DISTRIBUTED PNEUMATIC SUPPLY SYSTEM OF AN AIRCRAFT

Description

Domaine technique de l'invention

[0001] An aircraft air system includes a plurality of air sources and a plurality of air consumers. Arrière-plan technologique

[0002] Pneumatic systems are installed on commercial aircraft to perform cabin pressurization, air conditioning, de-icing, inerting, etc. functions, necessary for flight safety and passenger comfort.

[0003] Air management on board an aircraft is therefore crucial, both from the point of view of the aircraft's energy efficiency and from the point of view of the safety of passengers and crew.

[0004] An air system (also referred to by the terminology of pneumatic system) of an aircraft is configured to allow the supply of air to a plurality of pneumatic consumers from a plurality of air sources.

[0005] Most aircraft air systems thus include a plurality of air sources such as air bleed devices on the aircraft's propulsion engines; auxiliary power units, better known by the acronym APU for " Auxiliary Power Unit »; external sampling scoops, better known under the English name of “ scoop inlet ", possibly associated with electric compressors; etc. and a plurality of air consumers, such as air conditioning packs intended to provide air at controlled temperature and pressure in the aircraft cabin; wing de-icing devices, better known by the English acronym WAIS for " Wing Anti-Icing System »; tank inerting devices, etc.

[0006] Furthermore, the introduction of active flow control devices, hereinafter referred to as AFC devices (for the English acronym Active Flow Control ) on the aircraft wings, flaps, rudder and generally on any aerodynamic surface of the aircraft helps to improve the aerodynamic behavior of the latter. The principle consists of locally blowing (or sucking) air through an AFC device to improve the flow properties.

[0007] This allows to improve the performance of the aircraft's control surfaces, i.e. to improve the lift or reduce the aircraft's drag with a reduction in fuel consumption.

[0008] For example, some studies estimate that the use of AFC devices on the wings and on the rudder can reduce the aircraft's energy consumption by 9%.

[0009] Generally speaking, the supply of new air consumers mounted on an aircraft (AFC devices or other additional air consumers) is possible from existing pneumatic sources on the aircraft, for example air taken from the main engines, better known as " d'air bleed » or from dedicated electric compressors powered by air taken from outside the aircraft, by means of modifications to the corresponding equipment. In the case of sampling bleed air, it would now be necessary to increase the power and size of the sampling device so that the consumption of new consumers such as AFC devices does not reduce the air supply to other air consumers in the air system, particularly the aircraft's air conditioning system.

[0010] For example, in the case of a conventional twin-engine aircraft, the loss of air bleed from one engine due to engine failure or shutdown must be compensated by the remaining engine. Therefore, each engine air bleed device is sized to be able to meet all of the aircraft's air needs on its own. If we wish to equip this twin-engine aircraft with new air consumers such as AFC devices, we must then significantly increase the size of the bleed system in the nacelle and on the engine to be able to provide the necessary air flow to each system.

[0011] However, it has been shown that whatever option is chosen to power the AFC devices, the benefits they provide are partly cancelled out by the increase in mass and / or complexity of the air system required to provide the air flow to all air consumers (increase in the air sampling device or addition of a new pneumatic source, such as a dedicated electric compressor).

[0012] The inventors therefore sought to improve the architecture of existing air systems to enable the supply of other consumers (such as AFC devices, but not only) without impacting the size and / or complexity of the air system. In other words, the inventors sought to develop an aircraft air system that can supply new air consumers without requiring oversizing the air sources of an aircraft that would be deprived of them.

[0013] Document EP3584165 A1, according to its abstract, discloses a pressurized air system comprising a compressor having a compressor inlet and a compressor outlet. The compressor inlet receives air from a first air source and the compressor outlet supplies pressurized air to an environmental control system (ECS). The pressurized air system comprises a turbine with a turbine inlet for receiving air from a second air source, a first overrunning clutch operatively coupled between an output shaft of an accessory housing and the compressor, the accessory housing operatively coupled to a drive shaft extending from an engine of the aircraft, and a second overrunning clutch operatively coupled between the compressor and the turbine.The first and second overrunning clutches enable the accessory gearbox to drive the compressor during a first mode of operation and the turbine to drive the compressor during a second mode of operation.

