Aircraft Water Distribution With Buffer Tank Redistribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional aircraft water supply systems require individual buffer tanks for each water consumer unit, increasing aircraft weight and fuel consumption due to predefined water amounts, and lack efficient methods to manage water distribution and freezing prevention.
Innovation Solution
A water supply system with a main tank, buffer tanks, and a controller that operates in two modes: filling buffer tanks and redistributing water between them, allowing water reuse and efficient management to reduce overall water carry-on-board, and includes features like reverse pumps and consumer conveying devices for faster redistribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual buffer tanks with predefined water amounts are provided for each water consumer unit, then water pressure requirements for consumers are met, but aircraft weight increases and fuel consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the water storage function from multiple individual buffer tanks into a single centralized buffer tank. This centralized tank serves all water consumer units through the pressurized water network, eliminating the need for separate predefined water amounts in each consumer unit while maintaining reliable water pressure supply to all consumers.
Solution Approach 2:
The centralized buffer tank performs multiple functions: it maintains water pressure for the entire aircraft water system, serves as a redistribution point for water between different consumer units, and enables draining operations. This universal buffer tank replaces the need for multiple specialized small tanks, reducing total weight while maintaining system reliability.
2Reliability
If individual buffer tanks with predefined water amounts are provided for each water consumer unit, then water pressure requirements for consumers are met, but fuel consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
By combining all buffer tank capacities into a single centralized buffer tank, the system reduces the total amount of water that must be carried on board. Since aircraft weight directly correlates with fuel consumption, this consolidation reduces fuel consumption while the centralized buffer tank continues to provide reliable water pressure to all consumer units through the pressurized network.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables water recovery and redistribution from the centralized buffer tank to various consumer units as needed. Instead of each unit carrying its own predefined water amount, water is supplied on-demand from the centralized buffer, allowing the aircraft to carry only the minimum necessary water总量 and reducing fuel consumption.
3Ease of operation
If water is stored in multiple buffer tanks throughout the aircraft, then water availability to consumers is ensured, but the amount of water to be carried increases
Solution Approach 1:
The centralized buffer tank acts as an intermediary between the main water tank and various consumer units. It receives water from the main tank via the pressurized network and distributes water to consumer units as needed, ensuring water availability without requiring large amounts of water to be distributed throughout the aircraft in multiple separate tanks.
Solution Approach 2:
By merging all buffer storage into a single centralized location, the system ensures water availability to all consumer units through the pressurized distribution network while minimizing the total quantity of water that must be carried on board, compared to distributing buffer tanks throughout the aircraft.
4Volume of moving object
If a pressurized water network operates at higher pressure, then pipe size can be reduced, but the pressure must be reduced before reaching individual consumers
Solution Approach 1:
The centralized buffer tank serves as a universal pressure control point for the entire water system. It receives high-pressure water from the main tank via the pressurized network, maintains appropriate pressure levels, and distributes water to all consumer units. This eliminates the need for multiple pressure control devices at each consumer location, reducing overall system complexity while allowing the use of smaller pipes in the pressurized network.
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
Reduces aircraft weight and fuel consumption by optimizing water distribution, enabling efficient water reuse and preventing freezing, while maintaining water pressure requirements for consumers.
Implementation Method 1
providing the water from the buffer tank solely via gravity (e.g., for a water dispenser)
Implementation Method 2
A newly developed pressurised water network operates at a higher pressure than usually required for all water consumers
Data Source
AI summary
A water supply system including a main tank, a water network and buffer tanks, each being associated with a respective water consumer unit. A controller is configured to operate in a first mode, where water from the main tank is filled into the buffer tanks, and a second mode, where water from one more first buffer tanks is conducted to the main tank and/or to one more second buffer tanks being different from the one or more first buffer tanks.