Aircraft Fluid Recycling Unit for Water Weight Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high cost and weight of storing potable water on aircraft due to its density and volume, along with inefficient use of water resources, particularly in international flights, where grey water is typically discharged or used for toilet flushing despite not requiring drinkable quality, leading to excessive fuel consumption and weight penalties.
Innovation Solution
A fluid recycling unit that captures and treats used water, such as grey water from sinks, to a suitable quality for reuse in toilet flushing or as potable water, utilizing a filter system, including porous polymeric mechanical micro filters and electrochemical filters, which can be integrated with existing reservoirs to reduce weight and maintenance, and includes features like backwash rings and gas absorbent materials to manage exhaust gases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If potable water is stored in large volumes for international flights, then water availability for all uses is ensured, but weight and fuel consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system recovers grey water from lavatory sinks that would otherwise be discarded, treating it through filtration and UV disinfection to produce reusable water. This recovers valuable water resources that are currently wasted, reducing the need to carry large volumes of potable water on international flights
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the quality parameters of grey water through multi-stage filtration (mechanical filters, activated carbon) and UV disinfection, transforming it from unusable waste water into potable-quality water suitable for various onboard uses, thereby reducing potable water consumption
2Reliability
If grey water is discharged overboard or used for toilet flushing, then water quality requirements are met, but water resource efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of discarding grey water overboard or using it directly for flushing, the system recovers it through a treatment process involving filtration and UV disinfection, transforming it into reusable potable water that can serve multiple purposes including drinking, cooking, and hygiene
Solution Approach 2:
The treated grey water system provides multi-functional utility by producing water suitable for various onboard applications including potable consumption, food preparation, and personal hygiene, replacing the need for separate water supplies for each function
3Reliability
If potable water is used for toilet flushing, then flushing effectiveness is ensured, but water consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system recovers grey water that would otherwise be wasted and treats it to produce water suitable for toilet flushing, thereby reducing consumption of fresh potable water while maintaining adequate flushing capability through the recovered water supply
4Reliability
If water purification systems treat large volumes of water, then water quality is maintained, but system weight and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system recovers and treats relatively small volumes of grey water from lavatory sinks rather than treating large volumes of water for all uses, significantly reducing the size and complexity of the purification system while maintaining water quality through targeted treatment of waste streams
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 system effectively recycles water, reducing the amount of potable water needed on board, lowering weight and fuel consumption, while maintaining water quality for various uses, including toilet flushing and handwashing, thereby optimizing water resource utilization and reducing waste.
Implementation Method 1
The filter system is configured to treat the grey water to a determined treatment level to provide treated water
Implementation Method 2
utilizing a filter system, including porous polymeric mechanical micro filters and electrochemical filters
Implementation Method 3
The fluid recycling unit captures and treats used water, such as grey water from sinks, to a suitable quality for reuse in toilet flushing or as potable water
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid recycling unit for use on board an aircraft or other passenger transportation vehicle. The fluid recycling unit captures various types of used fluids, filters or otherwise appropriately treats the fluids, and recycles the fluids for various uses onboard the vehicle.