Water supply system for use in an aircraft and a method for preventing freezing of water lines

A method for preventing freezing or icing in a water supply system in an aircraft, comprising:

• providing a supply conduit for permitting fluid flow from an outlet of a central water tank to a user equipment;
• thermally coupling the supply conduit to an aircraft auxiliary conduit so as to enable a transfer of thermal energy to the supply conduit therefrom;
• providing thermal energy to the supply conduit from the aircraft auxiliary conduit so as to maintain a temperature of water in the supply conduit above a freezing temperature thereof;
• and
• wherein the supply conduit is disposed within an enclosure, the enclosure coupled to the aircraft auxiliary conduit.

A water supply system for use in an aircraft, the water supply system comprising:

• a central water tank comprising a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;
• a supply conduit configured to permit fluid flow from the fluid outlet of the central water tank to a user equipment;
• wherein at least a section of the supply conduit is connected and thermally coupled to an aircraft auxiliary conduit so as to enable a transfer of thermal energy to the supply conduit therefrom to maintain a temperature of water in the supply conduit above a freezing temperature thereof;
• wherein the supply conduit is disposed between the aircraft auxiliary conduit and a thermal insulator extending circumferentially around the aircraft auxiliary conduit;
• or
• wherein the supply conduit is disposed in a discontinuity of a thermal insulator extending circumferentially discontinuously around the aircraft auxiliary conduit;
• or
• wherein the supply conduit is located externally of a thermal insulator extending circumferentially around an aircraft auxiliary conduit.