Water supply and distribution system on-board an aircraft and method for operating such system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12497765-B2
Application number	US-202318545678-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2023
Priority date	Dec 20, 2022
Publication date	Dec 16, 2025
Grant date	Dec 16, 2025

Abstract

A method for operating an on-board water supply and distribution system of an aircraft for supplying water includes a central water tank, central pump, having an upstream side and a downstream side for conveying and pressurizing water from the upstream side to the downstream side, consumer assemblies including a supply device and a buffer tank including a pressurizing device. A high-pressure conduit system connects the downstream side with the consumer assemblies and is configured where the central pump operating can deliver water from the downstream side to the buffer tank of each of the consumer assemblies. The method includes operating the central pump where water is pressurized to a first pressure, monitoring pressure in the high-pressure conduit system for a first period of time, and providing a first failure signal when pressure in the high-pressure conduit system drops below a second pressure within the first period of time.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A method for operating an on-board water supply and distribution system of an aircraft for supplying water,
the system comprising:
a central water tank;
a central pump that has an upstream side and a downstream side, wherein the central pump is for conveying and pressurizing water from the upstream side to the downstream side;
consumer assemblies, each comprising a supply device and a buffer tank; and
a high-pressure conduit system that connects the downstream side with the consumer assemblies, wherein the high-pressure conduit system is configured such that the central pump, when operating, is for delivering water from the downstream side to the buffer tank of each of the consumer assemblies;
wherein the buffer tank of each of the consumer assemblies comprises a pressurizing device for applying a consumer pressure to water kept in the buffer tank;
wherein each of the consumer assemblies supplies water from the buffer tank via the supply device;
wherein the central water tank is connected to the upstream side;
the method comprising:
operating the central pump such that water in the high-pressure conduit system is pressurized to a predetermined first pressure;
monitoring pressure in the high-pressure conduit system for a predetermined first period of time; and
providing a first failure signal when the pressure in the high-pressure conduit system drops below a predetermined second pressure within the first period of time.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the consumer assemblies are operated such that, for each of the consumer assemblies, a connection between the buffer tank of the consumer assembly and the high-pressure conduit system is in a closed position.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the consumer assemblies are operated such that, for each of the consumer assemblies, a connection between the buffer tank of the consumer assembly and the high-pressure conduit system is in an open position; pressures in the buffer tanks of each of the consumer assemblies are monitored for a second period of time; and a second failure signal is provided when a difference between the monitored pressures in the buffer tanks of two of the consumer assemblies exceeds a first pressure difference.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the consumer assemblies are operated such that, for each of the consumer assemblies, a connection between the buffer tank of the consumer assembly and the high-pressure conduit system is in an open position; pressures in the buffer tanks of each of the consumer assemblies and in the high-pressure conduit system are monitored for a second period of time; and a second failure signal is provided when a difference between the monitored pressure in the buffer tank of one of the consumer assemblies and the monitored pressure in the high-pressure conduit system exceeds a first pressure difference.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the consumer assemblies are operated such that, for the consumer assemblies, connections between the buffer tank and the high-pressure conduit system are subsequently brought in an open position so that, at one point in time:
for only one of the consumer assemblies, the connection between the buffer tank of the consumer assembly and the high-pressure conduit system is in an open position; and
for remaining consumer assemblies, the connection between the buffer tank of the consumer assembly and the high-pressure conduit system is in a closed position,
for each of the consumer assemblies, when the connection between the buffer tank and the high-pressure conduit system is in the open position, pressure in the high-pressure conduit system is monitored for the predetermined first period of time; and the first failure signal is provided when, for at least one of the consumer assemblies, the pressure in the high-pressure conduit system or pressure in the buffer tank of the consumer assembly with the connection in the open position drops below the predetermined second pressure within the first period of time.

6 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the first failure signal is provided when, for at least one of the consumer assemblies, the pressure in the high-pressure conduit system differs from the pressure in the buffer tank of the consumer assembly with the connection in the open position by more than a second pressure difference within the first period of time.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , comprising:
pressurizing gas in the high-pressure conduit system to a predetermined third pressure; monitoring pressure in the high-pressure conduit system for a predetermined third period of time; and providing a third failure signal when the pressure in the high-pressure conduit system drops below a predetermined fourth pressure within the third period of time.

8 . The method according to claim 7 , comprising operating the consumer assemblies such that, for each of the consumer assemblies, a connection between the buffer tank of a corresponding one of the consumer assemblies and the high-pressure conduit system is in a closed position.

9 . The method according to claim 7 , comprising:
operating the consumer assemblies such that, for each of the consumer assemblies, a connection between the buffer tank of a corresponding one of the consumer assemblies and the high-pressure conduit system is in an open position; monitoring pressures in the buffer tanks for a fourth period of time; and providing a fourth failure signal when a difference between the monitored pressures in the buffer tanks of two of the consumer assemblies exceeds a third pressure difference.

10 . The method according to claim 7 , comprising:
operating the consumer assemblies such that, for each of the consumer assemblies, a connection between the buffer tank of a corresponding one of the consumer assemblies and the high-pressure conduit system is in an open position; monitoring pressures in the buffer tanks and in the high-pressure conduit system for a fourth period of time; and providing a fourth failure signal when a difference between the monitored pressure in the buffer tank of any of the consumer assemblies and the monitored pressure in the high-pressure conduit system exceeds a fourth pressure difference.

11 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein:
the consumer assemblies are operated such that, for the consumer assemblies, a connection between the buffer tank and the high-pressure conduit system is subsequently brought in an open position, so that, at one point in time;
for only one of the consumer assemblies, the connection between the buffer tank of the consumer assembly and the high-pressure conduit system is in the open position; and
for remaining consumer assemblies, the connection between the buffer tank of the consumer assembly and the high-pressure conduit system is in a closed position;
for each of the consumer assemblies, when the connection between the buffer tank and the high-pressure conduit system is in the open position, pressure in the high-pressure conduit system is monitored for the predetermined third period of time; and the third failure signal is provided when, for at least one of the consumer assemblies, the pressure in the high-pressure conduit system or pressure in the buffer tank of the consumer assembly with the connection in the open position drops below the predetermined fourth pressure within the third period of time.

12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the third failure signal is provided when, for at least one of the consumer assemblies, the pressure in the high-pressure conduit

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Gmbh

Inventors

• Albers Frederik
• Muller Hannes
• Schneider Frank
• Rempe Michael
• Lubbert Tim
• Schreiner Axel

Classifications

• B64D11/02 Primary

  Toilet fittings · CPC title

• E03B7/078

  Combined units with different devices; Arrangement of different devices with respect to each other · CPC title

• G05D16/2066

  using controlling means acting on the pressure source · CPC title

• B64D11/04

  Galleys · CPC title

• G01M3/2807

  for pipes (G01M3/2892, G01M3/30 take precedence) · CPC title