Patent ID: 7591869

Claim:
An environmental control system for an aircraft comprising: a heat exchanger unit; a fluid extraction unit adapted to receive air from the heat exchanger unit and extract condensate from the air, the fluid extraction unit comprising: an upstream end positioned to receive the air; a downstream end positioned to deliver the air to a transfer duct for delivery to the heat exchanger unit; a gas stream constraining passageway interconnecting the upstream end and the downstream end of the fluid extraction unit; the passageway having a longitudinal segment and a non-linear gas stream deflection segment; a first fluid collection stage comprising; the longitudinal segment: a swirl device positioned at an upstream end of the longitudinal segment; and a first fluid collector positioned at a downstream end of the longitudinal segment; a second fluid collection stage positioned downstream from the first fluid collection stage and comprising; a gas stream deflection segment; and a second fluid collector positioned at a downstream end of the gas-stream deflection segment for collecting fluid coalesced in the gas stream deflection segment.