# US 7,607,318 B2 · Integrated environmental control and auxiliary power system for an aircraft > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,607,318 B2 - Document ID: US7607318B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/440,486 - Filed: 2006-05-25 - Published: 2007-11-29 - Granted: 2009-10-27 - Earliest claimed: 2006-05-25 - Assignees: Honeywell International Inc. - Inventors: Clarence W. T. Lui; Jean-Luc Derouineau; Henry M. Claeys - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7607318B2 ## CPC - B64D 13/06: the air being conditioned (pressurising B64D13/02) - B64D 2013/0611: {combined with auxiliary power units (APU's)} - B64D 2013/0688: {with means for recirculating cabin air} - Y02T 50/40: Weight reduction - Y02T 50/50: On board measures aiming to increase energy efficiency - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract An integrated environmental control system for an aircraft compartment and aircraft power system comprises first and second air compressors, an auxiliary power unit, and first and second environmental control systems. The first and second compressors receive and compress airflow from the aircraft exterior. The auxiliary power unit comprises a first shaft rotatably mounting a power turbine, a third air compressor to compress airflow from the aircraft exterior, and a first cooling turbine to cool the airflow. Each environmental control system comprises a first heat exchanger, a recycling heat exchanger, and a second shaft rotatably mounting a fourth compressor and a second cooling turbine for compressing and cooling the airflow. The first heat exchanger receives airflow from the first, second, and third air compressors and forwards airflow to the aircraft compartment. The recycling heat exchanger receives airflow from the aircraft compartment and recirculates airflow back to the aircraft compartment. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An integrated environmental control system for an aircraft compartment and aircraft power system, comprising: first and second air compressors, each air compressor adapted to receive and compress airflow from the aircraft exterior; an auxiliary power unit comprising: a first shaft, a power turbine rotatably mounted on the first shaft, a third air compressor rotatably mounted on the first shaft and adapted to receive and compress airflow from the aircraft exterior, and a first cooling turbine rotatably mounted on the first shaft and adapted to cool the airflow; and first and second environmental control systems, each environmental control system comprising: a first heat exchanger adapted to receive the airflow from the first, second, and third air compressors and to forward airflow to the aircraft compartment, a recycling heat exchanger adapted to receive airflow from the aircraft compartment and to recirculate the airflow back to the aircraft compartment, a second shaft, a fourth compressor rotatably mounted on the second shaft for compressing the airflow, and a second cooling turbine rotatably mounted on the second shaft for expanding and cooling the airflow. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The integrated environmental control system for an aircraft compartment and aircraft power system according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary power unit further comprises an electrical generator and motor mounted on, and adapted to power rotation of, the first shaft. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The integrated environmental control system for an aircraft compartment and aircraft power system according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary power unit is configured to provide airflow to the first heat exchanger using the third compressor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The integrated environmental control system for an aircraft compartment and aircraft power system according to claim 3, wherein the auxiliary power unit is configured to provide airflow to the first heat exchanger using the third compressor at least while the aircraft is in flight, and to power the first and second air compressors using the power turbine at least while the aircraft is on ground. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The integrated environmental control system for an aircraft compartment and aircraft power system according to claim 1, wherein each environmental control system further comprises a fan rotatably mounted on the second shaft and adapted to drive ambient air for cooling the first and second heat exchangers. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The integrated environmental control system for an aircraft compartment and aircraft power system according to claim 1, wherein each environmental control system is configured to utilize power extracted from cooling the airflow using the cooling turbine to rotate the second shaft. ### Claim 7 An integrated environmental control system for an aircraft compartment and aircraft power system, comprising: first and second air compressors, each air compressor adapted to receive and compress airflow from the aircraft exterior; an auxiliary power unit comprising: a first shaft, a power turbine rotatably mounted on the first shaft, a third air compressor rotatably mounted on the first shaft and adapted to receive and compress airflow from the aircraft exterior, and a first cooling turbine rotatably mounted on the first shaft and adapted to cool the airflow; first and second environmental control systems, each environmental control system comprising: a second shaft, a fourth compressor rotatably mounted on the second shaft for compressing the airflow, a second cooling turbine rotatably mounted on the second shaft for cooling the airflow, a heat exchanger circuit comprising a first heat exchanger adapted to receive the airflow from the first, second, and third air compressors, a second heat exchanger adapted to receive the airflow from the fourth compressor and to forward the airflow to the second cooling turbine, and a recirculation heat exchanger adapted to receive the airflow from the aircraft compartment, and a third heat exchanger adapted to receive the airflow from the first heat exchanger and to forward the airflow to the fourth compressor, and further adapted to receive and cool the airflow from the second cooling turbine using the airflow from the first heat exchanger. