External Aircraft Coolant Cooling for Ground Heat Load Relief
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft liquid cooling systems face weight and space constraints due to the need for powerful components to provide sufficient cooling capacity on the ground, leading to increased fuel consumption and reduced payload, as well as installation challenges.
Innovation Solution
An external auxiliary cooling device that operates outside the aircraft, providing cooled coolant to the liquid cooling system, allowing for a less powerful design of the aircraft's refrigerating machine, which reduces weight and simplifies installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the refrigerating machine is designed with powerful components (compressor, evaporator, condenser) to provide sufficient cooling capacity on the ground, then the cooling capacity is improved, but the weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into two parts: a compact refrigerating machine designed for in-flight conditions and a separate ground-based auxiliary cooling device. This allows the aircraft's refrigerating machine to be lightweight while the auxiliary device provides additional cooling capacity when needed on the ground.
Solution Approach 2:
An auxiliary cooling device serves as an intermediary component that connects to the aircraft's liquid cooling system via coolant supply and discharge connections. This intermediary device provides supplemental cooling capacity on the ground without being permanently installed in the aircraft, thus avoiding permanent weight increase.
2Power
If the refrigerating machine is designed with powerful components to provide sufficient cooling capacity on the ground, then the cooling capacity is improved, but the installation space increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into two parts: a compact refrigerating machine designed for in-flight conditions and a separate ground-based auxiliary cooling device. This allows the aircraft's refrigerating machine to be lightweight while the auxiliary device provides additional cooling capacity when needed on the ground.
Solution Approach 2:
The auxiliary cooling function is extracted from the aircraft's permanent installation and placed in a separate ground-based device. This allows the aircraft's refrigerating machine to be compact while the auxiliary device provides supplemental cooling capacity when needed on the ground.
3Power
If the refrigerating machine is designed with powerful components to provide sufficient cooling capacity on the ground, then the cooling capacity is improved, but the fuel consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into two parts: a compact refrigerating machine designed for in-flight conditions and a separate ground-based auxiliary cooling device. This allows the aircraft's refrigerating machine to be lightweight while the auxiliary device provides additional cooling capacity when needed on the ground.
4Power
If the refrigerating machine is designed with powerful components to provide sufficient cooling capacity on the ground, then the cooling capacity is improved, but the payload capacity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into two parts: a compact refrigerating machine designed for in-flight conditions and a separate ground-based auxiliary cooling device. This allows the aircraft's refrigerating machine to be lightweight while the auxiliary device provides additional cooling capacity when needed on the ground.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The auxiliary cooling device reduces the weight and fuel consumption of the aircraft liquid cooling system, increases payload capacity, and simplifies integration by providing additional cooling capacity on the ground without the need for heavy components, while maintaining reliable cooling performance.
Implementation Method 1
a cold source which is adapted to cool a coolant down to a desired low temperature
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of heat loads connected in series and/or in parallel may be supplied with liquid coolant. The liquid coolant, after cooling the heat load(s), is returned to the refrigerating machine
Data Source
AI summary
An auxiliary cooling device is configured to be operated outside of an aircraft. The auxiliary cooling device is configured to be connected to an aircraft liquid cooling system which includes a refrigerating device, a coolant supply connection, a coolant discharge connection, and a control device. The auxiliary cooling device includes a cold source that is adapted to cool a coolant down to a desired low temperature, an auxiliary cooling device outlet which is connected to the cold source and connectable to the coolant supply connection. The auxiliary cooling device also includes an auxiliary cooling device inlet which is connected to the cold source and connectable to the coolant discharge connection of the aircraft liquid cooling system.