Aircraft Water Supply Buffer Control for Smaller Pressure Sources
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge is to create a light and compact water supply system for aircraft that efficiently manages water distribution while minimizing the size and weight of the pressure source, reducing noise and vibrations, and optimizing water usage based on consumer demand.
Innovation Solution
A water supply system with a water tank, pressure source, and consumers equipped with buffer storage, filling valves, and consumer valves, where a control system regulates the opening and closing of filling valves based on status parameters from consumers to limit simultaneous water withdrawal, ensuring that only a predetermined number of filling valves are open at any time, thereby minimizing the size and weight of the pressure source.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the number of simultaneously open filling valves is increased to improve water supply speed, then the water supply efficiency improves, but the size and power requirements of the pressure source increase
Solution Approach 1:
Buffer storage devices are pre-filled with water before consumption occurs. The control system opens filling valves in advance to fill buffer storage devices when water demand is anticipated or during periods of low demand, so that when consumers need water, it is already available in the buffer storage devices, eliminating the need for the pressure source to operate at high power during peak demand
Solution Approach 2:
The water supply system is divided into multiple independent buffer storage devices, each capable of being filled independently. The control system manages multiple filling valves that can operate sequentially or in parallel at reduced power levels, distributing the water supply task across multiple segments rather than requiring one high-power operation
2Quantity of substance
If the pressure source is enlarged to provide sufficient water to all consumers simultaneously, then the water supply capability improves, but the weight and dimensions of the pressure source increase
Solution Approach 1:
Water is pre-stored in buffer storage devices before it is needed by consumers. The control system anticipates water demand and fills buffer storage devices in advance during periods when pressure source operation is more efficient, so that the pressure source does not need to be oversized to handle peak simultaneous demand from all consumers
Solution Approach 2:
Buffer storage devices act as intermediary storage between the pressure source and consumers. They decouple the pressure source from direct continuous operation, allowing the pressure source to operate intermittently at lower power levels while buffer storage devices maintain water availability for consumers, thereby reducing the required size and weight of the pressure source
3Reliability
If the pressure source operates continuously at high power to ensure water availability, then the water supply reliability improves, but the noise and vibrations increase
Solution Approach 1:
Water is filled into buffer storage devices in advance during periods of low noise sensitivity (e.g., when aircraft are on the ground or during cruise). The control system schedules filling operations to occur during these periods, so that during sensitive periods (e.g., takeoff, landing, or passenger areas), the pressure source remains idle or operates minimally, ensuring water availability without generating noise and vibrations
Solution Approach 2:
The pressure source operates periodically rather than continuously, with filling cycles scheduled based on predicted water demand patterns. Buffer storage devices are replenished during off-peak periods when noise is less problematic, and remain available during peak demand periods, thus maintaining reliability while reducing overall noise and vibration exposure
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 approach allows for a compact and lightweight pressure source, reducing noise and vibrations, while ensuring consistent water supply to consumers by optimizing water usage and reducing the dimensions and power consumption of the pressure source.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure source, in order to transport sufficient quantities of water from the water tank to the consumers, a pressure of more than 10 bar must be applied to the water
Implementation Method 2
Each consumer of the plurality of consumers with buffer storage devices has a buffer storage device for water
Data Source
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AI summary
A water supply system for an aircraft is depicted and described, featuring multiple consumers with buffer storage tanks connected to a water tank via pipes and a pressure source. Each consumer with a buffer storage tank has a fill valve located between the tank and the pressure source. Opening the fill valve fills the buffer storage tank. Opening a consumer valve allows water to be drawn from the buffer storage tank at each consumer. Each consumer with a buffer storage tank transmits at least one state parameter, describing the state of its buffer storage tank, to a control system. This control system then regulates the opening and closing of the consumers' fill valves, taking the transmitted state parameters into account, to ensure that water withdrawal from the water tank by the pressure source never exceeds a specified limit.Furthermore, an aircraft with a corresponding water supply system and a method for controlling such a water supply system are shown and described.