Motor-type Expander Patents (Class 62/402)
  • Publication number: 20090183517
    Abstract: The vapor compression refrigerating apparatus of the invention comprises a compressor 2, a condenser 4, a regeneration heat exchanger 6, an expansion means 8, and an evaporator 10 connected in series. The vapor compression refrigerating cycle is based on a cycle corresponding to a reversed Ericsson cycle in which isothermal heat dissipation process and isothermal heat absorption process occur overstriding a saturated vapor line and saturated liquid line respectively and heat exchange is carried out between isobaric heat dissipation process in a liquid zone and isobaric heat absorption process in a superheated vapor zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2006
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Applicant: MAYEKAWA MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Nobumi Ino, Takayuki Kishi
  • Publication number: 20090178433
    Abstract: A casing (31) houses therein an expansion mechanism (60) and a compression mechanism (50). The expansion mechanism (60) has a rear head (62) in which a pressure snubbing chamber (71) is provided. The pressure snubbing chamber (71) is divided by a piston (77) into an inflow/outflow chamber (72) which fluidly communicates with an inflow port (34) and a back pressure chamber (73) which fluidly communicates with the inside of the casing (31). The piston (77) is displaced in response to suction pressure variation whereby the volume of the inflow/outflow chamber (72) varies. This enables the inflow/outflow chamber (72) to directly perform supply of refrigerant to or suction of refrigerant from the inflow port (34) which is a source of pressure variation, thereby making it possible to effectively inhibit suction pressure variation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Inventors: Eiji Kumakura, Masakazu Okamoto, Tetsuya Okamoto, Katsumi Sakitani
  • Publication number: 20090133431
    Abstract: An air cycle refrigerating/cooling system includes a first heat exchanger for cooling air, a turbine unit that has a compressor for compressing the air and an expansion turbine for adiabatically expanding the air, and a second heat exchanger for cooling the air. A compressor rotor of the compressor and a turbine rotor of the expansion turbine are attached to a common main shaft in the turbine unit in such a manner that the turbine unit drives the compressor rotor with a power generated by the turbine rotor, and the main shaft is rotatably supported by a rolling contact bearing. A part or the entirety of a thrust force applied to the main shaft is supported by an electromagnet, and a pressure equalizing device for equalizing a gas pressure at opposite ends of the rolling contact bearing is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2006
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Applicant: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsugito Nakazeki, Takayoshi Ozaki, Hiroyuki Yamada
  • Patent number: 7467524
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an air-conditioning system, in particular an air-conditioning system for the air-conditioning of a passenger cabin of an airplane, having at least one heat exchanger arranged in a stagnation air passage for the cooling of compressed air and having at least one first shaft device and one second shaft device, with the heat exchanger including at least one first heat exchanger unit and one second heat exchanger unit separate from it on the compressed air side, which are arranged in the common stagnation air passage and of which a respective one is in communication on the compressed air side with a respective one of the shaft devices, with the shaft devices having compressors which are in respective communication on the outlet side with the inlet of the heat exchanger units on the compressed air side. The compressors are acted on by stagnation air or environmental air on the inlet side and are driven by means of one or more motors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: Liebherr-Aerospace Lindenberg GmbH
    Inventors: Norbert Brutscher, Joachim Haas
  • Publication number: 20080264094
    Abstract: A cooling system for cooling a flow of fluid from a heat source includes a turbine configured to be fluidly connected to the heat source. The turbine is configured to receive the flow of fluid from the heat source. The cooling system also includes a fan configured to be driven by the turbine. The fan includes at least one channel for receiving the flow of fluid from the turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2007
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Inventors: Michael Joseph Campagna, James John Callas, Kevin Lee Martin
  • Publication number: 20080163642
    Abstract: A first and a second expansion and compression machine (30, 40) having different volume ratios (Vc/Ve) are connected in parallel to a refrigerant circuit (10) of a refrigeration apparatus. Expanders (31, 41) of the expansion and compression machines (30, 40) are connected in parallel. Compressors (32, 42) of the expansion and compression machines (30, 40) are also connected in parallel. Upon variation in the operating condition of the refrigeration apparatus, the ratio of rotation speed between the expansion and compression machines (30, 40) is controlled by a controller (60). This, as a result, allows the refrigeration apparatus to operate at a COP close to an ideal condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2006
