What happens to the water extracted from the conditioned air produced by the A/C packs?

• A. It is ducted back into the ram air flow to help cool the heat exchangers.
• B. It is discharged overboard via a drain mast.
• C. It drains into the aircraft lavatory system.
• D. It is stored in a condensate tank.

Answer: (A)

When the A/C packs condition air, moisture in that air condenses out. In this setup, that condensate isn’t simply discarded; it’s routed back into the ram air flow that cools the pack heat exchangers. The returning water can evaporate in the ram air stream, providing additional cooling through evaporative cooling and helping the packs reject heat more efficiently. So, the water extracted from the conditioned air is used to augment cooling by re-entering the ram air flow.

Drainage overboard or into the lavatory system would waste condensate and isn’t how this system is utilized, and storing it in a condensate tank would require extra handling and isn’t the described arrangement.