[0014] Document US 2017 / 233081 A1 according to its abstract discloses a method and an aircraft for providing bleed air to the environmental control systems of an aircraft using a gas turbine engine, including determining a bleed air demand for the environmental control systems, supplying low pressure and high pressure bleed air to the environmental control systems, wherein the proportional supply is controlled such that the flow of conditioned air meets the determined bleed air demand. Objectifs de l'invention

[0015] The invention aims to provide an aircraft air system comprising a plurality of air sources and a plurality of air consumers arranged on the aircraft which at least partially overcomes the drawbacks of known air systems.

[0016] The invention aims in particular to provide, in at least one embodiment, such an air system which allows the addition of new air consumers, such as active flow control devices and which has a size and complexity substantially identical to an air system devoid of such new air consumers.

[0017] The invention also aims to provide, in at least one embodiment, an air system which makes it possible to minimize the air consumption of the active flow control devices.

[0018] The invention also aims to provide, in at least one embodiment, an air system which makes it possible to overcome possible failures of one or more air sources while allowing the supply of at least certain critical air consumers.

[0019] The invention also aims to provide, in at least one embodiment, an air system which makes it possible to simultaneously use different sources of engine air and an auxiliary power unit.

[0020] The invention also aims to provide a method for managing air within an aircraft. Exposé de l'invention

[0021] To this end, the invention relates to an air system of an aircraft comprising: a plurality of air consumers including at least one air conditioning pack intended to supply a cabin of the aircraft with air at controlled temperature and pressure, a plurality of air sources including at least one air sampling device on a propulsion engine of the aircraft and at least one auxiliary power unit, a network of pipes and control valves configured to be able, on command from a control unit and / or flight conditions, to ensure a fluid connection between said air sources and said air consumers.

[0022] The system according to the invention is characterized in that: said network of pipes and associated valves comprises at least one valve, called an isolation valve, arranged between an air sampling device and an air pipe connecting an air conditioning pack and said auxiliary power unit, said control unit is configured to be able to determine, from the air requirements of each air consumer and the available air sources, a configuration of the regulation valves, called the ideal configuration, which makes it possible to supply air to each air consumer according to said identified requirements, and a configuration, called the degraded configuration, which makes it possible to supply air to predetermined air consumers from said available air sources when said ideal configuration is not achievable.

[0023] An air system according to the invention therefore makes it possible to integrate a new air consumer, such as for example an AFC device, within an architecture of an air system by authorizing a degraded mode of operation when the air requirements are greater than the available air sources. In particular, a system according to the invention makes it possible to combine all the conventional air sources available on board an aircraft to supply an additional pneumatic consumer (or supply an air consumer already present with a higher flow rate) without having to increase the maximum air bleed flow rate of an engine of an aircraft which would not have one, nor that of the auxiliary power unit.

[0024] In particular, the system according to the invention determines the available air sources and the air requirements depending on the flight conditions of the aircraft and can therefore switch from one air source to another or from one air consumer to another depending on these flight conditions.

[0025] For example, an auxiliary power unit generally no longer delivers air beyond a certain altitude. A wing de-icing device (also referred to below as a "WAIS system") is no longer necessary beyond a certain altitude on most aircraft (31,000 feet on the Airbus A320 ®< ). Similarly, an AFC device can be activated during certain phases of flight, for example during takeoff and landing, if it is necessary to improve the intrinsic performance of the wing during these phases, or during cruise in the case of seeking to reduce consumption.

[0026] Also, an assessment of air sources and air consumers according to flight conditions makes it possible to optimize the fluid connections between the sources and consumers to determine the ideal configuration.

[0027] In the event that this ideal configuration is not achievable, the system according to the invention makes it possible to establish a degraded configuration in which predetermined consumers (in particular the most critical ones) are supplied by the air sources.