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Inventors: Masakazu Okamoto, Katsumi Sakitani, Michio Moriwaki, Yume Inokuchi
  • Patent number: 7334423
    Abstract: An air conditioning system is provided that includes first and second turbines and a compressor. The second turbine is in fluid communication with a pack outlet. A passage fluidly connects the first turbine and the pack outlet. A valve is associated with the passages and is movable between open and closed positions. In the open position, the valve permits flow through the passageway from the first turbine directly to the pack outlet thereby bypassing the second turbine and reducing the resistance to the flow through the system. The valve is opened at higher altitudes to change the typical series fluid connection between the turbines to a parallel fluid connection. In this configuration, the air conditioning system operates more efficiently using reduced air pressure provided to the system. Another valve is also opened to permit additional reduction in the air pressure required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Louis J. Bruno, Douglas L Christians
  • Patent number: 7334422
    Abstract: An air conditioning system is provided with a cooling air ram that includes both air-to-air heat exchangers, and a liquid sink heat exchanger. The liquid sink heat exchanger receives a cooling fluid that has been utilized to cool a power electronics control for an electric motor. The liquid sink heat exchanger is necessary to properly cool the power electronics control, and by including it in the same cooling air ram with the air-to-air heat exchangers, there is no need for additional ram air cooling circuits to be added to the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Zywiak, Louis J. Bruno
  • Patent number: 7322207
    Abstract: An air refrigerant cooling apparatus has magnetic bearings with high reliability and high efficiency. The air refrigerant cooling apparatus includes a motor having a first magnetic bearing and a second magnetic bearing for supporting a shaft, a compressor and an expansion turbine. The compressor is connected to the shaft and separated from the first magnetic bearing by a first labyrinth. The expansion turbine is connected to the shaft and separated from the second magnetic bearing by a second labyrinth. Pressure differences are generated between spaces where the first magnetic bearing and the second magnetic bearing are provided and respective inlet of the compressor and outlet of the expansion turbine by an external pressure outside the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., International Center for Environmental Technology Transfer
    Inventors: Shigemitsu Kikuchi, Hiroshi Igawa, Seiichi Okuda
  • Publication number: 20070271952
    Abstract: An integrated environmental control system for an aircraft compartment and aircraft power system comprises first and second air compressors, an auxiliary power unit, and first and second environmental control systems. The first and second compressors receive and compress airflow from the aircraft exterior. The auxiliary power unit comprises a first shaft rotatably mounting a power turbine, a third air compressor to compress airflow from the aircraft exterior, and a first cooling turbine to cool the airflow. Each environmental control system comprises a first heat exchanger, a recycling heat exchanger, and a second shaft rotatably mounting a fourth compressor and a second cooling turbine for compressing and cooling the airflow. The first heat exchanger receives airflow from the first, second, and third air compressors and forwards airflow to the aircraft compartment. The recycling heat exchanger receives airflow from the aircraft compartment and recirculates airflow back to the aircraft compartment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2006
    Publication date: November 29, 2007
    Inventors: Clarence W.T. Lui, Jean-Luc Derouineau, Henry M. Claeys
  • Publication number: 20070186578
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an air compressor and expander including: a first rotor coupled around a driving shaft; a second rotor coupled around a driven shaft so as to operate in cooperation with the first rotor; a casing adapted to form an air compression or expansion space by the rotation of the first rotor and the second rotor; first and second end covers adapted to close the both end portions of the casing in such a manner as to have the driving shaft and the driven shaft passed therethrough in the axial direction, thereby to have the first rotor or the second rotor disposed between them; a gear part disposed on any one side of the first and second end covers in such a manner as to be coupled around the driving shaft and the driven shaft for transmitting power to the driving shaft and the driven shaft; and a clearance-preventing means disposed at the opposite side to the gear part for preventing the clearance between the end covers and the rotors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventor: Junkang Lee
