IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,441,474
Granted Patent B2
US 12,441,474 · App. 17/231,155 · Granted Oct 14, 2025

Energy recovery device for aircraft

Inventors: Naoki Seki (Tokyo, JP); Hirotaka Sugawara (Tokyo, JP); Yasunori Nihei (Tokyo, JP); Hitoshi Oyori (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: IHI Corporation
B64D13/08B64D13/02B64D2013/0644B64D2013/0648
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,441,474
App. No.
17/231,155
Granted
Oct 14, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An energy recovery device for an aircraft includes: a turbine that is provided between a cabin of the aircraft and an opening for discharging cabin discharge air from the cabin to the outside of the aircraft and is operated by only the cabin discharge air; and a power generator that is driven by the turbine.

Claims (26)

1. An energy recovery device for an aircraft comprising:

a turbine that is provided between a cabin of the aircraft and an opening for discharging cabin discharge air from the cabin to outside of the aircraft;

a power generator that is driven by the turbine;

a plurality of cooling units that are provided between the cabin and the turbine, each of the plurality of cooling units including a heat conducting member, the heat conducting member being configured to exchange heat;

a plurality of first flow channels, each of the plurality of first flow channels having a first end and a second end; and

one second flow channel, the one second flow channel having a third end and a fourth end, wherein

the first end is connected with each of the plurality of cooling units,

the second end is connected with the third end,

the fourth end is connected with the turbine,

each of the plurality of cooling units is configured to cool each of a plurality of electrical instruments and heat the cabin discharge air using the heat conducting member, and discharge heated cabin discharge air to the turbine via each of the plurality of first flow channels and the second flow channel, and

the turbine is configured to rotate using only a total fluid obtained by totaling a plurality of flows of the heated cabin discharge air discharged from the plurality of cooling units.

2. The energy recovery device for an aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the turbine and the power generator are provided behind a pressure bulkhead of the aircraft.

3. The energy recovery device for an aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the opening is an outflow valve that is a constituent of a pressurization and air-conditioning system of the aircraft.

4. The energy recovery device for an aircraft according to claim 1 , further comprising a power converter that converts an output of the power generator to a DC voltage matching a DC power supply bus of the aircraft.

5. The energy recovery device for an aircraft according to claim 1 ,

wherein in a direction in which the cabin discharge air flows,

the turbine is provided between the cabin and the opening, and

the cooling unit is provided between the cabin and the turbine.

6. The energy recovery device for an aircraft according to claim 1 ,

wherein a rotation shaft of the power generator is axially connected to the turbine.

7. The energy recovery device for an aircraft according to claim 6 ,

wherein the power generator is a three-phase AC power generator, the three-phase AC power generator includes:

a rotor configured to rotate with a rotational force of the turbine;

a stator fixed; and

a stator winding, and

the power generator is configured to output a three-phase AC electric power generated in the stator winding on the basis of electromagnetic induction of the rotor and the stator.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 15, 2021
From: SEKI, NAOKI; SUGAWARA, HIROTAKA; NIHEI, YASUNORI; OYORI, HITOSHI
To: IHI CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055927/0786 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2018-196361 · Oct 18, 2018 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2019026775 · Jul 5, 2019
Related Publication 20210229817A1 · Jul 29, 2021
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