Performance Validation of a Cooling Generation System for a Pilot Thermal Garment 2001-01-2155
Pilots in fighter aircraft can be subjected to high temperatures during ground operating phases in hot climate conditions, especially if APU mode is not available.
A Cooling Generation System (CGS) used with a protective thermal garment for fighter aircraft pilots has been developed that allows cooling of the pilot in the cockpit. The unit is designed to operate under worst case conditions and requires only that the pilot plugs in upon entering the cockpit.
A liquid circulates inside the garment that covers the pilot’s torso, arms and head (area under the helmet). The temperatures are defined to guarantee the user’s comfort. The pilot can adjust the power delivered by the CGS, i.e. the temperature of the circulating fluid, up to a maximum cooling capacity of 400 W. The CGS design is based on a small variable speed compressor with a brushless motor, which is the outcome of a dedicated development, and a custom-made evaporator and condenser for maximum efficiency and minimum volume.
A demonstrator of the CGS has been fabricated and tested with pilots under worst case conditions. In parallel to these tests, efforts have been made to define available volumes inside the cockpit in which the CGS can be fitted. The results of the two studies will be combined to define the flight version of the CGS.
This paper describes the cooling performance validation of the CGS on a demonstrator and the design features for accommodation inside the aircraft cockpit.
Citation: Fourquet, H., Cimino, J., Genty, A., Rolland, A. et al., "Performance Validation of a Cooling Generation System for a Pilot Thermal Garment," SAE Technical Paper 2001-01-2155, 2001, https://doi.org/10.4271/2001-01-2155. Download Citation