  • Patent number: 7222499
    Abstract: A closed loop air conditioning system for an aircraft includes a compressor stage including at least one power driven compressor, for compressing working fluid, a first expansion turbine over which compressed working fluid is expanded and cooled, a first heat load heat exchanger in which heat from a first heat load is exchanged to the expanded and cooled working fluid, a second expansion turbine over which working fluid from the first heat exchanger is further expanded and cooled, and a second heat load heat exchanger in which heat from a second heat load is exchanged to the further expanded and cooled working fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Honeywell Normalair Garrett (Holdings)
    Inventor: Richard Grant Hunt
  • Patent number: 7188488
    Abstract: The present invention provides an air generation unit (AGU) including a pressurized air source, such as an engine providing pressurized air. First and second air cycle machine (ACM) are fluidly connected to the pressurized air source for receiving the air. A heat exchanger interconnects the first and second ACMs. The heat exchanger mechanically supports the first and second ACMs by flexible isolators, which accommodates the thermo expansion of the heat exchanger through out the operation of the AGU. The heat exchanger includes a primary heat exchanger that cools the air from the air source. The ACMs each include a compressor receiving the air from the primary heat exchanger to provide compressed air. The compressed air is sent to a secondary heat exchanger to be cooled. The compressed air is passed through a condenser and a water collector to remove moisture from the air for being sent to a first turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand
    Inventors: Donald E. Army, Jr., Douglas L. Christians, Frederick Peacos, III
  • Patent number: 7171819
    Abstract: An integrated power and cooling machine having an indirect regenerative air cooling feature may be useful for providing power and environmental control to both ground vehicles, such as tanks, and aircraft, such as helicopters and airplanes. The integrated power and cooling machine may prevent contamination of the conditioned supply air by isolating the conditioned supply air from the machine lubricating and heat transport fluid (e.g., operating fluid) that may leak into the conditioned supply air. Furthermore, the integrated power and cooling machine may utilize a lower energy source from the engine, thereby reducing energy consumption and improving system efficiency. In addition, a flow mixing device may enhance airflow to improve cooling performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventors: Clarence Lui, Myron A. Quan
  • Patent number: 7121100
    Abstract: A thermal management system for an aircraft is provided. The aircraft includes a primary air conditioning system which compresses and cools outside air to create inside air. The inside air pressurizes the internal volume of the aircraft and ventilates a first object in the internal volume. An exhaust exhausts a portion of the inside air to allow more outside air to be drawn into the aircraft. A cooler cools a coolant which in turn controls temperature of at least two objects in the internal volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Warren A. Atkey, Charles J. Fiterman
  • Patent number: 7040112
    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 an 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 and/or a hot avionics system is exchanged with the warm pressurised air prior to the pressurised air being expanded by the expansion turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Honewell Normalair-Garrett (Holdings) Limited
    Inventors: Richard James Axe, Richard Grant Hunt
  • Patent number: 7017365
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for dehumidification in air conditioners comprising an expansion stage, a condenser and comprising a water separator disposed upstream of the expansion stage. A dehumidification system with reduced system construction volume, reduced weight and increased reliability and improved system efficiency at lower cost is formed in accordance with the invention in that the condenser is formed by a heat exchanger (RAM heat exchanger) cooled with ambient air or stagnation air or with another fluid, with the exception of process air, to which the compressed air to be dehumidified is fed on the compressed air side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Liebherr-Aerospace Lindenberg GmbH
    Inventors: Joachim Haas, Alfred Sauterleute
  • Patent number: 6988376
