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A modular expandable cooling system including a rack sized for receiving multiple modular cooling units having a ram air inlet connected to a ram air source. The system also includes a modular cooling unit having a housing for receipt in the rack, a ram air inlet and outlet, and a refrigerant inlet

A modular expandable cooling system including a rack sized for receiving multiple modular cooling units having a ram air inlet connected to a ram air source. The system also includes a modular cooling unit having a housing for receipt in the rack, a ram air inlet and outlet, and a refrigerant inlet and outlet. The system includes a condenser mounted in the housing in fluid communication with the ram air inlet, a compressor mounted in the housing downstream from the condenser, an accumulator in fluid communication with the compressor inlet.

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1. A modular expandable cooling system for use on aircraft having an on-board evaporator through which refrigerant circulates to cool a portion of the aircraft, the cooling system comprising: a rack sized for receiving a plurality of modular cooling units and having a rack inlet connected to a ram a

1. A modular expandable cooling system for use on aircraft having an on-board evaporator through which refrigerant circulates to cool a portion of the aircraft, the cooling system comprising: a rack sized for receiving a plurality of modular cooling units and having a rack inlet connected to a ram air source taken from an exterior surface of the aircraft; andone of the plurality of modular cooling units including: a housing sized for receipt in the rack and having a main passage and an auxiliary passage adjacent to the main passage;a ram air inlet located on the housing for receiving ram air from the rack inlet when the unit is received in the rack;a ram air outlet positioned downstream from the ram air inlet for exhausting spent ram air from the unit;a valve mounted at a downstream end of the main passage and auxiliary passage and being movable between an in-flight position and a ground position, the in-flight position blocking ram air through the auxiliary passage and permitting ram air through the main passage, the ground position blocking ram air through the main passage and permitting ram air through the auxiliary passage;a refrigerant inlet connectable to an outlet of the evaporator when the unit is received in the rack;a refrigerant outlet connectable to an inlet of the evaporator when the unit is received in the rack;a condenser mounted in the housing immediately downstream of the ram air inlet such that ram air passes over the condenser and cools refrigerant passing through the condenser as the ram air enters the modular cooling unit, the condenser having an outlet and an inlet, the condenser outlet being in fluid communication with the refrigerant outlet;a compressor mounted in the main passage downstream from the condenser and the ram air inlet and being cooled by the ram air when the valve is in the in-flight position, the compressor having an outlet and an inlet, the compressor outlet being in fluid communication with the condenser inlet;an accumulator mounted in the main passage downstream from the ram air inlet, the accumulator having an outlet in fluid communication with the compressor inlet and an inlet in fluid communication with the refrigerant inlet. 2. The modular expandable cooling system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the modular cooling unit is a first modular cooling unit, and the system further comprises a second modular cooling unit including: a housing sized for receipt in the rack;a valve mounted at a downstream end of the main passage and auxiliary passage and being movable between an in-flight position and a ground position;a ram air inlet located on the housing for receiving ram air from the ram air inlet when the unit is received in the rack;a ram air outlet positioned downstream from the ram air inlet for exhausting spent ram air from the unit;a refrigerant inlet connectable to an outlet of the evaporator when the unit is received in the rack;a refrigerant outlet connectable to an inlet of the evaporator when the unit is received in the rack;a condenser mounted in the main passage downstream from the condenser and the ram air inlet and having an outlet in fluid communication with the refrigerant outlet;a compressor mounted in the main passage downstream from the condenser and the ram air inlet and having an outlet in fluid communication with the condenser inlet;an accumulator mounted in the main passage downstream from the ram air inlet and having an outlet in fluid communication with the compressor inlet and an inlet in fluid communication with the refrigerant inlet. 3. The modular expandable cooling system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the second modular cooling unit has a different cooling capacity than the first modular cooling unit. 4. The modular expandable cooling system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a fan mounted in the auxiliary passage selectively operable during ground operation. 5. The modular expandable cooling system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising check louvers downstream from the accumulator for preventing air from flowing in through the ram air outlet. 6. The modular expandable cooling system as set forth in claim 1 in combination with the aircraft on-board evaporator. 