Environmental control generator system and apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10072586-B2
Application number	US-201514884482-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2015
Priority date	Aug 21, 2013
Publication date	Sep 11, 2018
Grant date	Sep 11, 2018

Abstract

An environmental control power generation system is provided. The system may include a turbine and a generator. The system may be configured to provide air form a high pressure bleed port and/or a low pressure bleed port to the turbine. The turbine may be configured to reduce the pressure of the supplied air and generate power through the generator. The power may be supplied to an aircraft power distribution system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An environmental control system of a gas turbine engine, the environmental control system comprising:
a precooler;
a duct extending between the precooler and at least one of a high pressure bleed and a low pressure bleed of the gas turbine engine;
a turbine installed in the duct of the environmental control system, wherein the turbine is in fluid communication with the at least one of the high pressure bleed and the low pressure bleed of the gas turbine engine;
a variable geometry disposed between an inlet of the turbine and the precooler;
a generator coupled to the turbine and configured to produce power in response to rotation of the turbine; and
a power distribution system in electronic communication with the generator and an aircraft electrical distribution system.

2. The turbine assembly of claim 1 , wherein the turbine comprises a variable area exhaust, wherein the variable area exhaust is the variable geometry.

3. The turbine assembly of claim 1 , wherein the turbine is configured to discharge air to the precooler via the variable geometry.

4. The turbine assembly of claim 1 , wherein the variable geometry is a valve coupled downstream of the turbine.

5. The turbine assembly of claim 4 , wherein the valve is coupled to an outlet of the turbine.

6. An environmental control system, comprising:
a turbine comprising a variable area exhaust;
a generator coupled to the turbine;
a low pressure bleed port configured to provide low pressure bleed air to the turbine;
a high pressure bleed port configured to provide high pressure bleed air to the turbine;
a precooler; and
a duct extending between the precooler and both of the high pressure bleed port and the low pressure bleed port;
wherein the turbine is installed in the duct.

7. The environmental control system of claim 6 , wherein the turbine is configured to reduce a pressure of air from at least one of the low pressure bleed port and the high pressure bleed port.

8. The environmental control system of claim 6 , wherein the precooler is configured to receive output air flow from the variable area exhaust of the turbine.

9. The environmental control system of claim 8 , wherein the generator is configured to generate power in response to the turbine receiving at least one of the high pressure bleed air and the low pressure bleed air.

10. The environmental control system of claim 6 , further comprising at least one of a battery and a flywheel that are configured to store energy produced by at least one of the turbine and the generator.

11. The environmental control system of claim 6 , further comprising a sensor configured to measure at least one of an airflow and a pressure.

12. An aircraft power distribution system, comprising:
a primary aircraft power distribution system comprising a primary generator; and
a secondary aircraft power distribution system comprising:
a turbine configured to receive airflow from one or more bleed ports of a gas turbine engine and to deliver air to an environmental control system, wherein a variable geometry is disposed between an inlet of the turbine and the environmental control system;
a secondary generator coupled to the turbine, the secondary generator configured to produce power that is supplied to the primary aircraft power distribution system through the second aircraft power distribution system.

13. The aircraft power distribution system of claim 12 , wherein the turbine is configured to receive a pressurized airflow from at least one of a low pressure bleed port and a high pressure bleed port.

14. The aircraft power distribution system of claim 12 , wherein the turbine is configured to reduce the pressure of air received from at least one of a low pressure bleed port and a high pressure bleed port, and is configured to supply air to a precooler.

15. The aircraft power distribution system of claim 12 , wherein the turbine comprises a variable area exhaust, wherein the variable area exhaust is the variable geometry.

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp

Inventors

• Ronan Michael

Classifications

• F05D2220/76

  an electrical generator · CPC title

• B64D2013/0644

  including electric motors or generators · CPC title

• F02C6/08

  the gas being bled from the gas-turbine compressor · CPC title

• F01D15/10

  Adaptations for driving, or combinations with, electric generators · CPC title

• F02C3/04

  having a turbine driving a compressor (power transmission arrangements F02C7/36; control of working fluid flow F02C9/16) · CPC title