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an air-conditioning system, in particular for the air conditioning of an airplane cabin, comprising at least two air-conditioning plants which are in communication in each case on the inlet side with a supply line and on the outlet side with a cabin to be air conditioned or with a mixing chamber, with the supply line on the inlet side having at least one flow regulating valve in each case for the purpose of regulating the flow. A high redundancy with low losses in performance and with optimum costs and weight is achieved in that downstream of the flow regulating valves at least one connection line is provided which connects the supply lines on the inlet side or the air-conditioning plants on the pressurized air side to one another and which is provided with a valve, by means of which the connection line can be opened or closed in dependence on the valve position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: Liebherr-Aerospace Lindenberg GmbH
    Inventors: Norbert Brutscher, Joachim Haas
  • Patent number: 6981388
    Abstract: The following invention relates to an air conditioning system, in particular for aircraft, comprising at least one heat exchanger, arranged in a ram air duct, for cooling compressed air by means of a fluid, and comprising at least a first and a second air cycle machine which at the compressed-air end are connected to the heat exchanger. A particularly compact, reliable, redundant and economical arrangement is achieved in that the heat exchanger comprises at least one first heat exchanger unit and a second heat exchanger unit, of which one each is connected at the compressed-air end to one of the air cycle machines, and in that ram air outlet ducts which are fluidically separate from each other are provided, of which one is connected to the first heat exchanger unit and another is connected to the second heat exchanger unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: Liebherr-Aerospace Lindenberg GmbH
    Inventors: Norbert Brutscher, Joachim Haas
  • Patent number: 6966198
    Abstract: A refrigeration and air-cycle air conditioning system is provided for a body defining interior space, preferably a stand alone refrigeration cabinet. The air conditioning system includes a unique combination of a compressor, intercooler, expander, motor and plenum to increase the performance of the system making it practical for use in commercial refrigeration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Davide Fausto Piccirilli, Thomas Paul Gielda, David Duong, Ed Smallhorn, Mitchell Vitale
  • Patent number: 6957543
    Abstract: An air cycle water producing machine utilizes a combination of cooling turbine, heat exchanger and fresh air cycling to increase water output while minimizing the amount of energy required to operate the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Inventor: Igor Reznik
  • Patent number: 6948325
    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
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: Honeywell Normalair-Garrett (Holdings) Limited
    Inventors: Richard James Axe, Richard Grant Hunt
  • Patent number: 6948331
    Abstract: An environmental control system for an aircraft includes a vapor cycle system for circulating a refrigerant through a fuel cooled condenser, a primary evaporator wherein the expanded refrigerant is used to provide cooling for a cooling medium and a secondary evaporator. An air cycle system is included having a compressor system for providing compressed air, a system to cool the compressed air, a system to expand the cooled and compressed air, a heat exchanger for receiving the expanded air to provide cooling for a cooling medium passed through the secondary evaporator of the vapor cycle system wherein the compressed air is cooled prior to expansion. A fuel to air heat exchanger located between the compressor system and the secondary evaporator of the vapor cycle system for receiving fuel after it is passed through the condenser of the vapor cycle system and cooling the compressed air from the compressor system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: Norhrop Grumman Corporation
    Inventor: Yuhang Ho
  • Patent number: 6928832
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrically driven aircraft cabin and ventilation and environmental control system. The system includes at least one inlet for capturing ram air, an electrically driven compressor for pressurizing the ram air, and a thermal conditioning subsystem for thermally conditioning the pressurized ram air. The system further includes a subsystem for removing undesirable moisture from the thermally conditioned ram air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Hamilton Sunstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Charles E. Lents, Steven E. Squier, Wayne A. Thresher
  • Patent number: 6925818
    Abstract: The method of processing air prior to separation of such air into gaseous components, the steps that include: first compressing a stream of air and cooling the compressed air, to enable water separation and removal from the stream, to provide a dry stream of air; then further compressing the dry air stream and cooling the compressed dry air stream to enable removal of contained remanent water; then expanding the cooled air stream in an expansion stage which extracts work from the expanding stream; then passing the expanded air stream to a separator operating to remove water from the stream, thereby producing dry air passed to a component gas separation stage or stages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Cryogenic Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Ross Brown
