Patent ID: 8209066

Claim:
An environmental control system for a payload equipment bay enclosure on an aircraft, comprising: a ram air scoop arranged to open in a forward direction of the aircraft for obtaining a supply of outside air; an air control valve constructed and arranged for receiving the outside air supply from the scoop, and for providing a determined air mass flow in response to an air control valve signal; a cyclone air-water separator constructed and arranged for receiving the air mass flow from the air control valve, and for removing moisture to provide a dry air mass flow from an outlet of the separator; an air heater assembly constructed and arranged for heating the dry air mass flow from the separator to a determined temperature in response to a heater signal, and for directing the heated air mass flow from an outlet of the heater assembly toward the equipment bay enclosure; an air moisture sensor disposed in a path of the heated air mass flow from the heater assembly for producing an air moisture signal corresponding to a relative humidity of the heated air mass flow; a first air temperature sensor disposed in the equipment bay enclosure in the region of a payload when mounted in the enclosure, for producing corresponding air temperature signals; an air pressure sensor disposed in the equipment bay enclosure in the region of the payload for producing a signal corresponding to an altitude of the payload; and a processor or controller having inputs coupled to the air moisture sensor, the first air temperature sensor and the air pressure sensor, wherein the controller is configured and arranged to supply the air control valve signal and the heater signal according to desired set points for temperature and humidity for the payload inside the equipment bay enclosure.