Hybrid Water Storage System for Aircraft
AssigneeGoodrich Corporation
InventorsKevin Edward Roach, Donald Gregory Roulett, Martin Lei
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hybrid water storage system for an aircraft includes separate variable volumes for respectively storing/holding potable water and gray water occupying a common container. The hybrid water storage system is generally configured to draw potable water from a first variable volume in order to provide fresh water to one or more aircraft appliances (e.g., sinks, showers, ice-makers, etc.), and the used potable water (i.e., the potable water that is collected in drains from the aircraft appliances), referred to herein as gray water, is routed to a second variable volume that occupies the same container as the first variable volume.
Claims20
A hybrid water storage system for an aircraft, the hybrid water storage system comprising:
- a container defining a chamber;
- a first variable volume fluid vessel disposed in the chamber, wherein the first variable volume fluid vessel is configured to store potable water;
- and
- a second variable volume fluid vessel also disposed in the chamber, wherein the second variable volume fluid vessel is configured to store gray water.
A hybrid water storage system for an aircraft, the hybrid water storage system comprising:
- a container defining a chamber;
- and
- a bladder disposed in the chamber, wherein the bladder defines a first variable volume and the bladder is configured to store potable water;
- wherein a second variable volume is defined between external surfaces of the bladder and internal surfaces of the container, wherein the second variable volume is configured to store gray water.
A method of managing water storage on an aircraft, the method comprising:
- filling a first bladder with an initial charge of potable water, wherein the first bladder is disposed within a chamber defined by a container, wherein in response to the initial charge the first bladder occupies between 90% and 98% of a volume of the chamber;
- in response to the potable water becoming gray water after use, directing the gray water to a second bladder disposed within the chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.