US 11,897,618 B2
Cabin air compressor with liquid cooled passage formed in the case
Brent J. Merritt, Southwick, MA (US); Darryl A. Colson, Suffield, CT (US); David Anderson, Enfield, CT (US); and Mark Mongillo, Southington, CT (US)
Assigned to HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION, Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed by Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation, Charlotte, NC (US)
Filed on Dec. 22, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/130,963.
Prior Publication US 2022/0194597 A1, Jun. 23, 2022
Int. Cl. B64D 13/06 (2006.01); F04D 29/58 (2006.01); F04D 29/053 (2006.01); F04D 29/056 (2006.01)
CPC B64D 13/06 (2013.01) [F04D 29/5806 (2013.01); B64D 2013/0618 (2013.01); B64D 2013/0644 (2013.01); B64D 2013/0688 (2013.01); F04D 29/053 (2013.01); F04D 29/056 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A cabin air compressor (CAC) of an aircraft environmental control system, the CAC comprising:
a CAC case defining a forward end and an aft end axially spaced apart from the forward end,
wherein the CAC case defines an outer shell that extends axially along CAC case, and
wherein the CAC includes:
an inlet portion that extends aft of the forward end;
a compressor rotor portion located aft of the inlet portion;
a forward bearing portion located aft of the compressor rotor portion;
a motor portion that is surrounded by the outer shell of the CAC case and is located aft of the compressor rotor portion,
wherein the motor portion of the CAC is axially along a rotor and stator supported within the CAC case, wherein the stator is radially exterior to the rotor;
an aft bearing portion located aft of the motor portion, that extends to the aft end of the CAC case, wherein the aft bearing portion includes a thrust bearing that is rotationally supported at the aft end of the CAC case;
a motor cooling circuit including: a bleed channel defined in the inlet portion; a motor cooling inlet channel defined in the aft bearing portion of the CAC, and a motor cooling duct extending between the bleed channel and the motor cooling inlet channel,
wherein the motor cooling duct is radially exterior to the outer shell of the CAC case along the motor portion of the CAC;
a bearing cooling inlet channel defined at the aft end of the CAC case, aft of the motor portion, the bearing cooling inlet channel being configured to direct cooling air into the aft bearing portion and toward the thrust bearing; and
a supplemental cooling passage formed in the outer shell of the CAC case, at the aft bearing portion and extending along the motor portion, toward the forward bearing portion of the CAC,
wherein:
an aft portion of the supplemental cooling passage, located aft of the motor portion, forms an aft passage that surrounds the bearing cooling inlet channel;
a forward portion of the supplemental cooling passage is defined along the motor portion of the CAC case,
wherein the forward portion includes a forward passage that is formed in the outer shell of the CAC case and surrounds the motor portion of the CAC,. and the forward passage is radially exterior to the stator; and
the supplemental cooling passage is configured to direct a supplemental cooling medium therethrough.