[0028] To do this, the control unit is configured to determine the air requirements of each air consumer and the available air sources depending on the flight conditions. This air requirement and availability data is provided, for example, by the computers on board the aircraft such as the integrated air system computer (better known by the acronym IASC for Integrated Air System Controller ), the bleed management system calculator (better known by the acronym BMC for Bleed Management Controller ), and generally any computer on board the aircraft capable of providing data linked to a need or a source of air.

[0029] The degraded configuration aims to favor one or more air consumers depending on the available air sources and depending on the flight conditions.

[0030] For example, in the case of a twin-engine aircraft, if one of the two main engines fails, the air source associated with that main engine is no longer available, thus limiting the available air sources.

[0031] In the particular case where the aircraft comprises an AFC device which forms an air consumer of the air system according to the invention, dedicated to the takeoff and landing phases, and if the aircraft is in such a phase, the air supply to this device is a priority because an interruption would instantly affect the performance of the aircraft, degrading flight safety, whereas an interruption of the supply of other systems such as the supply of the wing anti-icing system or the air conditioning system has no immediate effect and allows the pilot to reconfigure the air systems or the flight to continue the flight safely. The control unit can thus establish a degraded configuration which aims to maintain the uninterrupted supply of the most critical device to the detriment of the other consumers without compromising flight safety.

[0032] Degraded configurations therefore depend on available air sources and flight conditions, allowing certain consumers to be prioritized to the detriment of other lower priority consumers.

[0033] According to the invention, the network further comprises at least one isolation valve, arranged between an air sampling device and an air duct connecting an air conditioning pack and said auxiliary power unit.

[0034] Thus, this air conditioning pack can be supplied with air directly by the auxiliary power unit (by fluidically separating this air duct from the air sampling device), including when this air sampling device supplies other air consumers. In particular, in the event of a failure of one of the air sampling devices on a twin-engine aircraft, the system according to this variant allows an ECS pack to be supplied by the auxiliary power unit and the other air consumers (for example, the AFC and WAIS devices) to be supplied by the other available air sources. A system according to the invention therefore makes it possible to simultaneously supply the various air consumers of the aircraft without, however, requiring the oversizing of the air sources.

[0035] An air system according to the invention can therefore comprise all types of air sources and all types of air consumers.

[0036] According to an advantageous variant of the invention, said plurality of air consumers comprises at least one active flow control device (AFC device) mounted on the aircraft to improve the aerodynamic behavior of the aircraft and arranged downstream of a regulation valve controlled by said control unit.

[0037] Advantageously and according to this variant of the invention, the AFC devices and their supply valve, called AFCV valve, are arranged immediately downstream of an air sampling device so as to be able to be supplied with hot air at controlled temperature coming directly from this air sampling device.

[0038] This makes it possible to supply the AFC device with hot air at a controlled temperature, of the order of 200°C, which makes it possible to reduce its air mass requirement. In particular, it has been demonstrated that the air mass flow requirement of an AFC device is inversely proportional to the temperature of the air supplying it. Thus, an air system according to this variant of the invention makes it possible to optimize the air flow required by the AFC device without, however, requiring the use of an air heating system. The AFC device benefits from the temperature control at the outlet of the air sampling device on the aircraft's propulsion engines (around 200°C on conventional commercial aircraft) due to its arrangement immediately downstream of the air sampling device.

[0039] Advantageously and according to the invention, the system further comprises means for monitoring the air supply to each active air flow control device.

[0040] This advantageous variant makes it possible to check the correct air supply to the AFC devices of the air system. These monitoring means are, for example, formed by one or more sensors arranged downstream of the control valve of this AFC device or directly by the control valve of this device.

[0041] Advantageously and according to the invention, the system comprises two air sampling devices arranged respectively on two separate propulsion engines arranged on each wing of the aircraft and a valve, called an interconnection valve, fluidically arranged between the two air sampling devices so as to allow only one of the two air sampling devices to supply both sides of the aircraft in the event of failure of the other air sampling device.

