Turbo-compressor system and method for extracting energy from an aircraft engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9656756-B2
Application number	US-201414203533-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 10, 2014
Priority date	Mar 10, 2014
Publication date	May 23, 2017
Grant date	May 23, 2017

Abstract

A turbo-compressor (TC) system for extracting energy from an aircraft engine. The TC system has a TC assembly with a turbine mechanically coupled to at least one compressor. The TC system has a TC inlet in fluid communication with a bleed air system in the aircraft engine and a TC outlet in fluid communication with an air conditioning (AC) pack of an aircraft air conditioning system and configured to extract reduced temperature pack inlet air from the TC assembly into the air conditioning pack. The TC system has a ram air inlet coupled to the at least one compressor. The TC system has a TC control valve, and a TC check valve or a TC shutoff valve, both coupled to the TC assembly via a plurality of connective ducts. The TC system extracts energy from the bleed air to reduce bleed air flow and AC pack ram air usage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A turbo-compressor (TC) system for extracting energy from an aircraft engine, the turbo-compressor system comprising:
a turbo-compressor assembly comprising a turbine mechanically coupled to at least one compressor;
a turbo-compressor inlet in fluid communication with a bleed air system in the aircraft engine, to intake bleed air from the bleed air system into the turbo-compressor assembly;
a turbo-compressor outlet in fluid communication with an air conditioning pack of an aircraft air conditioning system, to extract reduced temperature pack inlet air from the turbo-compressor assembly directly into the air conditioning pack, the reduced temperature pack inlet air comprising one of, a mixture of turbine outlet air and compressor outlet air, and a mixture of turbine outlet air, compressor outlet air, and bleed air through a pack flow control valve for the air conditioning pack, the air conditioning pack being separate from the turbo-compressor assembly and further cooling the reduced temperature pack inlet air, and the air conditioning pack being coupled to a pack heat exchanger having one or more heat exchangers;
the at least one compressor coupled to at least one of, a ram air inlet to intake ram air by the at least one compressor, and a recirculated cabin air duct to intake recirculated cabin air from an aircraft cabin by the at least one compressor; and,
a turbo-compressor control valve, and a turbo-compressor check valve or a turbo-compressor shutoff valve, both coupled to the turbo-compressor assembly via a plurality of connective ducts,
wherein the turbo-compressor system extracts energy from the bleed air.

2. The turbo-compressor system of claim 1 further comprising an electric motor mechanically coupled between the turbine and the at least one compressor, the electric motor augmenting power to the at least one compressor.

3. The turbo-compressor system of claim 1 further comprising one or more temperature sensors positioned at a compressor outlet of the at least one compressor, the one or more temperature sensors providing overheat protection of compressor outlet air.

4. The turbo-compressor system of claim 1 wherein the turbo-compressor assembly comprises a first compressor and a second compressor.

5. The turbo-compressor system of claim 4 further comprising an intercooler heat exchanger coupled between the first compressor and the second compressor, the intercooler heat exchanger maintaining a ram air temperature of the ram air below a fuel auto-ignition temperature limit.

6. The turbo-compressor system of claim 4 wherein the first compressor is coupled to one of, the ram air inlet, and the recirculated cabin air duct.

7. The turbo-compressor system of claim 1 wherein the turbo-compressor system operates in parallel with a pack flow control valve for the air conditioning pack.

8. The turbo-compressor system of claim 1 wherein the turbine has a turbine inlet for receiving the bleed air and extracts the energy from the bleed air passing through the turbine, to generate power to drive the at least one compressor.

9. The turbo-compressor system of claim 1 wherein the turbo-compressor system is coupled to the air conditioning pack having an air cycle system.

10. The turbo-compressor system of claim 1 wherein the ram air inlet comprises a ram air inlet scoop or a ram air inlet bypass duct integral with a ram air system of an aircraft.

