Air cycle environmental control system with vapor cycle system assisted

Abstract

A method for conditioning water vapor bearing compressed air for supply as conditioned air to an enclosure includes the steps of flowing the compressed air into a condenser-evaporator heat exchanger and then cooling the compressed air with a liquid evaporating refrigerant in the condenser-evaporator. Thus, the water vapor in the compressed air can become condensed liquid water available for subsequent separation to form a dehumidified air. The dehumidified air undergoes reheating with a vapor condensing refrigerant in a reheater-condenser such that the dehumidified air becomes a reheated air. The reheated air is then routed through a turbine to provide the supply to the enclosure. An apparatus is also provided for accomplishing the above steps and includes a condenser-evaporator heat exchanger capable of placing the compressed air in heat exchange relationship with a vapor cycle subsystem. A water extractor is in flow communication with the condenser-evaporator, with the extractor being for extracting the condensed water to produce a dehumidified air. A reheater-condenser is in flow communication with the water extractor. The reheater-condenser is capable of placing the dehumidified air in heat exchange relationship with the vapor cycle subsystem to produce an evaporated air. A turbine is in flow communication with the reheater-condenser such that the turbine is capable of producing a cooled, expanded air to the enclosure.