[0042] A system according to this variant thus makes it possible to overcome the failures of an air sampling device of a propulsion engine on a twin-engine aircraft by making it possible to ensure a fluid connection between the sides of the aircraft so that the air sampling device in operation can supply the air consumers supplied (in the absence of a breakdown) by the air source formed by the faulty air sampling device (or the air sampling device associated with a faulty engine). The interconnection valve (also designated by the acronym XFV) is configured to put the two subsystems of the air system into fluid communication.

[0043] Advantageously and according to the invention, at least one AFC device is arranged on each wing of the aircraft and said control unit is configured to supply this AFC device with air only during the takeoff and landing phases.

[0044] The invention also relates to a method for managing air within an aircraft comprising at least a plurality of air consumers including at least one air conditioning pack and a plurality of air sources including at least one air sampling device on a propulsion engine of the aircraft and at least one auxiliary power unit, a control unit, a network of pipes and control valves configured to allow, on command from said control unit, fluidically connecting said air sources to said air consumers, characterized in that it comprises the steps consisting of: determining the air requirements of each air consumer and said available air sources, determining a configuration, called the ideal configuration, which makes it possible to supply air, on command from said control valves, to each air consumer according to said identified requirements, determining a configuration, called the degraded configuration, which makes it possible to supply air, on command from said control valves, to predetermined air consumers from said available air sources when said ideal configuration is not achievable.

[0045] An air management method according to the invention is advantageously implemented in an air management system according to the invention and an air system according to the invention advantageously implements a method according to the invention.

[0046] The control of the control valves can be carried out, depending on the type of valve considered, by the control unit or spontaneously depending on variations in flight conditions (for example in the case of pneumatic control valves which react to variations in the pneumatic opening / closing conditions).

[0047] The advantages of an air system according to the invention apply mutatis mutandis to an air management method according to the invention.

[0048] The invention also relates to an air system and an air management method characterized in combination by all or part of the features mentioned above or below. Liste des figures

[0049] Other aims, characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description given solely for non-limiting purposes and which refers to the appended figure in which: [ Fig. 1 ] is a schematic view of an air system according to one embodiment of the invention. Description détaillée d'un mode de réalisation de l'invention

[0050] In the figure, the scales and proportions are not strictly respected, for the purposes of illustration and clarity.

[0051] There figure 1 illustrates an air system of a twin-engine aircraft according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0052] The aircraft's two propulsion engines are referenced 3 and 4 on the figure 1 .

[0053] The air system according to the embodiment of the figure 1 is formed of two subsystems which extend respectively and globally over the right wing and the left wing of the aircraft. Also and throughout the following, only the air subsystem linked to the propulsion engine 3 is described, it being understood that the other air subsystem linked to the propulsion engine 4 has a substantially identical architecture and operation apart from a few details which will be specified later.

[0054] Furthermore, the various lines of the air system are not systematically referenced for the sake of clarity. Only specific lines which do not obviously follow from this description are referenced on the figure 1 .

[0055] The air system according to the invention comprises a control unit 14 configured to control at least some of the control valves of the air system. The control connections between the control unit 14 and the various control valves controlled by the latter are not shown in the figure 1 for the sake of clarity. A person skilled in the art will easily understand that this control unit is connected, directly or indirectly, to each of the control valves to control the opening and closing of the valves according to the desired configurations. The logic for controlling these valves according to the desired configurations is described later. Similarly, the control unit is configured to determine the balance of the available pneumatic sources and the air requirements of the air consumers. The connections allowing the control unit to retrieve the corresponding information are not shown on the figure 1 for clarity.

