Cryogenic cooling system for an aircraft
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsFrederick M. Schwarz, Michael Winter, Charles E. Lents, Nathan Snape, Alan H. Epstein
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Abstract
A cryogenic cooling system for an aircraft includes a first air cycle machine, a second air cycle machine, and a means for collecting liquid air. The first air cycle machine is operable to output a cooling air stream based on a first air source. The second air cycle machine is operable to output a chilled air stream at a cryogenic temperature based on a second air source cooled by the cooling air stream of the first air cycle machine. An output of the second air cycle machine is provided to the means for collecting liquid air.
Claims20
A cryogenic cooling system for an aircraft, the cryogenic cooling system comprising:
- a first air cycle machine operable to output a cooling air stream based on a first air source;
- a second air cycle machine operable to output a chilled air stream at a cryogenic temperature based on a second air source cooled by the cooling air stream of the first air cycle machine;
- and
- a means for collecting liquid air from an output of the second air cycle machine.
A method comprising:
- driving rotation of a plurality of components of a first air cycle machine through a gearbox operably coupled to a shaft of a gas turbine engine to produce a cooling air stream based on a first engine bleed source of the gas turbine engine;
- outputting a chilled air stream at a cryogenic temperature from a second air cycle machine based on a second engine bleed source cooled by the cooling air stream of the first air cycle machine;
- and
- condensing the chilled air stream into liquid air for an aircraft use.
A system for an aircraft, the system comprising:
- a gas turbine engine comprising a compressor section and a turbine section operably coupled to the compressor section;
- a cryogenic cooling system operable to receive one or more air flows from the gas turbine engine and output a cooling fluid flow produced at a cryogenic temperature;
- and
- a plumbing system in fluid communication with the cryogenic cooling system, the plumbing system configured to route the cooling fluid flow from the cryogenic cooling system to one or more of the compressor section and the turbine section.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.