High capacity air conditioning system with redundant staged recirculation air mixing for an aircraft

In a passenger aircraft including a pressurized fuselage, at least one source of high pressure air, an air conditioning system connected to said at least one source so as to receive high pressure air therefrom, plural air conditioning zones in said fuselage connected to said air conditioning system to receive air conditioning air therefrom, and a pressure relief device adapted to exhaust some of said fuselage interior air out of said fuselage,

• an improvement in said air conditioning system comprising:
• first and second air conditioning units that each respectively have a respective high pressure air inlet connected to said at least one source so as to receive high pressure air therefrom, and a respective cold air outlet at which said air conditioning units are respectively adapted to provide cold air having a temperature below a freezing point of water;
• first and second pre-mixing units that are arranged inside said fuselage, and that each respectively have a respective cold air inlet connected respectively individually to a respective one of said cold air outlets of said first and second air conditioning units, a respective recirculation air inlet, and a respective pre-mixed air outlet providing pre-mixed air having a temperature above a freezing point of water;
• first and second recirculation units that are arranged inside said fuselage and that each respectively have a respective fuselage interior air inlet which communicates with and receives a portion of said fuselage interior air, and a respective recirculation air outlet connected respectively individually to a respective one of said recirculation air inlets of said first and second pre-mixing units;
• an air distribution mixing chamber connected in common to said pre-mixed air outlets of said first and second pre-mixing units, and having first and second common pooled air outlets;
• at least one local recirculation unit that is arranged in said fuselage and has an inlet which communicates with and receives a portion of said fuselage interior air and provides therefrom local recirculation air;
• and
• first and second local post-mixing units that are arranged inside said fuselage and that each respectively have a respective common pooled air inlet connected respectively individually to a respective one of said common pooled air outlets of said air distribution mixing chamber, a respective local recirculation air inlet connected to at least one of said at least one local recirculation unit, and a respective final mixed air zone supply outlet connected respectively individually into a respective one of said first and second zones of said plural air conditioning zones.

In a passenger aircraft including a pressurized fuselage enclosing a fuselage interior space with at least first and second air conditioning zones therein, at least one source of high pressure air, and an air conditioning system that is connected to said at least one source so as to receive high pressure air therefrom and that is connected to said first and second air conditioning zones so as to provide air conditioning air thereto,

• an improvement in said air conditioning system comprising:
• a first air conditioning unit having an air inlet connected to said at least one source of high pressure air and having a cold air outlet;
• a second air conditioning unit having an air inlet connected to said at least one source of high pressure air and having a cold air outlet;
• a first recirculation unit having an air inlet communicating with said fuselage interior space and having an air outlet;
• a second recirculation unit having an air inlet to communicating with said fuselage interior space and having an air outlet;
• a first pre-mixing unit having a cold air inlet connected to said cold air outlet of said first air conditioning unit, another air inlet connected to said air outlet of said first recirculation unit, and an air outlet communicating with both of said air inlets of said first pre-mixing unit;
• a second pre-mixing unit having a cold air inlet connected to said cold air outlet of said second air conditioning unit, another air inlet connected to said air outlet of said second recirculation unit, and an air outlet communicating with both of said air inlets of said second pre-mixing unit;
• an air distribution mixing chamber having a first air inlet connected to said air outlet of said first pre-mixing unit, a second air inlet connected to said air outlet of said second pre-mixing unit, and first and second air outlets that each communicate with both of said first and second air inlets of said air distribution mixing chamber;
• at least one local recirculation unit having at least one air inlet communicating with said fuselage interior space and having at least one air outlet;
• a first local post-mixing unit having an air inlet connected to said first air outlet of said air distribution mixing chamber, another air inlet connected to at least one said air outlet of said at least one local recirculation unit, and an air outlet that communicates with both of said air inlets of said first local post-mixing unit and that is connected to said first air conditioning zone;
• and
• a second local post-mixing unit having an air inlet connected to said second air outlet of said air distribution mixing chamber, another air inlet connected to at least one said air outlet of said at least one local recirculation unit, and an air outlet that communicates with both of said air inlets of said second local post-mixing unit and that is connected to said second air conditioning zone.