[0056] The air system according to the embodiment of the figure 1 comprises an air sampling device on the propulsion engine 3. This air sampling device is configured to sample high pressure air from the engine via a high pressure valve, referenced HPV on the figure 1 , or by an intermediate pressure port from a non-return valve, referenced IPCV on the figure 1 The flow taken from the engine passes through a pressure regulating valve, referenced PRV on the figure 1 The air flow from this PRV valve then passes into an overpressure protection valve, referenced OPV on the figure 1 , then by a heat exchanger 31, better known under the English name of precooler. This heat exchanger 31 is intended to cool the high pressure air coming from the OPV valve with air coming from the secondary flow of the engine 3, better known as FAN air. This FAN air is controlled by a control valve, referenced FAV on the figure 1 .

[0057] The air at a controlled temperature of around 200°C at the outlet of the hot pass of the precooler 31 is intended to supply the various consumers of the aircraft via a pipe 25 which it supplies. The air at the outlet of the cold pass of the precooler is generally discharged outside the aircraft via a pipe 22.

[0058] The air system according to the invention further comprises an auxiliary power unit 5 which forms an air source of the system. This auxiliary power unit 5 is connected to an air conditioning pack 6 via a pipe 26. The pipe 26 is provided with a non-return valve, referenced APUCV, a control valve, referenced APUBV on the figure 1 and an air conditioning pack control valve referenced FCV1 on the figure 1 .

[0059] This assembly formed by the pipe 26, by the valves FCV1, APUBV and by the flap APUCV forms an air circuit which can be autonomous by the activation of an isolation valve, referenced APUIV, and configured to allow this circuit to be isolated from the pipe 25. Thus, the auxiliary power unit 5 can directly supply the air conditioning pack 6, including when the air from the propulsion engine 3 is already used by other consumers.

[0060] The air system according to the embodiment of the figure 1 also includes two AFC devices 17, 18 each arranged downstream of a regulating valve, referenced AFCV on the figure 1 The AFC device 17 of the subsystem described in connection with the engine 3 and its associated AFCV valve are arranged directly downstream of the precooler 31 so that this AFC device 17 can be supplied on command from the control unit by hot air leaving the precooler.

[0061] The air system also includes a wing anti-icing device supplied by a control valve referenced WAIV on the figure 1 .

[0062] On the figure 1 , the system also includes a nacelle anti-icing device supplied with air by a control valve referenced NAIV on the figure 1 This valve is supplied with intermediate pressure air coming directly from the propulsion engine. This device is therefore an air consumer of the air system.

[0063] As indicated previously, the air system is formed of two substantially identical subsystems, with the exception of the auxiliary engine 5 which is not duplicated on the two subsystems, and a pipe 28 connecting to a connector 11 intended to receive air supply equipment on the ground. This equipment is used on the ground to supply the air system with air when the propulsion engines 3, 4 and the auxiliary power unit 5 cannot be used. As such, the second subsystem also comprises an air conditioning pack 16 and an air conditioning pack control valve referenced FCV2 on the figure 1 .

[0064] The two subsystems (right and left) of the air system are connected to each other by an interconnecting valve referenced XFV on the figure 1 so that one of the two subsystems can supply the other subsystem in case of need (failure of an engine or failure of the air sampling device associated with one of the engines). The XFV valve is fluidically arranged between the two subsystems of the air system, that is to say that it allows the fluid communication of the two air subsystems and in particular the supply of one subsystem by the air sampling device of the other subsystem and vice versa.

[0065] The air system according to the embodiment of the figure 1 allows to obtain all the configurations specified in the table below in which the failure referenced M1 designates a failure of the propulsion engine or its air sampling system of the first subsystem referenced 3 on the figure 1 , and the failure referenced M2 designates a failure of the propulsion engine or its air sampling system of the second subsystem referenced 4 on the figure 1 .

[0066] The fault referenced ECS1 designates a fault in the air conditioning pack of the first subsystem referenced 6 on the figure 1 and the ECS2 fault designates a fault in the air conditioning pack of the second subsystem referenced 16 on the figure 1 The term “without” indicates the absence of a breakdown.

[0067] As for air consumers, AFC stands for an active aircraft flow control device, WAI for an aircraft de-icing device, ECS1 for the first air conditioning pack and ECS2 for the second air conditioning pack.

