# US 7,685,838 B2 · Ground-based aircraft air conditioner with thermal storage > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,685,838 B2 - Document ID: US7685838B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/370,864 - Filed: 2006-03-09 - Published: 2007-09-13 - Granted: 2010-03-30 - Earliest claimed: 2006-03-09 - Assignees: DEW Engineering and Development ULC - Inventors: Neil Hutton - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7685838B2 ## CPC - F25D 16/00: Devices using a combination of a cooling mode associated with refrigerating machinery with a cooling mode not associated with refrigerating machinery - B64F 1/364: {Mobile units} - F28D 20/021: {the latent heat storage material and the heat-exchanging means being enclosed in one container (F28D20/023 - F28D20/028 take precedence)} - F25D 15/00: Devices not covered by group F25D11/00 or F25D13/00, e.g. non-self-contained movable devices - F25D 17/06: by forced circulation - F25D 2400/38: Refrigerating devices characterised by wheels - F28D 7/0083: {with units having particular arrangement relative to a supplementary heat exchange medium, e.g. with interleaved units or with adjacent units arranged in common flow of supplementary heat exchange medium} - F28D 7/082: {with serpentine or zig-zag configuration} - Y02E 60/14: Thermal energy storage - F25D: REFRIGERATORS; COLD ROOMS; ICE-BOXES; COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (refrigerated showcases A47F3/04; thermally-insulated vessels for domestic use A47J41/00; refrigerated vehicles, see the appropriate subclasses of classes B60 - B64; containers with thermal insulation in general B65D81/38; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants, or materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion C09K5/00; thermally-insulated vessels for liquefied or solidified gases F17C; air-conditioning or air-humidification F24F; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B; cooling of instruments or comparable apparatus without refrigeration G12B) - B64F: GROUND OR AIRCRAFT-CARRIER-DECK INSTALLATIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH AIRCRAFT; DESIGNING, MANUFACTURING, ASSEMBLING, CLEANING, MAINTAINING OR REPAIRING AIRCRAFT, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; HANDLING, TRANSPORTING, TESTING OR INSPECTING AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A preconditioned air system for cooling an interior cabin space of a parked aircraft includes a thermal energy storage unit, which contains a thermal energy storage medium for storing cooling capacity. During use, a ground-based air-cooling unit is placed in thermal communication with the thermal energy storage medium. The ground-based air-cooling unit draws upon cooling capacity that has been stored previously within the thermal storage medium for cooling the interior cabin space. Storage of cooling capacity is performed during off-peak demand times and/or during low power cost times. System modularity supports cooling of variously sized aircraft even under extreme temperature conditions. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A preconditioned air system for cooling an interior cabin space of a parked aircraft, comprising: a thermal energy storage unit including a thermal energy storage medium; a ground-based air cooling unit in thermal communication with the thermal energy storage medium; and, a controller for selectably switching between an air cooling mode for providing preconditioned air to the parked aircraft and a charging mode for operating the ground-based air cooling unit to store cooling capacity within the thermal energy storage medium. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A preconditioned air system according to claim 1, wherein the ground-based air cooling unit is a conventional refrigeration system comprising an air inlet, a blower fan, a compressor, an expansion device, a condenser, an evaporator and a condenser fan. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A preconditioned air system according to claim 1, wherein the thermal energy storage unit comprises an insulated container for containing the thermal energy storage medium. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A preconditioned air system according to claim 3, wherein the thermal energy storage medium is selected from a group consisting of: a concentrated liquid desiccant medium, a chilled water storage medium, a hydrate cooling medium, and an ice storage medium. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) A preconditioned air system according to claim 3, wherein the thermal energy storage unit comprises a fin and tube type-heat exchanger in contact with the thermal energy storage medium. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A preconditioned air system according to claim 1, wherein the thermal energy storage unit is disposed within a refrigeration circuit of the air cooling unit, such that the thermal energy storage unit functions as a condenser for the air cooling unit. ### Claim 7 A method of providing preconditioned air for cooling an interior cabin space of a parked aircraft, comprising: providing a thermal energy storage medium in thermal communication with a ground-based air-cooling unit; operating the ground-based air-cooling unit in a first operating mode during a first period of time, the first operating mode for charging the thermal energy storage medium; during a second period of time, providing a flow of air at a first temperature in thermal communication with the thermal energy storage medium, so as to discharge the thermal energy storage medium during the second period of time and to thereby change the temperature of the flow of air from the first temperature to a second temperature that is lower than the first temperature; and, directing the flow of air at the second temperature to an interior cabin space of the parked aircraft. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A method according to claim 7, wherein the first period of time is an off-peak electricity demand period of time. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A method according to claim 8, wherein the second period of time is a time of electricity demand that is higher than the off-peak electricity demand period of time. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) A method according to claim 8, wherein the second period of time is a peak electricity demand period of time. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) A method according to claim 8, wherein providing the thermal energy storage medium in thermal communication with the ground-based air-cooling unit comprises providing a thermal storage unit containing the thermal energy storage medium. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) A method according to claim 8, wherein providing the flow of air at the first temperature comprises using the ground-based air-cooling unit to cool a volume of air to the first temperature from a third temperature that is higher than the first temperature. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) A method according to claim 8, wherein providing the flow of air at the first temperature comprises providing ambient air at the first temperature. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) A method according to claim 8, wherein charging the thermal energy storage medium comprises storing cooling capacity of the ground-based air-cooling unit within the thermal energy storage medium for use in cooling the interior cabin space of a parked aircraft subsequent to charging.