US 12,263,950 B2
Aircraft refrigeration system having a motor-assisted cabin exhaust air turbine
Oliver Hennig, Hamburg (DE); Frank Klimpel, Hamburg (DE); and Henning Everth, Hamburg (DE)
Assigned to Airbus Operations GmbH, Hamburg (DE)
Filed by Airbus Operations GmbH, Hamburg (DE)
Filed on Oct. 23, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/661,447.
Claims priority of application No. 102018126921.8 (DE), filed on Oct. 29, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2020/0130849 A1, Apr. 30, 2020
Int. Cl. B64D 13/08 (2006.01); B64D 13/00 (2006.01); B64D 33/02 (2006.01); B64D 33/04 (2006.01); B64D 13/06 (2006.01)
CPC B64D 13/08 (2013.01) [B64D 13/006 (2013.01); B64D 33/02 (2013.01); B64D 33/04 (2013.01); B64D 2013/0611 (2013.01); B64D 2013/0618 (2013.01); B64D 2013/0688 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An aircraft refrigeration system, comprising:
an ambient air line connecting an environment of the aircraft to an aircraft cabin, the ambient air line configured to allow a flow of ambient air from the environment of the aircraft to the aircraft cabin,
at least one ambient air compressor, arranged in the ambient air line, for compressing the ambient air flowing through the ambient air line,
a cabin exhaust air line connecting the aircraft cabin to the environment of the aircraft, the cabin exhaust air line configured to discharge cabin exhaust air taken from the aircraft cabin into the environment of the aircraft,
a cabin exhaust air turbine in the cabin exhaust air line downstream of the aircraft cabin, and coupled to the at least one ambient air compressor arranged in the ambient air line and configured to expand cabin exhaust air flowing through the cabin exhaust air line and to drive the at least one ambient air compressor arranged in the ambient air line,
a heat exchanger arranged between the ambient air line and the cabin exhaust air line, the heat exchanger configured to pre-cool the ambient air flowing through the ambient air line,
a transmission coupling the cabin exhaust air turbine to the ambient air compressor and configured to set a speed of the ambient air compressor,
a motor, coupled to the transmission and configured to drive the at least one ambient air compressor arranged in the ambient air line, wherein the motor comprises an electric motor or a hydraulic motor,
a cabin exhaust air valve arranged downstream of the cabin exhaust air turbine and being configured to direct the cabin exhaust air flowing through the cabin exhaust air line selectively either via a first segment of the cabin exhaust air line into a ram air duct upstream of at least one heat exchanger arranged in the ram air duct or via a second segment of the cabin exhaust air line to an outlet, which is configured to discharge the cabin exhaust air in a direction counter to a direction of flight of an aircraft equipped with the aircraft refrigeration system into the environment of the aircraftl,
wherein the cabin exhaust air valve is equipped with a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the cabin exhaust air flowing through the cabin exhaust air line downstream of the cabin exhaust air turbine and to control the cabin exhaust air valve based on the measured temperature of the cabin exhaust air.