Aircraft air conditioning systems and methods

An aircraft having an aircraft air conditioning system providing expanded air conditioning and thermal management performance, the aircraft comprising:

• a fuselage;
• an aircraft cabin disposed within the fuselage;
• and,
• an aircraft air conditioning system disposed within the fuselage, the aircraft air conditioning system comprising:
• a duct connected to the aircraft cabin and configured to flow pressurized cabin outflow air from the aircraft cabin;
• a turbine connected to the duct, the turbine configured to reduce a temperature of the pressurized cabin outflow air and to generate power and turbine outflow air;
• a compressor configured to generate a compressed inlet air stream, the compressor comprising one of a cabin compressor receiving ram air from an ambient air source, a boost compressor receiving bleed air from an aircraft engine compressor, or the aircraft engine compressor supplying aircraft supply air;
• and,
• an air conditioning pack configured to receive a reduced temperature cabin outflow air from the turbine, the reduced temperature cabin outflow air comprising a mixture of the turbine outflow air and ram air, and the air conditioning pack configured to receive the compressed inlet air stream from the compressor, the air conditioning pack comprising:
• a cooling cycle system;
• a humidity control system;
• and,
• one or more heat exchangers configured to use the reduced temperature cabin outflow air as a heat sink.

A method for air conditioning an aircraft comprising:

• flowing a pressurized cabin outflow air from an aircraft cabin to a turbine via a duct in an aircraft;
• extracting energy from the pressurized cabin outflow air via the turbine to generate power and turbine outflow air;
• mixing the turbine outflow air with ram air to generate a reduced temperature cabin outflow air;
• using the power from the turbine to power in whole or in part a compressor;
• using the compressor to generate a compressed inlet air stream, the compressor comprising one of a cabin compressor receiving ram air from an ambient air source, a boost compressor receiving bleed air from an aircraft engine compressor, or the aircraft engine compressor supplying aircraft supply air;
• and
• flowing the reduced temperature cabin outflow air and the compressed inlet air stream through an air conditioning pack, the air conditioning pack comprising:
• a cooling cycle system;
• a humidity control system;
• and
• one or more heat exchangers configured to use the reduced temperature cabin outflow air as a heat sink.