Compact water extractor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10265651-B2
Application number	US-201615350751-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2016
Priority date	Nov 14, 2016
Publication date	Apr 23, 2019
Grant date	Apr 23, 2019

Abstract

A water extractor includes an inlet, an outlet a body, outer wall, inner wall, helical wall, plurality of catchment areas, and scuppers. The body extends between the inlet and the outlet. The inner wall is disposed radially inward from the outer wall and forms a main flow channel through a portion of the body. The helical wall extends between and is connected to the outer wall and the inner wall and forms a helical passageway fluidly connected to the inlet and the outlet. The helical passageway includes a plurality of turns along a bottom of the body. One of the catchment areas is disposed in each turn of the helical passageway. The scuppers are disposed in the catchment areas and are connected to and extend radially inward from the outer wall.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A water extractor comprising:
an inlet and an outlet;
a body extending between the inlet and the outlet;
an outer wall;
an inner wall disposed radially inward from the outer wall, the inner wall forming a main flow channel through a portion of the body;
a helical wall extending between and connected to the outer wall and the inner wall, the helical wall forming a helical passageway fluidly connected to the inlet and the outlet, wherein the helical passageway includes a plurality of turns along a bottom of the body;
an ejector of the helical passageway, the ejector disposed at a downstream end of the helical passageway, wherein a gap between a downstream end of the inner wall and the outer wall creates the ejector, wherein the ejector comprises a nozzle for creating a pressure differential to draw airflow through and out of the helical passageway;
a plurality of catchment areas, wherein one of the catchment areas is disposed in each turn of the helical passageway; and
a scupper disposed in each catchment area, wherein the scupper is connected to and extends radially inward from the outer wall.

2. The water extractor of claim 1 and further comprising a drain manifold disposed along the body and between the inlet and the outlet, wherein the drain manifold is fluidly connected to each of the plurality of catchment areas.

3. The water extractor of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of catchment areas comprises a port extending through the outer wall and fluidly connecting the helical passageway to the drain manifold.

4. The water extractor of claim 1 , wherein the inlet is fluidly connected to a tube with vanes along an internal surface of the tube, wherein the vanes extend radially inward from an internal surface of the tube, wherein the vanes comprise blades that are configured to impart swirl upon a fluid that passes across the vanes.

5. The water extractor of claim 1 , wherein the scupper is configured to collect moisture from the helical passageway, wherein a shape of the scupper comprises a scoop with a lip.

6. The water extractor of claim 1 , wherein the water extractor is a component of an air conditioning system of an aircraft.

7. The water extractor of claim 1 , wherein the water extractor is formed with an additive manufacturing process comprising direct metal laser sintering, selective metal laser sintering, injection molding, or stereolithography.

8. The water extractor of claim 1 , wherein the outer wall is parallel to a centerline axis of the water extractor.

9. A water extractor for an air conditioning system of an aircraft, the water extractor comprising:
an inlet and an outlet;
a body extending between the inlet and the outlet, wherein the inlet is fluidly connected to a tube with vanes along an internal surface of the tube;
an outer wall;
an inner wall disposed radially inward from the outer wall, the inner wall forming a main flow chamber through a portion of the body;
a helical wall extending between and connected to the outer wall and the inner wall, the helical wall forming a helical passageway fluidly connected to the inlet and the outlet, wherein the helical passageway includes a plurality of turns along a bottom of the body;
an entrance of the helical passageway, the entrance disposed at an upstream end of the helical passageway;
an ejector of the helical passageway, the ejector disposed at a downstream end of the helical passageway, wherein a gap between a downstream end of the inner wall and the outer wall creates the ejector, wherein the ejector comprises a nozzle for creating a pressure differential to draw airflow through and out of the helical passageway;
a plurality of catchment areas, wherein one of the catchment areas is positioned in each turn of the helical passageway;
a scupper disposed in each catchment area, wherein the scupper is connected to and extends radially inward from the outer wall, wherein a shape of the scupper comprises a scoop with a lip, and further wherein the scupper is configured to collect water from the helical passageway; and
a drain manifold disposed along the body and between the inlet and the outlet, wherein the drain manifold is fluidly connected to each of the plurality of catchment areas.

10. The water extractor of claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of catchment areas comprises a port extending through the outer wall and fluidly connecting the helical passageway to the drain manifold.

11. The water extractor of claim 9 , wherein the water extractor is formed with an additive manufacturing process comprising direct metal laser sintering, selective metal laser sintering, injection molding, or stereolithography.

12. The water extractor of claim 9 , wherein the outer wall is parallel to a centerline axis of the water extractor.

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp

Inventors

• Zager Michael
• Mcauliffe Christopher

Classifications

• B64D2013/0662

  with humidity control · CPC title

• B64D13/00

  Arrangements or adaptations of air-treatment apparatus for aircraft crew or passengers, or freight space · CPC title

• B01D45/16 Primary

  generated by the winding course of the gas stream {, the centrifugal forces being generated solely or partly by mechanical means, e.g. fixed swirl vanes} · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• F25B2500/14

  the presence of moisture in a refrigeration component or cycle · CPC title