7. The modular expandable cooling system as set forth in claim 6 wherein the evaporator is mounted in a cooling duct, and the system further comprises a cooling fan mounted in the cooling duct upstream from the evaporator for directing air over the evaporator to cool the air. 8. The modular expandable cooling system as set forth in claim 7 further comprising: a refrigerant line extending between the housing refrigerant outlet and the evaporator inlet;an orifice positioned along the refrigerant line; anda filter positioned along the refrigerant line between the housing refrigerant outlet and the orifice. 9. A method of increasing cooling system capacity on an aircraft having a plurality of evaporators through which refrigerant circulates to cool a corresponding portion of the aircraft, the aircraft including a first modular cooling unit connected to a first evaporator of the plurality of evaporators, the modular cooling unit having a housing having a main passage and an auxiliary passage adjacent to the main passage and including a valve mounted at a downstream end of the main passage and auxiliary passage and being movable between an in-flight position and a ground position, the in-flight position blocking ram air through the auxiliary passage and permitting ram air through the main passage, the ground position blocking ram air through the main passage and permitting ram air through the auxiliary passage, the housing being mounted in a rack sized for receiving an additional modular cooling unit and having a ram air inlet connected to a ram air source taken from an exterior surface of the aircraft, the first modular cooling unit being in fluid communication with the ram air inlet when received in the rack and including a ram air outlet downstream from the ram air inlet, a refrigerant inlet and outlet respectively connectable to the first evaporator outlet and inlet, a condenser mounted in the housing immediately downstream of the ram air inlet such that ram air passes over the condenser and cools refrigerant passing through the condenser as the ram air enters the modular cooling unit, the condenser having an outlet and an inlet, the condenser outlet being in fluid communication with the refrigerant outlet, a compressor mounted in the main passage downstream from the condenser and the ram air inlet and being cooled by the ram air when the valve is in the in-flight position, the compressor having an outlet and an inlet, the compressor outlet being in fluid communication with the condenser inlet, an accumulator mounted in the main passage downstream from the condenser and the ram air inlet, the accumulator having an outlet in fluid communication with the compressor inlet and an inlet in fluid communication with the refrigerant inlet, the method comprising: mounting the additional modular cooling unit in the rack so the additional modular cooling unit is in fluid communication with the ram air inlet; andconnecting the additional modular cooling unit to a second evaporator to cool a second portion of the aircraft. 10. A modular expandable cooling system for aircraft, the cooling system comprising: a plurality of evaporators positioned in the aircraft for cooling corresponding portions of the aircraft a rack positioned in the aircraft in communication with a ram air source taken from an exterior surface of the aircraft, the rack having a ram air inlet in fluid communication with the ram air source and being sized for receiving a plurality of modular cooling units; anda plurality of modular cooling units mounted in the rack, each unit of said plurality of cooling units supplying refrigerant to a corresponding evaporator of said plurality of evaporators and including: a housing sized for receipt in the rack and having a main passage and an auxiliary passage adjacent to the main passage;a valve mounted at a downstream end of the main passage and auxiliary passage and being movable between an in-flight position and a ground position, the in-flight position blocking ram air through the auxiliary passage and permitting ram air through the main passage, the ground position blocking ram air through the main passage and permitting ram air through the auxiliary passage;a ram air inlet located on the housing for receiving ram air from the ram air inlet when the unit is received in the rack;a ram air outlet positioned downstream from the ram air inlet for exhausting spent ram air from the unit;a refrigerant inlet connectable to an outlet of the evaporator when the unit is received in the rack; a refrigerant outlet connectable to an inlet of the evaporator when the unit is received in the rack;a condenser mounted in the housing immediately downstream of the ram air inlet such that ram air passes over the condenser and cools refrigerant passing through the condenser as the ram air enters the modular cooling unit, the condenser having an outlet and an inlet, the condenser outlet being in fluid communication with the refrigerant outlet;a compressor mounted in the main passage immediately downstream from the condenser and the ram air inlet and being cooled by the ram air when the valve is in the in-flight position, the compressor having an outlet in fluid communication with the condenser inlet and an inlet;an accumulator mounted in the main passage downstream from the ram air inlet, the accumulator having an outlet in fluid communication with the compressor inlet and an inlet in fluid communication with the refrigerant inlet. 11. The modular expandable cooling system as set forth in claim 10 wherein at least one unit of said plurality of modular cooling units has a different cooling capacity than another unit of said plurality of modular cooling units. 12. The modular expandable cooling system as set forth in claim 10 further comprising a fan mounted in the auxiliary passage selectively operable during ground operation. 13. The modular expandable cooling system as set forth in claim 12 further comprising check louvers downstream from the accumulator for preventing air from flowing in through the ram air outlet.