초록 ▼

An environmental control system and method are provided for conditioning water-vapor compressed air for supply as conditioned air. The environmental control system (8) includes two air cycle machines (9, 10) that rotate independent of each other. The air cycle machine (9) includes a turbine (11) tha

An environmental control system and method are provided for conditioning water-vapor compressed air for supply as conditioned air. The environmental control system (8) includes two air cycle machines (9, 10) that rotate independent of each other. The air cycle machine (9) includes a turbine (11) that drives a fan (12), and the air cycle machine (10) includes a turbine (15) that drives a compressor (16). The environmental control system (8) further includes a primary heat exchanger (19) upstream of the compressor (16), a secondary heat exchanger (20) downstream of the compressor (16), are heater (21) downstream of the secondary heat exchanger (20), a condenser (22) downstream of the reheater (21), a water collector (24) downstream of the condenser (22), and three bypass control valves (28, 30, 32). In combination, the turbine (11), reheater (21), condenser (22), and water collector (24) form a dehumidification loop (34) for the environmental control system (8). In one mode of operation, the environmental control system (8) further compresses the compressed air in the compressor (16) and then dehumidifies the further compressed air in the dehumidification loop (34) before expanding the dehumidified further compressed air in the turbine (15) to cool the dehumidified further compressed air and to power the compressor (16) in the absence of rotating engagement between the turbine (15) and the turbine (11).

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [10.]10. A method for conditioning water vapor bearing compressed air for supply as conditioned air, comprising the steps of:using a first air cycle machine including a first turbine powering a fan;using a second air cycle machine including a second turbine powering a compress

[ What is claimed is:] [10.]10. A method for conditioning water vapor bearing compressed air for supply as conditioned air, comprising the steps of:using a first air cycle machine including a first turbine powering a fan;using a second air cycle machine including a second turbine powering a compressor;flowing said compressed air first through the compressor, second through the first turbine, and third through the second turbine in the absence of rotating engagement between said first and second air cycle machines.