Patents by Inventor Andrew Richard Tucker

Andrew Richard Tucker has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11661198
    Abstract: An air conditioning pack of a cooling system includes an air cycle machine assembly, a cabin air compressor assembly, and a mixing duct. The air cycle machine assembly includes a compressor configured to receive an air stream that includes bleed air to generate a compressed air stream. The air cycle machine assembly utilizes a first portion of the compressed air stream to power the compressor. The cabin air compressor assembly receives a second portion of the compressed air stream, and utilizes the second portion to generate compressed ram air. The mixing duct receives the compressed ram air and allows the compressed ram air to mix with one or more of the air stream upstream of the compressor or the compressed air stream downstream of the compressor to generate a hybrid air stream that is used for cooling at least a portion of a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: William Webster Behrens, Andrew Richard Tucker
  • Patent number: 10611487
    Abstract: An air conditioning pack includes an air cycle assembly, a vapor cycle system, and a mixing duct. The air cycle assembly is configured to receive bleed air and utilize the bleed air to compress ram air. The vapor cycle system is configured to receive the compressed ram air and to reduce an operating temperature of the compressed ram air. The mixing duct is configured to receive the compressed ram air and mix the compressed ram air with the bleed air to generate a hybrid air stream that is used for cooling at least a portion of a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: William Webster Behrens, Andrew Richard Tucker
  • Publication number: 20190291875
    Abstract: An air conditioning pack of a cooling system includes an air cycle machine assembly, a cabin air compressor assembly, and a mixing duct. The air cycle machine assembly includes a compressor configured to receive an air stream that includes bleed air to generate a compressed air stream. The air cycle machine assembly utilizes a first portion of the compressed air stream to power the compressor. The cabin air compressor assembly receives a second portion of the compressed air stream, and utilizes the second portion to generate compressed ram air. The mixing duct receives the compressed ram air and allows the compressed ram air to mix with one or more of the air stream upstream of the compressor or the compressed air stream downstream of the compressor to generate a hybrid air stream that is used for cooling at least a portion of a vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Applicant: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: William Webster Behrens, Andrew Richard Tucker
  • Patent number: 10399683
    Abstract: A thermal management system includes at least one vapor control system (VCS) that is configured to cool portions of the vehicle. The VCS circulates a fluid therethrough to cool the portions of the vehicle through heat exchange. At least one reverse air cycle machine (RACM) couples to VCS through a first heat exchanger. The RACM is configured to receive ram air. The RACM expands the ram air. Heat from the fluid circulating through the VCS is transferred to the expanded ram air through the first heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: William Webster Behrens, Andrew Richard Tucker
  • Publication number: 20190217960
    Abstract: An air conditioning pack includes an air cycle assembly, a vapor cycle system, and a mixing duct. The air cycle assembly is configured to receive bleed air and utilize the bleed air to compress ram air. The vapor cycle system is configured to receive the compressed ram air and to reduce an operating temperature of the compressed ram air. The mixing duct is configured to receive the compressed ram air and mix the compressed ram air with the bleed air to generate a hybrid air stream that is used for cooling at least a portion of a vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2018
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Applicant: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: William Webster Behrens, Andrew Richard Tucker
  • Patent number: 10239624
    Abstract: An aircraft includes a thermal management system that is configured to cool portions of the aircraft. The thermal management system includes at least one reverse air cycle machine (RACM) mounted on an engine of the aircraft, and a vapor cycle system (VCS) that is configured to cool the portions of the aircraft. The VCS circulates a refrigerant therethrough. A condenser couples the RACM(s) to the VCS. The RACM(s) coupled to the condenser provides a heat sink for the VCS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: William Webster Behrens, Andrew Richard Tucker
  • Publication number: 20180229849
    Abstract: An aircraft includes a thermal management system that is configured to cool portions of the aircraft. The thermal management system includes at least one reverse air cycle machine (RACM) mounted on an engine of the aircraft, and a vapor cycle system (VCS) that is configured to cool the portions of the aircraft. The VCS circulates a refrigerant therethrough. A condenser couples the RACM(s) to the VCS. The RACM(s) coupled to the condenser provides a heat sink for the VCS.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2017
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Applicant: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: William Webster Behrens, Andrew Richard Tucker
  • Patent number: 10017032
    Abstract: A thermal management system includes at least one vapor compression system (VCS) that is configured to cool portions of the vehicle. The VCS circulates a fluid therethrough to cool the portions of the vehicle through heat exchange. At least one reverse air cycle machine (RACM) couples to VCS through a first heat exchanger. The RACM is configured to receive ram air. The RACM expands the ram air. Heat from the fluid circulating through the VCS is transferred to the expanded ram air through the first heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: William Webster Behrens, Andrew Richard Tucker
  • Publication number: 20170233083
    Abstract: A thermal management system includes at least one vapor compression system (VCS) that is configured to cool portions of the vehicle. The VCS circulates a fluid therethrough to cool the portions of the vehicle through heat exchange. At least one reverse air cycle machine (RACM) couples to VCS through a first heat exchanger. The RACM is configured to receive ram air. The RACM expands the ram air. Heat from the fluid circulating through the VCS is transferred to the expanded ram air through the first heat exchanger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2016
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: William Webster Behrens, Andrew Richard Tucker
  • Publication number: 20170233082
    Abstract: A thermal management system includes at least one vapor control system (VCS) that is configured to cool portions of the vehicle. The VCS circulates a fluid therethrough to cool the portions of the vehicle through heat exchange. At least one reverse air control machine (RACM) couples to VCS through a first heat exchanger. The RACM is configured to receive ram air. The RACM expands the ram air. Heat from the fluid circulating through the VCS is transferred to the expanded ram air through the first heat exchanger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: William Webster Behrens, Andrew Richard Tucker
  • Patent number: 8162035
    Abstract: A cold plate and method for cooling using the cold plate are disclosed. The cold plate includes a housing having hyperporous, microchannel ceramic foam strips disposed therewithin. A plurality of plugs formed from a high thermal conductivity material are disposed into the ceramic foam strips. Heat is transferred in an extremely efficient manner by leveraging the high thermal conductivity of the plugs to transfer the energy deep into a high internal surface area ceramic foam, which in turn transfers the heat to a coolant via convection. Channels between the foam strips form coolant inlet and outlet plenums, which results in minimal coolant pressure drop through the cold plate. In one example, an exemplary cold plate may provide cooling to one or two printed circuit boards. In another example, a cold plate may be disposed within a heat exchanger housing to provide cooling to a fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: William Webster Behrens, Andrew Richard Tucker
  • Publication number: 20080196869
    Abstract: A cold plate and method for cooling using the cold plate are disclosed. The cold plate includes a housing having hyperporous, microchannel ceramic foam strips disposed therewithin. A plurality of plugs formed from a high thermal conductivity material are disposed into the ceramic foam strips. Heat is transferred in an extremely efficient manner by leveraging the high thermal conductivity of the plugs to transfer the energy deep into a high internal surface area ceramic foam, which in turn transfers the heat to a coolant via convection. Channels between the foam strips form coolant inlet and outlet plenums, which results in minimal coolant pressure drop through the cold plate. In one example, an exemplary cold plate may provide cooling to one or two printed circuit boards. In another example, a cold plate may be disposed within a heat exchanger housing to provide cooling to a fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Applicant: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: William Webster BEHRENS, Andrew Richard TUCKER