve in a fluid path where the valve member is moveable between a fully open position in which a maximum flow of fluid past the valve member is permitted and a closed position in which fluid flow past the valve member is at least substantially prevented, the method including sensing the fluid pressure in the fluid path upstream of the valve member to provide a first signal to a controller, sensing fluid pressure in the fluid path downstream of the valve member to provide a second signal to the controller, and sensing fluid flow downstream of the valve member to provide a third signal to the controller, the controller comparing the first and second signals and applying the third signal, and depending on the comparison of the first and second signals and the third signal, the controller signalling an alerting device which indicates whether the valve member is in at least one of an open and closed position.

Abstract: An air conditioning system for an aircraft in which cabin air is recirculated and mixed with cold air from an air conditioning machine which includes at least one expansion turbine over which warm pressurised air is expanded and cooled, and wherein the system includes a heat exchanger in which a heat load from hot cabin air is exchanged with the warm pressurised air prior to the pressurised air being expanded by the expansion turbine, further including a condenser heat exchanger in which recirculating cabin air is used to cool and promote water removal from the warm pressurised air before it is expanded by the expansion turbine.

Abstract: A temperature sensitive valve (10) includes a body (11) affording a passageway (12) for fluid, a valve member (15) which is moveable relative to the body (11) between first and second positions to control the flow of fluid through the passageway (12), a retaining member (24) movable with the valve member (15) and being engageable with a holding device (21) to retain the valve member (15) in the first position whilst the temperature is below a threshold value, and there being a release actuator (30) movable when the temperature is at the threshold value to disengage the retaining member (24) and holding device (21), to permit the valve member (15) to move from the first to the second position.

Abstract: A method of installing a molecular sieve bed gas enriching system in a vehicle, the method including installing in the vehicle a system controller, a product gas distribution conduit which extends to at least one product gas distribution position, and a high pressure gas supply conduit which extends from a high pressure gas source, providing a plurality of molecular sieve bed modules, each module including a container containing molecular sieve bed material, a first gas communication port from the container with an outlet duct for product gas produced in use during a charging phase of the molecular sieve bed, the outlet duct including an outlet valve to prevent ingress of gas into the container through the first gas communication port, and the container including a second gas communication port which is connected to a valve assembly which, depending upon the controlled state of the valve assembly, in use permits of communication between the interior of the container and one of a gas supply duct during the cha