  • Patent number: 6883335
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Honeywell Normalair-Garrett (Holdings) Limited
    Inventors: Richard James Axe, Richard Grant Hunt
  • Patent number: 6880357
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to reduce the constraint that the density ratio is constant as small as possible, and to obtain high power recovering effect in a wide operation range. A refrigeration cycle apparatus uses carbon dioxide as refrigerant and has a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an expander and an indoor heat exchanger. An injection circuit for introducing high pressure refrigerant is provided in a halfway of an expansion process of said expander.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Nakatani, Yoshikazu Kawabe, Yuji Inoue, Noriho Okaza, Akira Hiwata
  • Patent number: 6871510
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an air conditioning system for the air conditioning of a space, in particular for the air conditioning of an aeroplane cabin, comprising a heat exchanger for the cooling of a compressed air flow (tapped air flow) originating from an engine or an auxiliary unit and comprising at least one expansion device per air cycle machine (ACM) for the expansion and cooling of compressed air, wherein the expansion devices are disposed after the heat exchanger and are in connection on the outlet side with a mixing chamber or the space to be air conditioned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Liebherr-Aerospace Lindenberg GmbH
    Inventor: Joachim Haas
  • Patent number: 6848261
    Abstract: A system and method for providing conditioned air to an aircraft cabin. The system combines the benefits of a traditional 4 wheel condensing cycle and dual expansion energy recovery cycles. The energy of a heat load such as aircraft electronic or avionics can be recovered and used in a second turbine while a continuous source of cooling for the heat load is provided for high altitude operation when the first turbine is by-passed. The disclosed invention conditions inlet air using an efficient process that recaptures energy that would otherwise be wasted. Recaptured energy can come from aircraft avionics and from moisture in inlet and cabin air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventor: Henry M. Claeys
  • Patent number: 6845630
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrical power and cooling system for use in an aircraft having at least one engine. The electrical power and cooling system comprises a single shaft, a power turbine mounted on the shaft for receiving fresh pressurized air from the at least one engine, a cooling turbine mounted on the shaft and receiving the fresh pressurized air from the at least one engine, a generator mounted on the shaft, and a fan mounted on the shaft for creating a flow of cooling air. The system further has a condenser for removing moisture from the air exiting the cooling turbine and a mixing chamber for mixing the cooled dry air with recirculated cabin air. The electrical power and cooling system delivers conditioned air to a cabin and/or a flight deck onboard the aircraft and electrical power to the aircraft's electrical systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Louis J. Bruno, Charles E. Lents, Michael K. Sahm, Wayne A. Thresher
  • Publication number: 20040261428
    Abstract: A closed loop cooling system and method for an oil-free electric motor of an aircraft cabin air compressor. A closed-loop fan, which may be coupled to a motor rotor opposite a compressor impeller, circulates the required cooling air in a closed loop through a motor stator and bearings, a motor cooler, and a ducting used to complete the flow circuit via a ram air cooled heat exchanger. The cooling air may be pressurized to cabin pressure. The system and method of the present invention eliminates the possibility of contaminating trace amounts of oil in cabin supply air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2004
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Applicant: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Roger P. Murry, Chris Speights
  • Publication number: 20040194493
    Abstract: An air generation unit includes first and second air cycle machines (ACMs), each having first and second turbines. A manifold is arranged between the first and second ACMs and is in fluid communication with each of the first and second turbines of the first and second ACMs. A condenser is arranged between the ACMs and is in fluid communication with the manifold. First and second valves are disposed within the manifold and control flow of air between the turbines and the condenser. An actuator is assembly is connected to the valves for moving the valves between a plurality of positions. The valves selectively close off or prevent the flow of air from the turbines of one of the ACMs in the event that the ACM is not needed or malfunctions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2003
