# US 10,765,982 B2 · Helical water collector > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,765,982 B2 - Document ID: US10765982B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/018,659 - Filed: 2018-06-26 - Published: 2019-12-26 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-26 - Assignees: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation - Applicants: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation - Inventors: Luke Martin; Murtuza Lokhandwalla; Sebastian Zuraw; Maciej Ostrowski; Jaroslaw Rubalewski - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10765982B2 ## CPC - B01D 45/16: generated by the winding course of the gas stream {, the centrifugal forces being generated solely or partly by mechanical means, e.g. fixed swirl vanes} - B01D 45/08: by impingement against baffle separators - B04C 3/06: Construction of inlets or outlets to the vortex chamber - B64D 13/00: Arrangements or adaptations of air-treatment apparatus for aircraft crew or passengers, or freight space - B64D 13/06: the air being conditioned (pressurising B64D13/02) - B64D 13/08: the air being heated or cooled - F24F 13/222: {for evacuating condensate} - B64D 2013/0618: {with arrangements for reducing or managing bleed air, using another air source, e.g. ram air} - F24F 2013/225: {by evaporating the condensate in the cooling medium, e.g. in air flow from the condenser} - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - B04C: APPARATUS USING FREE VORTEX FLOW, e.g. CYCLONES ({centrifugal separation of water from steam B01D45/12;} jet mills B02C19/06; {wind sifters B07B7/00;} cyclonic type combustion apparatus F23; {vortex burners for cyclone-type combustion apparatus F23D1/02; cyclonic type combustion apparatus for gas turbines F23R3/00}) - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02) ## Abstract A water extractor including: an inlet; an outlet; a body including a helical passageway having an exit proximate the outlet and an entrance; an elbow connector enclosing a fluid passageway that fluidly connects the inlet to the entrance of the helical passageway, the elbow connector being bent at a selected angle and including an inner radius and an outer radius opposite the inner radius; and a baffle extending from proximate the inlet to the entrance and located within the fluid passageway of the elbow connector, the baffle being configured to partition the fluid passageway into a first fluid passageway proximate the inner radius of the elbow connector and a second fluid passageway proximate the outer radius of the elbow connector. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A water extractor, comprising: an inlet; an outlet; a body comprising a helical passageway having an exit proximate the outlet and an entrance; an elbow connector enclosing a fluid passageway that fluidly connects the inlet to the entrance of the helical passageway, the elbow connector being bent at a selected angle and including an inner radius and an outer radius opposite the inner radius; and a baffle extending from proximate the inlet to the entrance and located within the fluid passageway of the elbow connector, the baffle being configured to partition the fluid passageway into a first fluid passageway proximate the inner radius of the elbow connector and a second fluid passageway proximate the outer radius of the elbow connector. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The water extractor of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of entrance vanes located at the entrance, each of the plurality of entrance vanes being configured to impart swirl upon a fluid that passes across the entrance vanes and enters the helical passageway. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The water extractor of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of exit vanes located at the exit, each of the plurality of exit vanes being configured to straighten flow of a fluid that passes across the exit vanes exiting the helical passageway. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The water extractor of claim 1, wherein the second passageway is larger than the first passageway. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The water extractor of claim 1, wherein the body further comprises: an outer wall; an inner wall disposed radially inward from the outer wall, the inner wall forming a main flow channel through a portion of the body; a helical wall extending between and connected to the outer wall and the inner wall, the helical wall forming the helical passageway; and a plurality of catchment orifices located within the outer wall. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The water extractor of claim 5, wherein the body further comprising: a drain manifold located radially outward from the outer wall, the drawing manifold being fluidly connected to the helical passageway through the catchment orifices. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The water extractor of claim 6, wherein the drain manifold encloses the outer wall. ### Claim 8 An air conditioning system for an aircraft, the air conditioning system comprising: a condenser; an air cycle machine; A water extractor comprising: an inlet fluidly connected to the condenser; an outlet fluidly connected to the air cycle machine; a body comprising a helical passageway having an exit proximate the outlet and an entrance; an elbow connector enclosing a fluid passageway that fluidly connects the inlet to the entrance of the helical passageway, the elbow connector being bent at a selected angle and including an inner radius and an outer radius opposite the inner radius; and a baffle extending from proximate the inlet to the entrance and located within the fluid passageway of the elbow connector, the baffle being configured to partition the fluid passageway into a first fluid passageway proximate the inner radius of the elbow connector and a second fluid passageway proximate the outer radius of the elbow connector. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The air conditioning system of claim 8, further comprising: a plurality of entrance vanes located at the entrance, each of the plurality of entrance vanes being configured to impart swirl upon a fluid that passes across the entrance vanes and enters the helical passageway. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The air conditioning system of claim 8, further comprising: a plurality of exit vanes located at the exit, each of the plurality of exit vanes being configured to straighten flow of a fluid that passes across the exit vanes exiting the helical passageway. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The air conditioning system of claim 8, wherein the second passageway is larger than the first passageway. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The air conditioning system of claim 8, wherein the body further comprises: an outer wall; an inner wall disposed radially inward from the outer wall, the inner wall forming a main flow channel through a portion of the body; a helical wall extending between and connected to the outer wall and the inner wall, the helical wall forming the helical passageway; and a plurality of catchment orifices located within the outer wall. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The air conditioning system of claim 12, wherein the body further comprising: a drain manifold located radially outward from the outer wall, the drawing manifold being fluidly connected to the helical passageway through the catchment orifices. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The air conditioning system of claim 13, wherein the drain manifold encloses the outer wall. ### Claim 15 A method of extracting water from an air conditioning system, the method comprising: turning airflow a selected turn radius using an elbow connector bent to a selected angle; capturing condensate on an inner radius of the elbow connector using a baffle located within the elbow connector; drawing the airflow into an inlet of a helical passageway from the elbow connector, the helical passageway being configured to centrifugally rotate the airflow within the helical passageway; separating moisture from the airflow within the helical passageway using centrifugal forces; and collecting moisture from the airflow into a plurality of catchment orifices located in a radially outer wall of the helical passageway. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: imparting a swirl upon the airflow drawn into the helical passageway using a plurality of entrance vanes located at the entrance. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: straightening the airflow from the helical passageway using a plurality of exit vanes located at an exit of the helical passageway. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: separating moisture from the airflow within the elbow connector using centrifugal forces at an outer radius of the elbow connector; and channelling moisture at the outer radius of the elbow connector to the helical passageway. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: draining the moisture from each of the plurality of catchment orifices and into a drain manifold.