Systems and methods for cargo compartment air conditioning using recirculated air

A cargo compartment recirculation system for an aircraft, comprising:

• an air moving device fluidly coupled to the cargo compartment and operable to move a volume of air;
• an air heating device and an air cooling device fluidly coupled to the compartment;
• a recirculation duct fluidly coupled to the air moving device and configured to selectively direct at least a portion of the volume of air to the air heating device and the air cooling device;
• and
• a temperature control system operably coupled to the air heating device and the air cooling device that is configured to maintain a predetermined air temperature within the compartment in response to a sensed compartment temperature.

A method for controlling an air temperature in an aircraft cargo compartment, comprising:

• selecting a set point temperature;
• measuring a temperature within the compartment and comparing the measured temperature to the set point temperature to generate an error value;
• if the generated error value is positive and greater that a predetermined error criterion, activating a cooling portion of an air recirculation system fluidly coupled to the cargo compartment to cool an air volume extracted from the compartment;
• and
• if the generated error value is negative, activating a heating portion of the air recirculation system fluidly coupled to the cargo compartment to heat the air volume extracted from the compartment.

A method for controlling an air temperature in an aircraft cargo compartment, comprising:

• admitting a volume of air from an air source;
• receiving a volume of air from an air recirculation system coupled to the cargo compartment;
• measuring a temperature of the compartment air volume and comparing the temperature to a pre-selected set point temperature to generate an error value;
• comparing the error value to a predetermined error criterion;
• and
• altering the temperature of the compartment based upon the comparison.

An aerospace vehicle, comprising:

• a fuselage enclosing an aircraft cabin having at least one cargo compartment;
• and
• a cargo compartment air recirculation system positioned within the fuselage, the system further comprising:
• an air moving device fluidly coupled to the cargo compartment and operable to extract air from the compartment and to transport the air to an air heating device and an air cooling device that are fluidly coupled to the cargo compartment;
• and
• a temperature control system operably coupled to the air heating device and the air cooling device, the temperature control system being configured to maintain a predetermined air temperature within the compartment in response to a sensed compartment temperature.