Galley water pre-warmer for galley inserts using aircraft potable water and method
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsAndrew L. Pucker, Thomas Joseph Moran, Sami Movsesian
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods for establishing a warmed potable water flow from an aircraft potable water supply with an ambient potable water supply directed from the potable water supply to provide at least supplemental cooling to a chilled air circuit, and where waste heat from the chilled air circuit is absorbed in a warmed potable water flow and with the warmed potable water flow directed to an aircraft galley water heating appliance as a pre-heated potable water bolus.
Claims19
A system for repurposing waste heat produced in an aircraft air chilling circuit the system comprising:
- a chilled air circuit comprising an air chiller, said air chiller comprising an air chiller air return, said chilled air circuit configured to produce a chilled airflow;
- a heat exchanger positioned in proximity to the air chiller air return, said heat exchanger in communication with the chilled air circuit;
- a potable water circuit in communication with the heat exchanger, said potable water circuit comprising:
- an aircraft potable water supply in communication with the potable water circuit, said aircraft potable water supply configured to provide at least an initial charge of potable water flow to form a potable water flow in the potable water circuit, said aircraft potable water supply comprising an ambient aircraft potable water supply temperature;
- a potable warmed water flow line in communication with the potable water circuit, said potable warmed water flow line positioned downstream from the heat exchanger, said potable warmed water flow line configured to deliver a potable warmed water flow from the heat exchanger in the potable water circuit;
- an aircraft galley water heating appliance in communication with the potable warmed water flow line;
- and
- wherein, in operation, the potable water circuit is a potable water closed circuit, said potable water closed circuit further comprising a valve, said valve positioned between the aircraft potable water supply and the potable water circuit, and wherein said valve is configured to move from an open position to a closed position to maintain a closed initial potable water charge within the potable water closed circuit.
A method for providing an at least partially pre-heated water bolus to an aircraft galley water heating appliance, the method comprising:
- directing at least an initial charge of a potable water flow from an aircraft potable water supply into a potable water circuit, said aircraft potable water supply comprising a potable water supply temperature that is at a temperature below an aircraft cabin ambient temperature, said potable water circuit comprising a heat exchanger;
- warming the potable water flow at the heat exchanger to a selected temperature ranging from about 65° F. to about 75° F. to form a potable warmed water flow leaving the heat exchanger in the potable water circuit;
- and
- directing the potable warmed water flow from the heat exchanger in the potable water circuit to an aircraft galley water heater, said potable warmed water flow delivered to the aircraft galley water heater as a pre-heated potable water bolus;
- and
- wherein, in operation, the potable water circuit comprises a potable water closed circuit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.