[0068] In relation to air consumers, ON means that the consumer is being supplied with air by the system or that the source is supplying air to the system. OFF means that the consumer is not being supplied with air or that the source is not supplying air to the system.

[0069] With respect to air sources and distribution means, Bleed1 designates the air taken from the propulsion engine of the first subsystem, Bleed2 designates the air taken from the propulsion engine of the second subsystem, APU designates the air supplied by the auxiliary engine referenced 5 on the figure 1 , XFV designates the fluid communication valve of the two subsystems, and APUIV designates the isolation valve of the circuit formed by line 26, APU 5 and packs ECS1 6 and ECS2 16, from the rest of the air system.

[0070] In relation to air sources, ON means that the air source is supplying air to the air system and OFF means that the air source is not supplying air to the air system. ON / OFF means that the air source can supply air or not without significantly changing the behavior of the air system.

[0071] For valves, OP means that the valve is open and allows air to flow. CL means that the valve is closed and blocks the air flow. OP / CL means that the valve can be opened or closed without substantially changing the air distribution logic. Panne Consommateurs d'air Sources d'air et vannes AFC WAI ECS1 ECS2 Bleed1 Bleed2 APU XFV APUIV Sans OFF OFF ON ON ON ON OFF OP / CL OP Sans ON OFF ON ON ON ON OFF OP OP Sans ON ON ON ON ON ON OFF OP OP Sans OFF ON ON ON ON ON OFF OP / CL OP M1 OFF OFF 1 ou 2 ECS ON OFF ON OFF OP / CL OP M1 ON OFF 1 ECS ON OFF ON OFF OP OP M1 ON ON ON OFF OFF ON ON OP CL M1 OFF ON 1 ECS ON OFF ON OFF OP OP M2 OFF OFF 1 ou 2 ECS ON ON OFF OFF OP / CL OP M2 ON OFF 1 ECS ON ON OFF OFF OP OP M2 ON ON ON OFF ON OFF ON OP CL M2 OFF ON 1 ECS ON ON OFF OFF OP OP ECS1 OFF OFF OFF ON OFF ON OFF OP / CL OP ECS1 ON OFF OFF ON ON / OFF ON OFF OP OP ECS1 ON ON OFF ON ON ON OFF OP / CL OP ECS1 OFF ON OFF ON OFF ON OFF OP / CL OP ECS2 OFF OFF ON OFF ON OFF OFF OP / CL OP ECS2 ON OFF ON OFF ON ON / OFF OFF OP OP ECS2 ON ON ON OFF ON ON OFF OP / CL OP ECS2 OFF ON ON OFF ON OFF OFF OP / CL OP

[0072] Reading the table above, we can see that the air system allows the AFC device to remain operational even when a propulsion engine or its air sampling system is lost (M1 or M2 failure).

[0073] In particular, it is possible to fluidically connect the two subsystems by opening the XFV valve when supplying the AFC devices and to balance the air flows between the two engine sampling devices.

[0074] In addition, the system allows, thanks to the APUIV valve, to ensure continuity of air supply to the AFC devices, including during the transitional period of reconfiguration of the air system. Indeed, the air conditioning pack is then supplied by the auxiliary power unit and the active engine air sampling device supplies the critical air consumers, during the time of reconfiguration of the air system.

[0075] A system according to the invention makes it possible to isolate the air conditioning packs by closing the APUIV valve and to use all available air sources simultaneously.

[0076] It is known that an auxiliary power unit does not provide air above a certain altitude. However, the table above covers all possible failure and source availability configurations because the WAIS system is not required above a certain altitude (31,000 feet for the Airbus A320 ®< ) and the need to activate the AFC device (in the case of a device arranged on the wing-pylon junction) is limited to the landing and takeoff phases up to an estimated altitude of 22,000 feet.

[0077] A system according to the embodiment of the figure 1 also allows the WAIS on both sides of the aircraft and the air conditioning system to be supplied simultaneously with a single air sampling device.

