Aircraft Galley Cooling Loop for Flexible Compartment Temperature Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aircraft galleys are inefficient, costly, and heavy due to the installation of specific units like refrigerators and freezers with fixed cooling requirements, which are not easily customizable or adaptable to varying needs.
Innovation Solution
Aircraft galley system with a temperature adjusting loop and heat exchangers that allow individual compartment cooling, using pre-cooled compartments, trolleys with active cooling, or fuselage-adjacent heat exchangers, with adjustable heat exchangers placed where needed and controlled by sensors, enhancing flexibility and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If specific cooling units (refrigerators, freezers) are installed in each galley compartment, then each compartment can maintain its required temperature, but the overall system weight increases and customization becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual cooling units into a single centralized cooling system that serves all galley compartments. Instead of each compartment having its own refrigerator or freezer, one cooling unit circulates cold fluid through heat exchangers in multiple compartments, reducing total system weight while maintaining temperature control in each compartment.
Solution Approach 2:
The centralized cooling unit performs multiple functions by serving different galley compartments with varying temperature requirements. The system can provide both refrigeration and freezing temperatures to different compartments through a single multi-functional cooling device, eliminating the need for separate dedicated units for each function.
2Reliability
If specific cooling units with fixed cooling requirements are installed, then temperature control is reliable, but adaptability to varying needs is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system incorporates dynamic adjustability through variable speed pumps and controllable heat exchangers that can be configured for different compartments. The system can dynamically adjust fluid flow rates, temperatures, and active heat exchanger positions to adapt to varying cooling requirements while maintaining reliable temperature control through feedback control.
Solution Approach 2:
The centralized cooling system is segmented into multiple independent control zones, each serving specific compartments. This segmentation allows different portions of the system to be independently controlled and configured, enabling adaptability to varying needs while maintaining overall system reliability through distributed control.
3Temperature
If heavy specific cooling units are installed in galley compartments, then cooling performance is sufficient, but space utilization is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By merging multiple cooling functions into a single centralized unit located outside the galley compartments, the system eliminates the need for separate cooling equipment within each compartment. This consolidation maintains sufficient cooling performance for all compartments while freeing up significant space that would otherwise be occupied by multiple heavy cooling units.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses heat exchangers as intermediary devices that can be integrated into compartment walls or surfaces. These heat exchangers transfer cooling from the centralized unit to the compartments without requiring large internal cooling equipment, thereby maintaining cooling performance while minimizing space occupation within compartments.
4Temperature
If fixed cooling units are installed, then cooling capability is ensured, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple cooling functions and control systems into a single integrated centralized cooling unit. This merger reduces overall system complexity by eliminating the need for multiple separate cooling devices, each with its own controls and maintenance requirements, while ensuring cooling capability across all compartments through unified management.
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 reduces weight, cost, and complexity while improving space utilization and customization, ensuring efficient temperature control across compartments.
Implementation Method 1
a heat exchanger, which is configured to cool down the fluid in the temperature adjusting loop based on ambient air or based on a pre-cooled compartment
Implementation Method 2
The temperature adjusting unit is a pre-cooled compartment. This can be provided by a compartment filled with dry ice, for example
Implementation Method 3
the heat exchanger comprises a thermoelectrical device, such as a peltier element, attached to it and configured to increase the cooling effect of the fluid from the temperature adjusting loop
Data Source
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AI summary
Aircraft galley system (1, 1', 1"), comprising: a temperature adjusting loop (5), in which a heat exchanger fluid is circulated; a temperature adjusting unit (19, 19', 19") configured to cool the fluid in the temperature adjusting loop (5); and compartments (3) configured to be cooled by heat exchangers (17) supplied with the fluid from the temperature adjusting loop (5). Aircraft (25) with an aircraft galley (23) comprising the galley system (1, 1', 1").