Aircraft Water Buffer Drainage for Narrow Flexible Supply Lines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional aircraft water distribution systems face challenges in efficiently draining water from flexible conduits with diameters of 8 mm or less, particularly for hygienic reasons and to prevent freezing damage, without the need for additional infrastructure.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a local water distribution system with a buffer that stores water from a central supply system, using consumer valves to drain water sequentially based on conduit length and vertical arrangement, combined with positive or negative pressure to facilitate complete drainage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If flexible conduits with diameter of 8 mm or less are used in the water supply system, then ease of installation and weight are improved, but the ability to drain water completely from the conduits deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The drainage process is segmented into sequential steps where consumer valves are opened one after another in a predetermined order. This segmentation allows controlled drainage of each conduit section, ensuring complete water removal from narrow flexible conduits without requiring additional infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
A predetermined sequence for opening consumer valves is established before drainage begins. This preliminary planning ensures that valves are opened in the optimal order to facilitate complete drainage from the buffer through all supply lines to the consumers, preventing water retention in the flexible conduits.
2Productivity
If consumer valves are opened simultaneously to drain water from the buffer, then drainage speed is improved, but water may flow back into already drained supply lines
Solution Approach 1:
The drainage operation is divided into sequential steps where only one consumer valve is opened at a time. This segmentation prevents backflow into already drained lines while maintaining systematic progress through all supply lines, ensuring both effectiveness and completeness of drainage.
Solution Approach 2:
Consumer valves are opened periodically in a predetermined sequence rather than simultaneously. This periodic action allows each valve to be opened, drained, and closed before the next valve is activated, preventing water backflow while maintaining continuous drainage progress through the system.
3Reliability
If sequential drainage of consumer valves is implemented, then prevention of backflow is improved, but drainage time increases
Solution Approach 1:
A predetermined sequence for opening consumer valves is established before drainage begins. This preliminary planning optimizes the drainage path and minimizes unnecessary waiting time, ensuring that valves are opened in the most efficient order to remove water from the buffer through all supply lines without backflow.
Solution Approach 2:
The sequential valve opening process is designed to maintain continuous drainage action throughout the system. By carefully timing the opening of each valve in the predetermined sequence, the system ensures that water is continuously moved from the buffer through all supply lines without interruption or backflow, minimizing total drainage time.
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
Ensures thorough drainage of water from flexible conduits by minimizing pressure requirements and preventing backflow, reducing the need for additional infrastructure and enhancing system efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
combined with positive or negative pressure to facilitate complete drainage
Implementation Method 2
water contained in the pipework is drained by gravity
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
Disclosed and claimed is a method for draining a local water distribution system (32) comprising a buffer, supply lines connecting one or more consumers to the buffer and consumer valves associated with the one or more consumers. The buffer is configured for locally storing water from an aircraft water supply system to be distributed to the one or more consumers. Water from the buffer can be dispensed through a consumer of the one or more consumers by opening the consumer valve associated with the respective consumer. Water is drained from the supply lines by opening the consumer valves. Water is drained from the buffer through one of the supply lines and the consumer valves or through a drain valve connecting the buffer to a wastewater system of an aircraft. Further, a corresponding local water distribution system (32) and an aircraft are disclosed and claimed.