Aircraft ground support air conditioning unit with heat exchanger bypass
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorThomas M. Leathers
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method of supplying temperature-controlled air to an aircraft environmental control system during ground support operations that uses a bypass valve in a bypass line to control the amount of cooling air flowing through a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger removes heat from a flow of compressed air supplied to the air conditioning unit and supplies cooled compressed air at a desired temperature. The temperature of the cooled compressed air is controlled by selectively positioning the bypass valve, which regulates cooling air flow through the heat exchanger.
Claims19
A temperature-controlled air supply system for use with a compressed air source and for connection to an aircraft on the ground, the air supply system comprising:
- a primary air flow passage coupled to receive a flow of primary air form a single primary air source;
- a bypass flow passage fluidly coupled in parallel with the primary air flow passage;
- a first heat exchanger having at least a first fluid flow path and a second fluid flow path, the first fluid flow path fluidly coupled in series in the primary air flow passage, the second fluid flow path coupled to receive a flow of compressed air from the compressed air source, the first heat exchanger adapted to transfer heat between the primary air and the compressed air and supply at least conditioned compressed air;
- and
- a bypass valve mounted on the bypass flow passage and selectively moveable between a closed and an open position to control primary air flow rate through the bypass flow passage, whereby primary air flow rate through the first heat exchanger is controlled to thereby control conditioned compressed air temperature.
A method of conditioning compressed air supplied from an aircraft ground support equipment, the method comprising:
- supplying a flow of compressed air through a first heat flow path in a heat exchanger;
- supplying a flow of primary air from a single source through a second flow path in the heat exchanger to thereby condition the compressed air to a temperature;
- and
- selectively diverting a portion of the primary air away from the second heat exchanger flow path to control primary air flow rate through the second heat exchanger flow path, whereby the temperature of the conditioned compressed air exiting the heat exchanger is controlled.
A temperature-controlled air supply system for use with a compressed air source and for connection to an aircraft on the ground, the air supply system comprising;
- a primary air flow passage coupled to receive a flow of primary air;
- a bypass flow passage fluidly coupled in parallel with the primary air flow passage;
- a first heat exchanger having at least a first fluid flow path and a second fluid flow path, the first fluid flow path fluidly coupled in series in the primary air flow passage, the second fluid flow path coupled to receive a flow of compressed air from the compressed air source, the first heat exchanger adapted to transfer heat between the primary air and the compressed air and supply at least conditioned compressed air;
- a bypass valve mounted on the bypass flow passage and selectively moveable between a closed and an open position to control primary air flow rate trough the bypass flow passage, whereby pay air flow rate trough the first heat exchanger is controlled to thereby control conditioned compressed air temperature;
- a second beat exchanger coupled to receive the conditioned compressed air from the first heat exchanger and turbine exhaust air from a cooling turbine, and adapted to transfer heat from the conditioned compressed air to the turbine exhaust air and supply warmed turbine exhaust air and further conditioned compressed air;
- at least one cooling turbine having an air intake in fluid communication with the second heat exchanger to receive therefrom the firer conditioned compressed air and an air exhaust in fluid communication with the second heat exchanger to supply thereto the turbine exhaust air;
- a moisture separator coupled between the second heat exchanger and the cooling turbine air intake;
- a fan operable to draw the primary air from the primary air source into the primary air flow passage;
- a temperature sensor mounted downstream of the first heat exchanger second fluid flow path and operable to supply a temperature signal representative of the conditioned compressed air;
- a controller coupled to receive the temperature signal from the temperature sensor and operable, in response thereto, to supply a valve control signal;
- and
- a valve operator coupled to receive the valve control signal and operable, in response thereto, to selectively move the bypass valve to control primary air flow rate through the bypass flow passage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.