Apparatus for pre-heating potable water in aircraft with waste heat
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercial aircraft rely heavily on electrical power to heat potable water for galley inserts and appliances, and conventional cooling systems are inefficient in utilizing waste heat from air chillers and galley appliances, leading to increased power consumption and inefficient air exhaust management.
Innovation Solution
An air to water heat exchanger that captures waste heat from air chillers and galley appliances to pre-heat potable water while cooling exhaust air, reducing power consumption and enhancing the aircraft's environmental control system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional galley insert or galley appliance water heating systems are used, then potable water can be heated for making beverages and cooking, but aircraft power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent captures waste heat from air chiller exhaust and galley appliance exhaust, which would otherwise be discarded, and uses it to pre-heat potable water. This converts harmful waste heat into a useful resource, reducing the energy required by conventional heating systems while maintaining the necessary water temperature for beverages and cooking
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the waste heat recovery function with the potable water heating function by integrating heat exchangers into the existing air chiller and galley appliance exhaust systems. This merging allows the waste heat to be captured and transferred to the potable water supply, reducing overall aircraft power consumption
2Temperature
If conventional cooling systems are used to cool air chiller and galley appliance exhaust air, then exhaust air temperature is reduced for environmental control system compatibility, but waste heat is not utilized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the waste heat in air chiller and galley appliance exhaust air into a useful resource by using it to pre-heat potable water. The exhaust air is cooled through heat exchange with the potable water, achieving temperature compatibility with the environmental control system while simultaneously recovering energy that would otherwise be lost
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding the waste heat from exhaust air, the patent recovers it through heat exchangers that transfer thermal energy from the exhaust air to the potable water. This recovery process cools the exhaust air for proper venting while capturing the energy for water heating purposes
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 air to water heat exchanger effectively reduces aircraft power consumption by utilizing waste heat to pre-heat potable water and cool exhaust air, improving the efficiency of both the water heating and environmental control systems independently of the galley faucet supply.
Implementation Method 1
The air to water heat exchanger is configured to transfer heat from one or more of heated galley insert or appliance exhaust air and heated chiller exhaust air to potable water from the potable water supply inlet
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for pre-heating potable water in aircraft with waste heat includes an air to water heat exchanger having a heat exchanger housing with an inlet end that receives heat from one or more of a galley insert exhaust air inlet, a galley appliance exhaust air inlet and an air chiller exhaust air inlet. A potable water supply inlet supplies potable water to the air to water heat exchanger, which transfers heat to the potable water, and a potable water supply outlet supplies heated potable water, such as to a galley insert or galley appliance, for example. An exhaust air outlet vents cooled exhaust air from the air to water heat exchanger.