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventors: Donald E. Army, Douglas L. Christians, Frederick Peacos
  • Publication number: 20040177639
    Abstract: The present invention provides an air generation unit (AGU) including a pressurized air source, such as an engine providing pressurized air. First and second air cycle machine (ACM) are fluidly connected to the pressurized air source for receiving the air. A heat exchanger interconnects the first and second ACMs. The heat exchanger mechanically supports the first and second ACMs by flexible isolators, which accommodates the thermo expansion of the heat exchanger through out the operation of the AGU. The heat exchanger includes a primary heat exchanger that cools the air from the air source. The ACMs each include a compressor receiving the air from the primary heat exchanger to provide compressed air. The compressed air is sent to a secondary heat exchanger to be cooled. The compressed air is passed through a condenser and a water collector to remove moisture from the air for being sent to a first turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2003
    Publication date: September 16, 2004
    Inventors: Donald E. Army, Douglas L. Christians, Frederick Peacos
  • Publication number: 20040172963
    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).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2004
    Publication date: September 9, 2004
    Applicant: Honeywell Normalair-Garrett (Holdings) Limited
    Inventors: Richard James Axe, Richard Grant Hunt
  • Patent number: 6782709
    Abstract: An air-cooling device comprises compressor (1). Double cavity heat exchanger (2), turbo expander (6) and the freezing chamber (3) containing fan (5) and air cooler (4). Fan (7) is mounted on the same shaft with the turbo expander (6). The first cavities of the heat exchangers (9 and 2), moist separator (8) and the second cavity of the heat exchanger (2) are connected with the compressor (1) input in sequence. In the other appearance the device comprises compressor (44) and turbo expander (49), double cavity heat exchanger (45), freezing chamber (46) containing fan (48) and air cooler (47), double cavity vaporization heat exchanger (51) and moist separator (50). The first cavities of the vaporization heat exchangers (51 and 45), moist separator (50, turbo expander (49), air cooler (47) and the second cavity of the heat exchanger (45) are in sequence connected with the compressor input (44).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Inventors: Alexandr A. Panin, Alexandr A. Peshkov, Jury A. Ravikovich
  • Publication number: 20040089000
    Abstract: An air cycle air conditioning system for treating air contained within a passenger compartment of a vehicle. The system includes a compressor for receiving air from the passenger compartment and compressing the air, thereby producing charged air. Further, an expander is provided selectively coupled to the compressor for expanding the air and cooling the air communicated to the passenger compartment. The system further includes an air-to-air heat exchanger that cools the air received by the compressor-and supplies cooled charged air to the vehicle's engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2002
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Applicant: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian John Christen, Wayne Charles Schnaidt, Thomas Paul Gielda, Shane A. Harte
  • Publication number: 20040089016
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2003
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Applicant: Honeywell Normalair-Garrett (holdings) Limited
    Inventors: Richard James Axe, Richard Grant Hunt
  • Publication number: 20040083751
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to reduce the constraint that the density ratio is constant as small as possible, and to obtain high power recovering effect in a wide operation range. A refrigeration cycle apparatus uses carbon dioxide as refrigerant and has a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an expander and an indoor heat exchanger. An injection circuit for introducing high pressure refrigerant is provided in a halfway of an expansion process of said expander.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuo Nakatani, Yoshikazu Kawabe, Yuji Inoue, Noriho Okaza, Akira Hiwata
  • Publication number: 20040074254
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to reduce the constraint that the density ratio is constant as small as possible, and to obtain high power recovering effect in a wide operation range. A refrigeration cycle apparatus uses carbon dioxide as refrigerant and has a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, an expander, an indoor heat exchanger and an auxiliary compressor. The auxiliary compressor is driven by power recover by the expander. When refrigerant flows using the indoor heat exchanger as an evaporator, a discharge side of the auxiliary compressor becomes a suction side of the compressor, and when refrigerant flows using the indoor heat exchanger as a gas cooler, a discharge side of the compressor becomes a suction side of the auxiliary compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2003
