Environmental control system air circuit

Abstract

An aircraft has a gas turbine engine including a compressor section that includes at least one compressor bleed. An environmental control system has an air input configured to receive pressurized cabin air. An intercooler has an input and an output. A selection valve is configured to selectively connect the bleeds to an intercooler input. At least one auxiliary compressor is connected to the intercooler output. An output of at least one auxiliary compressors is connected to an ECS air input. A controller is configured to receive contemporaneous operational data, calculate minimum configuration requirements to satisfy environmental demands, and transmit calculated configuration requirements to at least the selection valve to achieve a desired pressure and temperature for the air downstream of the auxiliary compressor. A method for supplying engine air to an environmental control system and a system for use on a turbine engine powered aircraft are also disclosed.

1 . An aircraft comprising:
 a gas turbine engine including a compressor section, the compressor section including at least one compressor bleed;   an environment control system (ECS) having an air input configured to receive pressurized cabin air;   an intercooler having an input and an output;   a selection valve configured to selectively connect said bleed to said intercooler input; and   at least one auxiliary compressor connected to said intercooler output, wherein an output of the at least one auxiliary compressor is connected to said ECS air input; and   a controller configured to receive contemporaneous operational data, calculate minimum configuration requirements to satisfy environmental demands, and transmit calculated configuration requirements to at least said selection valve to achieve a desired pressure and temperature for the air downstream of said auxiliary compressor.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one auxiliary compressor comprises a plurality of auxiliary compressors. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein there are a plurality of said at least one compressor bleed, and said selection valve selectively connects at least one of said plurality of bleeds to provide air to said intercooler at a pressure below a desired pressure of said ECS air input. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one compressor bleed is a compressor bleed positioned between a low pressure compressor and a high pressure compressor. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the intercooler is an air to air heat exchanger, and cooled by fan air from a fan in an associated gas turbine engine. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said intercooler is mounted in an outer fan case. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the intercooler is mounted within a bypass duct. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the intercooler is mounted within a core engine housing. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the intercooler is located in an upper bifurcation. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the intercooler is located in a lower bifurcation. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second valve between said intercooler and said at least one auxiliary compressor, said controller also controls the second valve such that the controller controls a state of the selection valve and a state of the second valve. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the controller includes memory storing instructions configured to cause the controller to connect at least one of said bleeds having an ECS operating requirement. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one auxiliary compressor comprises a plurality of auxiliary compressors and wherein the controller includes a memory storing instructions configured to cause the control to alternate auxiliary compressors operating as a primary compressor on a per flight basis. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said at least one auxiliary compressors includes an electric motor, and wherein the electric motor is configured to drive rotation of the corresponding auxiliary compressor. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said at least one auxiliary compressor includes a mechanical motor, and wherein the mechanical motor is configured to drive rotation of the corresponding auxiliary compressor. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a low pressure spool including a fan drive turbine, for driving a fan rotor, provides power to drive said at least one auxiliary compressor. 
     
     
         17 . The engine driven ECS air circuit of  claim 16 , wherein said rotation of the low pressure spool creates electricity in an associated generator which is then provided to drive a motor said at least one auxiliary compressor. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein said low pressure spool includes a takeoff shaft for mechanically driving a drive to said at least one auxiliary compressor. 
     
     
         19 . A method for supplying engine air to an environmental control system (ECS) comprising:
 selecting a compressor bleed from a plurality of compressor bleeds, the selected compressor bleed providing air at a higher temperature than a required ECS inlet air temperature maximum and at a lower pressure than a required ECS inlet air pressure;   cooling the bleed air from the selected bleed using an intercooler such that the bleed air is below the required ECS inlet air temperature maximum;   compressing the bleed air using at least one auxiliary compressor such that the bleed air is at least the required ECS inlet air pressure; and   providing the cooled compressed bleed air to an ECS air inlet.   
     
     
         20 . A system for use on a turbine engine powered aircraft to provide conditioned air to an environmental control system, comprising:
 a heat exchanger having an input and an output;   a selection valve configured to selectively connect said heat exchanger input to at least one bleed of a compressor of the turbine engine; and   at least one auxiliary compressor connected to said heat exchanger output, wherein an output of the at least one auxiliary compressor is connected to an input of the environmental control system; and   a controller configured to receive contemporaneous operational data, calculate minimum configuration requirements to satisfy environmental demands, and transmit calculated configuration requirements to at least said selection valve to achieve a desired pressure and temperature for the air downstream of said auxiliary compressor.