Redundant Aircraft Cooling With Thermal Coupling Backup
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Solution Overview
Problem
Redundant cooling systems for aircraft components are limited by the need for separate cooling devices for each redundant electronic system, which reduces aircraft availability and safety if one cooling device fails, preventing new takeoffs even if redundant systems are operational.
Innovation Solution
A redundant aircraft cooling system that thermally couples two coolant streams to ensure continued operation by using a third coolant stream that can take over cooling duties if either of the primary streams fails, with thermal coupling achieved through mechanical or passive means, including heat exchangers and different cooling methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate cooling devices are used for each redundant electronic system, then cooling reliability is improved, but aircraft availability deteriorates when one cooling device fails
Solution Approach 1:
The third coolant stream is designed to perform multiple cooling functions: it can cool the first heat load, the second heat load, or both simultaneously. This multi-functional design allows the system to maintain cooling capability for both redundant electronic systems even when one of the primary coolant streams fails, thereby preserving aircraft availability while ensuring cooling reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The third coolant stream acts as an intermediary backup system between the two primary coolant streams. When a failure occurs in either the first or second coolant stream, the third coolant stream mediates by taking over the cooling function, ensuring continuous operation of the redundant electronic systems without requiring complete system shutdown.
2Reliability
If redundant cooling systems are implemented, then safety is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cooling functions for both redundant electronic systems into a unified cooling architecture where the third coolant stream can serve both heat loads. This consolidation approach achieves redundancy and safety requirements while reducing the number of independent cooling subsystems, thereby managing system complexity more effectively compared to completely separate cooling systems for each redundant component.
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
This configuration enhances aircraft reliability and safety by allowing continued operation even if one coolant stream fails, enabling safe takeoffs and increased availability by ensuring both heat loads remain cooled.
Implementation Method 1
the first heat load and the second heat load are thermally coupled together
Implementation Method 2
The third coolant stream can be cooled by a heat sink
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft cooling system includes a first coolant stream which cools at least one first heat load and a second coolant stream which cools at least one second heat load. The aircraft cooling system is formed such that the first heat load and the second heat load are thermally coupled together. The first heat load and the second heat load can be formed by two mutually redundant aircraft components. A third coolant stream thermally couples the first heat load and the second heat load together. The third coolant stream can be cooled by a heat sink, such as the outer skin of the aircraft in a bilge region.