    Publication date: April 22, 2004
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Hiwata, Yuji Inoue, Yoshikazu Kawabe, Noriho Okaza, Kazuo Nakatani
  • Patent number: 6705092
    Abstract: The vapor membrane dehumidification device and method for air cycle environment control systems uses a semipermeable vapor membrane for water vapor, air separation. The vapor membrane has a high water to air permselectivity. When air containing water vapor is passed over or through the semipermeable fibers of the membrane countercurrently or crosscurrently to a purge air stream the water vapor may permeate through the fibers. Using a purge air stream of lower water vapor partial pressure relative to the feed moist air stream, the water vapor is moved to the purge air stream due to the partial pressure differential of water vapor and then expelled overboard with the purge air stream. The purge air stream can be replaced with any source of air internal or external to the aircraft such as air from the aircraft cabin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Shaojun Zhou, Tim Birbeck, Michel A. Jonqueres
  • Publication number: 20040025529
    Abstract: An aircraft air conditioning air supply system is provided that includes a primary propulsion turbine engine having a bleed valve providing pressurized air. A ram air inlet provides ram air. A super charger includes a spool with at least two turbines mounted thereon driven by the pressurized air from the engine. At least one compressor is connected to the turbines, preferably mounted on the same spool as the turbines, and receives the ram air. The turbines drive the compressor and compresses the ram air for use by an air conditioning pack. The supercharger provides compressed air to an air conditioning pack that conditions the compressed air and distributes the refrigerated air throughout the aircraft. The number of turbines and compressors for the super charger is selected by matching the specific speeds of the compressors and turbines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2002
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: Louis J. Bruno, Thomas Zywiak, Harold W. Hipsky
  • Patent number: 6684660
    Abstract: An aircraft air conditioning air supply system is provided that includes a primary propulsion turbine engine having a bleed valve providing pressurized air. A ram air inlet provides ram air. A super charger includes a spool with at least two turbines mounted thereon driven by the pressurized air from the engine. At least one compressor is connected to the turbines, preferably mounted on the same spool as the turbines, and receives the ram air. The turbines drive the compressor and compresses the ram air for use by an air conditioning pack. The supercharger provides compressed air to an air conditioning pack that conditions the compressed air and distributes the refrigerated air throughout the aircraft. The number of turbines and compressors for the super charger is selected by matching the specific speeds of the compressors and turbines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand
    Inventors: Louis J. Bruno, Thomas Zywiak, Harold W. Hipsky
  • Patent number: 6681592
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrically driven aircraft cabin and ventilation and environmental control system. The system includes at least one inlet for capturing ram air, an electrically driven compressor for pressurizing the ram air, and a thermal conditioning subsystem for thermally conditioning the pressurized ram air. The system further includes a subsystem for removing undesirable moisture from the thermally conditioned ram air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Charles E. Lents, Steven E. Squier, Wayne A. Thresher
  • Publication number: 20040003622
    Abstract: A refrigerating cycle system of a vapor compression system has a constitution wherein a first compressor, a first radiator, an expansion mechanism, a heat absorber, and a second compressor connected sequentially and circularly. A CO2 refrigerant is circulated in the sequence of the first compressor→the first radiator→the expansion mechanism→the heat absorber→the second compressor→the first compressor. The rotating drive shaft of the second compressor is connected to the rotating output shaft of the expansion mechanism with a common shaft. Thereby, since the drive force of the second compressor is obtained from the power generated by the refrigerant expanding action of the expansion mechanism, the power of the first compressor consumed for elevating the pressure of the refrigerant to a predetermined pressure can be minimized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2003
    Publication date: January 8, 2004
    Inventor: Masami Negishi
  • Patent number: 6663044
