Environmental Control System (ECS)

Barber-Nichols (BN) has the experience to design, produce, and test Environmental Control System (ECS) Compressors and Fans for your most demanding applications. BN can design custom, or modify existing, compressors and fans to accommodate a wide variety of applications. Compressors and fans are conceptually designed using Meanline and streamline software. BladeGen® is then used to generate the three-dimensional blading and CFD Analysis is used to optimize the blade design for performance and noise reduction. BN utilizes Stereolithography (SLA) generated investment castings and/or five-axis machining to rapidly and cost-effectively produce prototypes. Some of the most demanding applications required small and/or lightweight fans with:

  • Discharge Pressures Reaching 61 cm (24 in) of Water.
  • Tip Speeds Reaching 333 m/s (1,100 ft/s).
  • Volumetric Flow Rates Reaching 23,786 m3/hr (14,000 ACFM).

Environmental Control System Fan

The Model BNP-12-000 ECS Fan was designed and produced for NASA’s X-38 Crew Return Vehicle. The fan utilizes an in-line, hermetic, explosion-proof design. It weighs 6.8 kg (15 lbs) and the flow rate is 560 m3/hr (330 cfm). Additionally, BN designed and produced a distilled water pump that was also used for environmental control on this vehicle.

Model BNP-12-000 Environmental Control System (ECS) Fan in NASA’s X-38 Crew Return Vehicle