An air cycle environmental control system for an aircraft cabin is disclosed which utilizes cabin exhaust air (200) to power a first stage turbine (108). This provides a significant increase in compressor power which increases the turbine cooling available in a stage turbine (112). The ram air consumption is also reduced due to the cabin exhaust air being ported to the ram air inlet where it merges with the ram air prior to cooling of the bleed air supply in a dual heat exchanger (132).

Regenerative condensing cycle

In an air cycle environmental control system, a condenser (46) removes water vapor from compressed, ambient, supply air (9) before it is expanded in a first turbine (24). The chilled outlet air (49) from the first turbine (24) is then used as coolant in the condenser (46), absorbing there the heat of vaporization of the condensed water vapor. After passing through the condenser (46), the warmed coolant is then expanded in a second turbine (26). Should the pressure of the supply air fall below predetermined levels, portions of the cycle that degrade performance or become unnecessary are bypassed.

Environmental control system condensing cycle.

The placement of fully available prime movers having a DC output at a location inside or adjacent to an inverter-based intermittently available renewable energy site is disclosed. The fully available prime movers add reliability to an unreliable energy asset that is reaching its maximum penetration within the grid due to its unpredictability and the requirement for additional spinning reserves in other parts of the grid. The present invention can provide a portion or all of the power to an intermittently available renewable power generating facility so that the power output to the power grid is dispatchable power. In particular, a method and means are disclosed to utilize high-efficiency engines operated on various fuels some of which may be non-fossil fuels to maintain a constant power output from an otherwise intermittent power generating facility.

Dispatchable power from a renewable energy facility

The present invention combines the principles of a gas turbine engine with an electric transmission system. A method and apparatus are disclosed for utilizing metallic and ceramic elements to store heat energy derived from a regenerative braking system. The subject invention uses this regenerated electrical energy to provide additional energy storage over conventional electrical storage methods suitable for a gas turbine engine. The subject invention provides engine braking for a gas turbine engine as well as reducing fuel consumption.

Gas turbine energy storage and conversion system

A gas separation system for separating a feed gas mixture into a first component of the gas mixture and a second component of the gas mixture includes an adsorbent bed assembly and an axial or centrifugal compression machine. The adsorbent bed assembly includes a number of flow paths for receiving adsorbent material therein for preferentially adsorbing the first gas component in response to increasing pressure in the flow paths in comparison to the second gas component. Each flow path includes a pair of opposite ends and a valve communicating with each opposite end for controlling a flow of the feed gas mixture through the flow paths. Preferably, the compression machine consists of a gas turbine including a number of pressure inlet and outlet ports coupled to the valves for exposing each flow path to a number of different pressures between an upper pressure and a lower pressure for separating the first gas component from the second gas component.

Pressure swing adsorption with axial or centrifugal compression machinery

An air conditioning system, being powered by a supply (52) of compressed air, has an air cycle machine (12) which incorporates a regenerable filter (18). The filter (18) receives pressurized air for filtration from the air cycle machine compressor (30), and receives purge air from the air cycle machine turbine (32) downstream of a load heat exchanger (16). The air cools the load before purging the filter (18) thereby minimizing system power requirements.

Gregory Lawrence Defrancesco

Papers

Filtered environmental control system