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a vapor compression cycle environmental control system for use on aircraft. The system includes an environmental control subsystem which supplies pressurized ram air at a desired temperature to the aircraft's flight deck and/or cabin. The environmental control subsystem uses a vapor compression cycle subsystem to provide the ram air at the desired temperature. The system further includes an air turbine driven by engine bleed air to provide power to an aircraft mounted accessory drive and to provide heated air to an anti-ice system. The aircraft mounted accessory drive provides power to an air compressor which forms part of the environmental control subsystem and to a working fluid compressor which forms part of the vapor compression cycle subsystem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Jules Ricardo Munoz, Luca Bertuccioli, Michael K. Sahm, Jay Fletcher, Charles E. Lents, Richard Welch, Steve Squier, Arthur Chris Becker
  • Patent number: 6658866
    Abstract: A scroll expresser of a refrigerant system includes a non-orbiting expander scroll plate and an orbiting expander scroll plate which form a plurality of expansion chambers and a non-orbiting compressor scroll plate and a orbiting compressor scroll plate which form a plurality of compression chambers. The scroll expresser expands high pressure refrigerant in the expansion chambers to low pressure vapor refrigerant and liquid refrigerant. The liquid refrigerant exits the scroll expresser for evaporation. The vapor refrigerant is compressed in the compression chambers and mixes with the refrigerant exiting the compressor. Alternatively, the orbiting scroll plates are integrated into one component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Yan Tang, James W. Bush
  • Patent number: 6658873
    Abstract: An air cycle cooling system for cooling a first heat load and a second heat load, the system including a compressor to pressurise air in the system, and an expansion apparatus for allowing the compressed air to expand and cool for use in cooling the first and second heat loads, and wherein at least a proportion of the air utilised for cooling the first heat load is recycled to the compressor and at least a proportion of the air utilised for cooling the second heat load is utilised as a coolant in a primary heat exchanger to cool the air from the first heat load prior to the air from the first heat load being expanded in the expansion apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Honeywell Normalair-Garrett Limited
    Inventors: John Alistair Clarke, Bernard Francis
  • Patent number: 6655168
    Abstract: An aircraft air conditioner uses a cooling device to cool air extracted from an engine before feeding it into a cabin. This extracted air is mixed with recirculation air that is returned to the cabin after flowing out from the cabin. The mixture of the recirculation air and the extracted air is fed into an air separating section. This air separating section has a selectively permeable membrane that separates the air flowing through an air flow path of the air conditioner into nitrogen-enriched gas and oxygen-concentrated air. The nitrogen-enriched gas is capable of being fed into a fuel peripheral region of the aircraft, and the oxygen-concentrated air is capable of being fed into the cabin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
    Inventors: Hisashi Mitani, Hidefumi Saito
  • Patent number: 6647742
    Abstract: The expansion of a high pressure or intermediate pressure refrigerant in an expansion device in a transcritical vapor compression system converts the potential energy into usable kinetic energy. The kinetic energy provides work which is employed to fully or partially drive an expansion motor unit which is coupled to rotating auxiliary machinery. By providing work to the rotating auxiliary machinery, system efficiency is improved. The auxiliary rotating machinery can be an evaporator fan or a gas cooler fan to pull the refrigerant through the evaporator and gas cooler, respectively. Alternatively, the auxiliary rotating machinery can be a water pump or an oil pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Jeff J. Neiter, Sivakumar Gopalnarayanan, J. Michael Griffin, William A. Rioux, Young K. Park, Russell G. Lewis
  • Publication number: 20030209028
    Abstract: A cycle-side system (20) is formed by duct connecting a compressor (21), a heat exchanger (30), a demoisturizer (22), and an expansion device (23) in that order. The compressor (21) draws in room air and supply air for ventilation and compresses the same. The compressed air exchanges heat with exhaust air for ventilation in the heat exchanger (30), thereby being cooled. Water vapor in the cooled, compressed air is removed in the demoisturizer (22). The demoisturizer (22) is provided with a separation membrane and separates water vapor in the compressed air without the occurrence of condensation. Thereafter, the compressed air is expanded in the expansion device (23) to change into low-temperature air. The low-temperature air is supplied into a room. On the other hand, the heat exchanger (30) is fed exhaust air cooled in a humidifying cooler (41).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2003
    Publication date: November 13, 2003
    Applicant: DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Chun-cheng Piao, Manabu Yoshimi, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Kazuo Yonemoto, Shotaro Mishina, Akira Kamino