Supply system with a plurality of consumers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing supply systems for aircraft cooling, such as those in gas turbine engines, require complex simulations and large pipe diameters to ensure sufficient volumetric flow to consumers farthest from the pump, leading to increased time, cost, weight, and energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
A supply system with a network of lines where consumers are connected in parallel to the pump, utilizing flow control valves to regulate volumetric flow and minimize pressure losses, allowing for a reduced pump capacity and smaller pipe diameters, thereby optimizing energy use and reducing system weight and production costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the supply system is designed to provide sufficient volumetric flow to consumers farthest from the pump, then the operational function of all consumers is ensured, but the pipe diameters must be enlarged and system weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the fluid supply network into multiple parallel lines, each serving specific consumers. This segmentation allows each line to be optimized independently for its specific flow requirements rather than designing one large-diameter line to serve all consumers, thereby reducing overall system weight while ensuring reliable supply to all consumers including those farthest from the pump.
2Reliability
If the pump capacity is increased to ensure sufficient flow to remote consumers, then the volumetric flow requirement is met, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by providing each consumer or consumer group with dedicated flow control valves that regulate flow locally according to actual demand. This eliminates the need for a high-capacity pump running at full power continuously, as the pump only needs to provide sufficient flow for active consumers, thereby reducing energy consumption while ensuring adequate supply to all consumers including remote ones.
3Manufacturing precision
If complex simulations are performed to configure the supply system, then the optimal configuration is achieved, but time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates self-service through automatically actuated flow control valves that regulate flow based on actual consumer demand and system conditions. This self-regulating capability eliminates or reduces the need for complex manual simulations and iterative configuration processes, as the system automatically optimizes its operation, thereby reducing time and cost while maintaining accurate configuration.
4Reliability
If large pipe diameters are used to supply remote consumers, then sufficient flow is delivered, but production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the distribution network into multiple smaller-diameter parallel lines instead of using one or few large-diameter lines. This segmentation reduces material costs and production expenses while maintaining adequate flow capacity to all consumers through the combined capacity of multiple lines, each sized appropriately for its specific load.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements local flow control with valves at each consumer or consumer group, allowing each line segment to be sized according to its specific flow requirements rather than designing all lines with the largest diameter needed for remote consumers. This reduces material costs and production expenses while ensuring adequate flow delivery to all consumers.
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 configuration simplifies the simulation process, reduces the need for large pipe diameters, decreases system weight and production costs, and ensures efficient fluid supply to all consumers, including those farthest from the pump, while maintaining sufficient pressure potential for operational functionality.
Implementation Method 1
a pump connected to the lines for generating a volumetric flow of supply fluid in the lines
Implementation Method 2
Each consumer has allocated to it at least one flow control valve... so that the consumer located the farthest away in the supply system in relation to the routing between the respective consumers and pump of the cooling device must have a larger volumetric flow provided
Data Source
AI summary
A supply system with a plurality of consumers, which can be supplied with a minimum volumetric flow by the supply system to ensure their operational function, wherein the supply system exhibits a network of lines with a plurality of lines, which are each hooked up to the consumers, and a pump connected to the lines for generating a volumetric flow of supply fluid in the lines, wherein the supply system incorporates a network of lines in which consumers are fluidically connected in parallel in relation to the pump arrangement, and wherein each consumer has allocated to it at least one flow control valve functionally placed upstream from the respective consumer in the cooling circulation as viewed from the position of the pump in the direction of flow.