Systems and methods for cargo compartment air conditioning using recirculated air
The present invention comprises systems and methods for providing conditioned air to a selected portion of an aircraft cabin. In one embodiment, a system includes a cargo compartment air recirculation system fluidly coupled to the cargo compartment and having an air moving device to extract air from the compartment and to transport the air to an air heating device and an air cooling device fluidly coupled to the cargo compartment. Air may be supplied from an air source. Extracted air maybe discharged overboard. A temperature control system is operably coupled to the air heating device and the air cooling device, the control system being configured to maintain a predetermined air temperature within the compartment in response to a sensed compartment temperature.
1. A method for controlling air temperature in a cargo compartment of an aircraft, the aircraft also including a cabin, the method comprising:
mixing at least some air discharged from the aircraft cabin with air removed from the cargo compartment; and
supplying the mixture only to the cargo compartment.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least some discharged cabin air is routed to an aircraft cheek, and wherein at least some air from the cheek is mixed with the air removed from the compartment.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein avionics waste heat is used to heat the mixture before the mixture enters the cargo compartment.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein a dedicated cooler is used to cool the mixture before the mixture enters the cargo compartment.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the dedicated cooler includes a fluid cooling loop coupled to a cooling source.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a resistance heating device is used to heat the mixture before the mixture enters the cargo compartment.