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The integrated environmental control system for an aircraft compartment and aircraft power system according to claim 7, wherein the auxiliary power unit further comprises an electrical generator and motor rotatably mounted on, and adapted to power rotation of, the first shaft. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The integrated environmental control system for an aircraft compartment and aircraft power system according to claim 7, wherein the auxiliary power unit is configured to provide airflow to the first heat exchanger using the third compressor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The integrated environmental control system for an aircraft compartment and aircraft power system according to claim 9, wherein the auxiliary power unit is configured to provide airflow to the first heat exchanger using the third compressor at least while the aircraft is in flight, and to power the first and second air compressors using the power turbine at least while the aircraft is on ground. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The integrated environmental control system for an aircraft compartment and aircraft power system according to claim 7, wherein each environmental control system further comprises a fan rotatably mounted on the second shaft and adapted to drive ambient air for cooling the heat exchanger circuit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The integrated environmental control system for an aircraft compartment and aircraft power system according to claim 7, wherein each environmental control system is configured to utilize power extracted from cooling the airflow using the cooling turbine to rotate the second shaft. ### Claim 13 An integrated environmental control system for an aircraft compartment and aircraft power system, comprising: first and second air compressors, each air compressor adapted to receive and compress airflow from the aircraft exterior; an auxiliary power unit comprising: a first shaft, a power turbine rotatably mounted on the first shaft, a third air compressor rotatably mounted on the first shaft and adapted to receive and compress airflow from the aircraft exterior, and a first cooling turbine rotatably mounted on the first shaft and adapted to cool and forward the airflow to the aircraft compartment; and first and second environmental control systems, each environmental control system comprising: a first heat exchanger adapted to receive the airflow from the first, second, and third air compressors, a second shaft, a second cooling turbine rotatably mounted on the second shaft and adapted to receive and cool the airflow from the first heat exchanger, and further adapted to forward the airflow to the aircraft compartment, a fourth compressor rotatably mounted on the second shaft and adapted to receive and compress the airflow from the aircraft compartment, and a second heat exchanger adapted to receive the airflow from the fourth compressor, and further adapted to forward the airflow to the first cooling turbine. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The integrated environmental control system for an aircraft compartment and aircraft power system according to claim 13, wherein the auxiliary power unit further comprises an electrical generator and motor rotatably mounted on, and adapted to power rotation of, the first shaft. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The integrated environmental control system for an aircraft compartment and aircraft power system according to claim 13, wherein the auxiliary power unit is configured to provide airflow to the first heat exchanger using the third compressor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The integrated environmental control system for an aircraft compartment and aircraft power system according to claim 15, wherein the auxiliary power unit is configured to provide airflow to the first heat exchanger using the third compressor at least while the aircraft is in flight, and to power the first and second air compressors using the power turbine at least while the aircraft is on ground. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The integrated environmental control system for an aircraft compartment and aircraft power system according to claim 13, wherein each environmental control system further comprises a fan rotatably mounted on the second shaft and adapted to drive ambient air for cooling the first and second heat exchangers. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The integrated environmental control system for an aircraft compartment and aircraft power system according to claim 13, wherein each environmental control system is configured to utilize power extracted from cooling the airflow using the cooling turbine to rotate the second shaft. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The integrated environmental control system for an aircraft compartment and aircraft power system according to claim 13, wherein the first cooling turbine is configured to cool the airflow to non-subfreezing temperatures. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The integrated environmental control system for an aircraft compartment and aircraft power system according to claim 13, wherein the second cooling turbine is configured to cool the airflow to non-subfreezing temperatures.