11. The turbo-compressor system of claim 1 wherein the turbo-compressor system extracts energy from the bleed air to reduce bleed air flow needed for the air conditioning pack, resulting in reduced power requirements for the aircraft air conditioning system and reduced air conditioning pack ram air usage.

12. An aircraft comprising:
at least one wing;
one or more aircraft engines coupled to the at least one wing, each aircraft engine having a bleed air system for generating bleed air;
a fuselage defining an interior volume having an aircraft cabin and a pack bay separate from the aircraft cabin;
an aircraft air conditioning system positioned in the pack bay and in fluid communication with the aircraft cabin, the aircraft air conditioning system comprising:
an air conditioning pack; and,
a turbo-compressor (TC) system comprising:
a turbo-compressor assembly comprising a turbine mechanically coupled to at least one compressor;
a turbo-compressor inlet in fluid communication with the bleed air system, to intake bleed air from the bleed air system into the turbo-compressor assembly;
a turbo-compressor outlet in fluid communication with the air conditioning pack, to extract reduced temperature pack inlet air from the turbo-compressor assembly directly into the air conditioning pack, the reduced temperature pack inlet air comprising one of, a mixture of turbine outlet air and compressor outlet air, and a mixture of turbine outlet air, compressor outlet air, and bleed air through a pack flow control valve for the air conditioning pack, the air conditioning pack being separate from the turbo-compressor assembly and further cooling the reduced temperature pack inlet air, and the air conditioning pack being coupled to a pack heat exchanger having one or more heat exchangers;
the at least one compressor coupled to at least one of, a ram air inlet to intake ram air by the at least one compressor, and a recirculated cabin air duct to intake recirculated cabin air from the aircraft cabin by the at least one compressor; and,
a turbo-compressor control valve, and a turbo-compressor check valve or a turbo-compressor shutoff valve, both coupled to the turbo-compressor assembly via a plurality of connective ducts,

wherein the turbo-compressor system extracts energy from the bleed air.

13. The aircraft of claim 12 wherein the turbo-compressor system further comprises one or more of an electric motor mechanically coupled between the turbine and the at least one compressor; one or more temperature sensors positioned at a compressor outlet of the at least one compressor; and an intercooler heat exchanger coupled to the at least one compressor.

14. The aircraft of claim 12 wherein the turbo-compressor assembly comprises a first compressor and a second compressor, and the first compressor is coupled to one of, the ram air inlet, and the recirculated cabin air duct.

15. The aircraft of claim 12 wherein the turbo-compressor system is coupled to the air conditioning pack having an air cycle system.

16. The aircraft of claim 12 wherein the turbo-compressor system extracts energy from the bleed air to reduce bleed air flow needed for the air conditioning pack, resulting in reduced power requirements for the aircraft air conditioning system and reduced air conditioning pack ram air usage.

17. A method of extracting energy from an aircraft engine, the method comprising the steps of:
installing a turbo-compressor (TC) system in an aircraft air conditioning system of an aircraft, the turbo-compressor system comprising:
a turbo-compressor assembly disposed between a turbo-compressor inlet and a turbo-compressor outlet and comprising a turbine mechanically coupled to at least one compressor;
the turbo-compressor inlet in fluid communication with a bleed air system in the aircraft engine, to intake bleed air from the bleed air system into the turbo-compressor assembly;
the turbo-compressor outlet in fluid communication with an air conditioning pack of an aircraft air conditioning system, to extract reduced temperature pack inlet air from the turbo-compressor assembly directly into the air conditioning pack, the reduced tempera

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Atkey Warren A

Classifications

• B64D2013/0688

  with means for recirculating cabin air · CPC title

• F25B27/00

  Machines, plants or systems, using particular sources of energy (F25B30/06 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B64D2013/0648

  with energy recovery means, e.g. using turbines · CPC title

• B64D13/08 Primary

  the air being heated or cooled · CPC title

• B64D2013/0618

  with arrangements for reducing or managing bleed air, using another air source, e.g. ram air · CPC title