Cooling of aircraft electronic heat loads

A cooling system for the electronics of an aircraft having a cabin pressurization system comprising:

• a turbine wheel connectable to the cabin to receive pressurized air therefrom and to be driven thereby;
• a dump port connected to the turbine wheel for dumping cabin air that has been expanded by the turbine wheel to the ambient;
• a rotatable load connected to the turbine wheel to be driven thereby;
• a heat exchanger having first and second fluid flow paths in heat exchange relation with one another, said second fluid flow path interconnecting said turbine wheel and said dump port;
• first and second electronics loads, including a low temperature electronic load and a high temperature electronic load, connected in a loop including said first fluid flow path;
• and
• a pump in said loop for recirculating a liquid coolant through said first flow path and then to said low temperature load and then to said high temperature load.

A cooling system for the electronics of an aircraft having a cabin pressurization system comprising:

• a turbine wheel connectable to the cabin to receive pressurized air therefrom and to be driven thereby;
• a dump port connected to the turbine wheel for dumping cabin air that has been expanded by the turbine wheel to the ambient;
• a rotatable load connected to the turbine wheel to be driven thereby;
• a heat exchanger having first and second fluid flow paths in heat exchange relation with one another, said second fluid flow path interconnecting said turbine wheel and said dump port;
• first and second electronics loads, including a low temperature electronic load and a high temperature electronic load, connected in a loop including said first fluid flow path and the cabin of an aircraft, said first fluid comprising cabin air;
• and
• means for diverting part of the cabin air from said loop to said turbine wheel to drive the same and for recirculating the remaining cabin air through said cabin and said first fluid flow path;
• whereby said diverted cabin air is expanded as it drives said turbine and then is brought by said second fluid flow path into heat exchange relation with said other cabin air in said first fluid flow path to cool said remaining cabin air.