Biochar-Based CO 2 Adsorption for Aircraft Environmental Control Systems in Indian Climate

The aircraft thermal management system (TMS) is basically confined to the heat acquisition system. One of the major heat acquisition elements and, hence, a major power consumer of the TMS is the environmental control system (ECS). Presently, the ECS uses mixed circulation, i.e., a combination of outside fresh air and recirculated cabin air. This research paper defines a pathway to improve the performance of the ECS by employing a [Formula: see text] adsorption system in the cabin. The proposed method uses biochar for [Formula: see text] capture under cabin conditions. A comparative analysis has been conducted between the present ECS and the proposed improved ECS. The proposed ECS may contribute to improved energy efficiency; however, the extent of power reduction depends on system design and operating conditions. In addition to qualitative comparison, a simplified thermal balance framework is introduced to estimate adsorption-induced temperature rise and its impact on ECS heat rejection demand. The study explains that the additional heat released during [Formula: see text] adsorption in the cabin can be efficiently dissipated by implementing hybrid strategies without significant modification to the present ECS airflow pathways.