Buffer for storing liquid at a consumer pressure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12203249-B2
Application number	US-202318182045-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 10, 2023
Priority date	Mar 11, 2022
Publication date	Jan 21, 2025
Grant date	Jan 21, 2025

Abstract

A buffer for storing liquid at a consumer pressure includes a storage volume for holding a liquid and a gas. The storage volume may be separated by a partition element into a liquid compartment for holding the liquid and a gas compartment for holding the gas. A pressurizer is configured for increasing the pressure of gas in the storage volume to an operating pressure when liquid is or has been drained from the storage volume. A ventilator reduces the pressure of gas in the storage volume back to the operating pressure when the storage volume is filled with liquid. A water supply system for an aircraft including the buffer and an aircraft including such a water supply system are disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A buffer for storing liquid at a predetermined consumer pressure exceeding an environmental pressure comprising: a storage volume for holding the liquid and a gas;
a pressure sensor in communication with the storage volume;
one or more level sensor in communication with the storage volume;
a fill valve configured for controlling a supply of liquid to the liquid compartment;
a pressurizer configured for increasing a pressure of the gas in the storage volume to a predetermined operating pressure that is correlated to the liquid being at the consumer pressure or maintaining the pressure of the gas in the storage volume at the operating pressure when liquid is or has been drained from the storage volume so that the pressure of liquid in the storage volume is increased to the consumer pressure; a ventilator configured for reducing the pressure of the gas in the storage volume back to the operating pressure or maintaining the pressure of the gas in the storage volume at the operating pressure when the storage volume is filled with liquid so that the pressure of the liquid in the storage volume is reduced to the consumer pressure; and
a controller communicatively connected to the pressure sensor and the pressurizer;
wherein the controller is configured for operating the pressurizer to increase the pressure of the gas in the storage volume to the operating pressure when a pressure measured by the pressure sensor is below the operating pressure;
wherein the controller is configured for operating the fill valve to fill the storage volume with liquid when a liquid level measured by the one or more level sensor is below a minimum fill level; and
wherein the storage volume is tightly separated by a partition element into a liquid compartment for holding the liquid and a gas compartment for holding the gas, wherein the partition element is configured such that a volume of the liquid compartment can be increased by reducing a volume of the gas compartment and vice versa.

2. The buffer according to claim 1 , wherein the partition element is a membrane or diaphragm.

3. The buffer according to claim 1 , wherein the buffer comprises a controller for operating the pressurizer and a pressure sensor is arranged in the gas compartment and communicatively connected to the controller, wherein the controller is configured for operating the pressurizer to increase the pressure in the gas compartment to the operating pressure when a pressure measured by the pressure sensor is below the operating pressure.

4. The buffer according to claim 1 , wherein the pressurizer is a pump or a diaphragm pump.

5. The buffer according to claim 1 , wherein the ventilator is a pressure relieve valve adjusted to prevent the pressure in the gas compartment from exceeding the operating pressure.

6. The buffer according to claim 1 , wherein the pressurizer and the ventilator are formed by a same device.

7. The buffer according to claim 1 , where the gas is air, and the liquid is water.

8. A water supply system for an aircraft comprising:
a central water tank;
a plurality of pieces of consumer equipment;
a conduit system connecting the central water tank to the plurality of pieces of consumer equipment;
at least one buffer according to claim 1 , wherein at least one piece of consumer equipment of the plurality of pieces of consumer equipment is associated with a buffer of the at least one buffer and wherein the at least one buffer is configured to provide water to each associated consumer equipment at the consumer pressure; and
a central pressurizer for feeding water from the central water tank to the liquid compartment of the at least one buffer at a pressure exceeding the consumer pressure.

9. An aircraft comprising a water supply system according to claim 8 .

10. A buffer for storing liquid at a consumer pressure exceeding an environmental pressure comprising:
a storage volume for holding the liquid and a gas;
a pressurizer configured for increasing a pressure of the gas in the storage volume to an operating pressure or maintaining the pressure of the gas in the storage volume at the operating pressure when liquid is or has been drained from the storage volume so that the pressure of liquid in the storage volume is increased to the consumer pressure; and
a ventilator configured for reducing the pressure of the gas in the storage volume back to the operating pressure or maintaining the pressure of the gas in the storage volume at the operating pressure when the storage volume is filled with liquid so that the pressure of the liquid in the storage volume is reduced to the consumer pressure;
wherein the buffer is configured such that a rate at which liquid can be drained from the liquid compartment of the buffer exceeds a maximum gas supply rate at which gas can be supplied to the gas compartment using the pressurizer such that when liquid is drained from the liquid compartment at a rate exceeding the maximum gas supply rate, the pressure of gas in the gas compartment drops below the operating pressure and can only be increased back to the operating pressure using the pressurizer when no more liquid is drained from the liquid compartment.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Gmbh

Inventors

• Muller Hannes

Classifications

• G05D16/2066

  using controlling means acting on the pressure source · CPC title

• B64D11/02 Primary

  Toilet fittings · CPC title

• E03B2011/005

  Tanks with two or more separate compartments divided by, e.g. a flexible membrane · CPC title

• E03B7/075 Primary

  Arrangement of devices for control of pressure or flow rate · CPC title

• B64D11/04

  Galleys · CPC title