Aircraft Water Distribution Hygiene Using Reversible Pump Flushing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional aircraft water supply systems require complex and costly manual disinfection and descaling processes, involving ground service equipment and significant downtime, to prevent microbial growth and limescale buildup, which are inefficient and labor-intensive.
Innovation Solution
A method and system utilizing a central water tank, buffer tanks with treatment inlets, and a pump operating in both supply and reverse modes to distribute and flush treatment solutions, such as disinfection and descaling agents, through the high-pressure conduit system, minimizing manual intervention and equipment needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual disinfection and descaling processes are used with ground service equipment, then system hygiene is maintained, but operational downtime increases and labor costs rise
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service disinfection and descaling by equipping consumer assemblies with buffer tanks that can be filled with treatment solutions directly on the aircraft. The pump system automatically circulates these solutions through the water supply lines, allowing the system to treat itself without external ground service equipment or personnel intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The water supply system is segmented into multiple independent consumer assemblies, each with its own buffer tank. This segmentation allows disinfection and descaling to be performed independently in different sections of the aircraft, enabling partial operational continuity and reducing overall downtime compared to system-wide manual treatment.
2Reliability
If chemical disinfection fluids are used, then microbial growth is suppressed, but complex ground service equipment and additional personnel are required
Solution Approach 1:
The system eliminates the need for complex ground service equipment by enabling direct filling of buffer tanks with treatment solutions from onboard storage. The existing pump infrastructure is utilized to circulate the solutions, and treatment can be monitored and controlled through the aircraft's existing systems without requiring additional ground-based machinery or specialized personnel.
3Reliability
If thermal treatment with hot water is used for disinfection, then system hygiene is improved, but external ground service equipment for hot water generation is required
Solution Approach 1:
The system achieves thermal disinfection using onboard heating capabilities integrated into the aircraft's existing infrastructure. Buffer tanks can be heated directly, and the pump system circulates the heated water through the distribution lines, eliminating the need for external ground service equipment to generate and supply hot water for treatment.
4Productivity
If limescale deposits are not removed, then system functionality is maintained, but hydraulic cross-section reduction and valve blockage occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements continuous or periodic descaling operations by automatically circulating descaling solutions through the water supply lines using the pump system. This continuous maintenance action prevents limescale accumulation from reaching critical levels that would reduce hydraulic cross-section or block valves, thereby maintaining system functionality without interrupting operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary descaling by regularly circulating treatment solutions through the water distribution system before limescale deposits can significantly impair functionality. This preventive maintenance approach dissolves scale deposits before they accumulate to problematic levels, maintaining optimal hydraulic flow and valve operation.
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
Enables efficient disinfection and descaling of the aircraft water system with reduced operational interruptions and costs, allowing treatment during flight or on the ground without additional ground service personnel, thus maintaining system hygiene and functionality.
Implementation Method 1
a pump (21) having an upstream side and a downstream side and being configured such that it may operate in a supply mode and a reverse mode
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a method and system for operating an on-board water supply and distribution system (1) of an aircraft (3) for supplying water, the system comprising a central water tank (7), at least one first consumer assembly (5), each of the at least one first consumer assembly (5) comprising a supply device and a buffer tank (37) and each of the at least one first consumer assemblies (5) being configured to supply fluid from the buffer tank (37) via the supply device. Each of the buffer tanks (37) of the at least one first consumer assemblies (5) comprises a treatment inlet for receiving a treatment medium into the respective buffer tank (37). The system further comprises a pump (21) having an upstream side (23) and a downstream side (25) and being configured such that it may operate in a supply mode and a reverse mode, and a high pressure conduit system (27). The central water tank (7) is connected to the upstream side (23) of the pump (21), and the high pressure conduit system (27) connects the downstream side (25) with the at least one first consumer assembly (5), with the conduit system (27) being configured such that the pump (21), when operating in the supply mode, is capable of supplying fluid from the downstream side (25) to the buffer tank (37) of each of the at least one first consumer assemblies (5), and when the pump (21) is operating in the reverse mode, it is capable of drawing fluid from the high pressure conduit system (27) towards the upstream side (23). The method comprising the steps of operating the pump (21) in the supply mode so that water from the central tank (7) is supplied to at least one of the at least one first consumer assemblies (5) wherein the buffer tank (37) of the at least one of the first consumer assemblies (5) is filled to a predetermined fill level, providing a treatment medium to the buffer tank (37) via the treatment inlet so as to mix with water in the buffer tank (37) to form a treatment solution, and operating the pump (21) in the reverse mode so that the treatment solution in the buffer tank (37) of the at least one of the first consumer (5) assemblies passes through a part of the high pressure conduit system (27) and the upstream side (23) of the pump (21).