[0078] The system according to the embodiment of the figure 1 therefore allows one or more active flow devices to be controlled and supplied simultaneously with other air consumers already present on an aircraft, including during the most common breakdowns, without requiring an increase in air sampling flow rates or air sources.

[0079] The presence of the APUIV valve allows you to be one step ahead of the next air system failure, allowing different reconfigurations depending on flight conditions, air requirements and air source availability.

[0080] In the proposed configurations, the occurrence of a failure does not interrupt the operation of the AFC device which is permanently connected to a flow air source.

[0081] There figure 1illustrates an air system according to one embodiment of the invention in which AFC devices are added to a conventional air system.

[0082] According to a variant not shown, the air system can also be devoid of AFC devices, but while implementing the same architecture to allow, for example, two levels of temperature regulation of the WAIS devices or a supply of another air consumer with a higher air flow rate depending on the flight conditions.

Claims

1. Air system for an aircraft, comprising: - a plurality of air consumers including at least one air conditioning pack (6, 16) intended to supply an aircraft cabin with air at controlled temperature and pressure, - a plurality of air sources including at least one air bleed device on a propulsion engine (3, 4) of the aircraft and at least one auxiliary power unit (5), - a network of ducts (23, 25, 26, 28) and control valves (PRV, OPV, APUCV, IPCV, FAV) configured to be able, on command from a control unit (14) and / or according to flight conditions, to provide a fluid connection between said air sources and said air consumers, - said network of ducts and associated valves comprising at least one valve, called an isolation valve (APUIV), arranged between an air bleed device and an air duct (26) connecting an air conditioning pack (6) and said auxiliary power unit (5), - said control unit (14) being configured to be able to determine, from the air requirements of each air consumer and the available air sources, a configuration of the control valves (PRV, OPV, APUCV, IPCV, FAV, APUIV), called the ideal configuration, that makes it possible to supply each air consumer with air according to the identified requirements, and a configuration, called the degraded configuration, that makes it possible to supply air to predetermined air consumers from said available air sources when said ideal configuration is not attainable.

2. Air system according to claim 1, characterized in that said plurality of air consumers comprises at least one active flow control device (17, 18) mounted on the aircraft to improve the aerodynamic behavior of the aircraft and arranged downstream of a control valve (AFCV) controlled by said control unit (14).

3. Air system according to claim 2, characterized in that at least one active flow control device (17, 18) and its associated valve (AFCV) are arranged immediately downstream of an air bleed device so as to be able to be supplied with hot air at a controlled temperature directly from this air bleed device.

4. Air system according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that it further comprises means for monitoring the air supply to each active flow control device (17, 18).

5. Air system according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that at least one active flow control device (17, 18) is arranged on each wing of the aircraft and in that said control unit is configured to control the air supply to each active flow device only during the take-off and landing phases.

6. Air system according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises two air bleed devices arranged respectively on two separate propulsion engines (3, 4) arranged on each side of the aircraft and in that it comprises a valve, called an interconnect valve (XFV), arranged between the two air bleed devices so as to allow only one of the two air bleed devices to supply both sides of the aircraft in the event that the other air bleed device fails.

7. Air system according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it further comprises at least one device for de-icing the wings of the aircraft arranged downstream of at least one active flow device.

8. Method for managing air within an aircraft comprising at least a plurality of air consumers including at least one air conditioning pack (6, 16) and a plurality of air sources including at least one air bleed device on a propulsion engine of the aircraft (3, 4) and at least one auxiliary power unit (5), a control unit (14), a network of ducts and control valves (PRV, OPV, APUCV, IPCV, FAV) configured to allow said air sources to be fluidly connected to said air consumers on command from said control unit (14), characterized in that said method comprises the steps of: - determining the air requirements of each air consumer and the available air sources, - determining a configuration, called the ideal configuration, that makes it possible to supply air, on command from said control valves by said control unit, to each air consumer according to the identified requirements, - determining a configuration, called the degraded configuration, that makes it possible to supply air, on command from said control valves by said control unit, to predetermined air consumers from said available air sources when said ideal configuration is not attainable.