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US 4,202,061 AGranted
Lavatory wastewater disposal system for aircraft
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorKenneth L. Waters
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In an airplane having a pressurized passenger section, with a lavatory sink. The waste water from the lavatory sink is directed either to a toilet tank where it is stored, or to a drain mast line where it is discharged overboard during in-flight operation. A particular fluidic diverting system is used so that when the pressure differential between the passenger compartment and ambient atmosphere is above a certain level, air from the passenger compartment passes through a vent line to cause the fluidic system to operate in a manner that substantially all the waste water is directed through the drain mast line.
Claims28
A waste liquid disposal system for an aircraft comprising:
- a. means defining a compartment capable of being pressurized by a source of pressurized air,
- b. a source of waste liquid,
- c. a disposal tank to receive said liquid,
- d. a drainmast line to direct said liquid to an ambient location,
- e. a diverting apparatus to direct said liquid to said disposal tank when said compartment is at a pressure substantially equal to pressure at said ambient location, and to direct said liquid to said drainmast line when pressure in said compartment is at least as high as a predetermined pressure level above pressure at said ambient location, said apparatus comprising:
- 1. inlet means having a downwardly extending rear inlet wall and a downwardly extending front inlet wall, said front and rear inlet walls defining an inlet,
- 2. means defining a diverting chamber positioned below said inlet, said diverting means having
- a. a rear generally planar chamber wall extending downwardly from said rear inlet wall as a downward extension thereof, said rear chamber wall being generally vertically aligned so as to have a vertical component of alignment substantially greater than a horizontal component of alignment,
- b. a lip member having a lower separating edge, a rear lip surface extending downwardly from said forward inlet wall to said separating edge, and a forward lip surface extending laterally forward from said edge,
- c. a diverting wall having a diverting wall surface extending from said forward lip surface on a slant downwardly and forwardly, and disposed generally oppositely to said back wall,
- d. said forward lip surface and an upward portion of said diverting wall defining a recess,
- 3. a first oulet means leading downwardly from said chamber at a lower end of said chamber back wall and connecting to said disposal tank in a manner that liquid flowing downwardly adjacent said chamber back wall flows into said first outlet means,
- 4. a second outlet means leading forwardly from said chamber at a location adjacent a lower end of said front chamber wall in a manner that liquid flowing downwardly adjacent said front chamber wall is able to enter said second outlet means and flow through said drainmast line,
- f. vent means operatively connecting said inlet means and said first outlet means to pressurized air for said compartment,
- whereby when said compartment is at the pressure substantially equal to the pressure at the ambient location, said liquid flows from said inlet means along said chamber back wall into said first outlet means, and when pressure in the compartment is at least as high as said predetermined pressure level above the pressure at the ambient location, said liquid is caused to flow from the inlet means adjacent said chamber forward wall and through said second outlet means.
12 more elements
In an aircraft having:
- a. a passenger compartment capable of being pressurized by a source of pressurized air,
- b. a lavatory facility having a source of waste liquid,
- c. a disposal tank to receive and store liquid,
- d. a drainmast line to direct said liguid to an ambient location outside the aircraft,
- a waste liquid disposal system comprising a diverting apparatus to direct said liquid to said disposal tank when said compartment is at a pressure substantially equal to pressure at said ambient location, and to direct said liquid to said drainmast line when pressure in said compartment is at least as high as a predetermined pressure level above pressure at said ambient location, said apparatus comprising:
- a. inlet means having a downwardly extending rear inlet wall and a downwardly extending front inlet wall, said front and rear inlet walls defining an inlet,
- b. means defining a diverting chamber positioned below said inlet, said diverting means having
- 1. a rear generally planar chamber wall extending downwardly from said rear inlet wall as a downward extension thereof, said rear chamber wall being generally vertically aligned so as to have a vertical components of alignment substantially greater than a horizontal component of alignment,
- 2. a lip member having a lower separating edge, a rear lip surface extending downwardly from said forward inlet wall to said separating edge, and a forward lip surface extending laterally forward from said edge,
- 3. a diverting wall having a diverting wall surface extending from said forward lip surface on a slant downwardly and forwardly, and disposed generally oppositely to said back wall,
- 4. said forward lip surface and an upward portion of said diverting wall defining a recess,
- c. a first outlet means leading downwardly from said chamber at a lower end of said chamber back wall and connecting to said disposal tank in a manner that liguid flowing downwardly adjacent said chamber back wall flows into said first outlet means,
- d. a second outlet means connecting to said drainmast line and leading forwardly from said chamber at a location adjacent a lower end of said front chamber wall in a manner that liquid flowing downwardly adjacent said front chamber wall is able to enter said second outlet means and flow through said drainmast line,
- e. vent means operatively connecting said inlet means and said first outlet means to pressurized air for said compartment,
- whereby when said compartment is at the pressure substantially equal to the pressure at the ambient location, said liquid flows from said inlet means along said chamber back wall into said first outlet means, and when pressure in the compartment is at least as high as said predetermined pressure level above the pressure at the ambient location, said liquid is caused to flow from the inlet means adjacent said chamber forward wall and through said second outlet means.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.