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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12509865-B2
Application number	US-202318544906-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2023
Priority date	Dec 20, 2022
Publication date	Dec 30, 2025
Grant date	Dec 30, 2025

Abstract

A method for operating an on-board water supply and distribution system of an aircraft includes a central water tank, central pump, consumer assemblies each including a supply device to supply water, and a high-pressure conduit system. The high-pressure conduit system connects the downstream side and consumer assemblies and is configured where the central pump can deliver water from the downstream side to the consumer assemblies. The method includes operating the central pump where water in the high-pressure conduit system is pressurized to a predetermined first pressure, operating the consumer assemblies where in each of the consumer assemblies the connection between the buffer tank of the consumer assembly and the high-pressure conduit system is in a closed position, monitoring pressure for a predetermined first period of time, and providing a first failure signal when pressure drops below a predetermined 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 configured for conveying and pressurizing water from the upstream side to the downstream side;
consumer assemblies, each comprising a supply device and each configured to supply water via the supply device; and
a high-pressure conduit system;
wherein the central water tank is connected to the upstream side;
wherein the high-pressure conduit system connects the downstream side with the consumer assemblies; and
wherein the high-pressure conduit system, when the central pump is operating, is configured for delivering water from the downstream side to the consumer assemblies:
the method comprising:
operating the central pump such that water in the high-pressure conduit system is pressurized to a predetermined first pressure;
operating the consumer assemblies such that, in each of the consumer assemblies, a connection between the consumer assembly and the high-pressure conduit system is in a closed position;
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 each of the consumer assemblies comprises an inlet valve connecting the high-pressure conduit system with a corresponding one of the consumer assemblies;
the method comprising: pressurizing gas in the high-pressure conduit system to a predetermined third pressure; operating the consumer assemblies such that, in each of the consumer assemblies, the inlet valve is in a closed position, so that the gas is prevented from passing from the high-pressure conduit system into the corresponding one of the consumer assemblies; monitoring the pressure in the high-pressure conduit system for a predetermined second period of time; and providing a second failure signal when the pressure in the high-pressure conduit system drops below a predetermined fourth pressure within the second period of time.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , comprising:
operating the central pump such that water is conveyed from the upstream side to the downstream side and into the high-pressure conduit system; monitoring the 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 remains below a predetermined fifth pressure within the third period of time.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , comprising:
operating the central pump such that water is conveyed from the upstream side to the downstream side and into the high-pressure conduit system; monitoring a flow of water from the upstream side to the downstream side and into the high-pressure conduit system for a predetermined fourth period of time; providing a third failure signal when the flow of water from the upstream side to the downstream side and into the high-pressure conduit system remains below a predetermined first flow level within the fourth period of time.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the consumer assemblies comprises a buffer tank connected to the high-pressure conduit system and is configured to supply water from the buffer tank via the supply device;
the method comprising:
operating the at least one of the consumer assemblies such that the connection between the at least one of the consumer assemblies and the high-pressure conduit system is in an open position;
operating the central pump such that water is conveyed from the upstream side to the downstream side, into the high-pressure conduit system, and into the buffer tank of the at least one consumer assembly;
monitoring whether a level in the buffer tank of the at least one of the consumer assemblies increases by more than a predetermined first filling level difference; and
providing a fourth failure signal when the level in the buffer tank of the at least one of the consumer assemblies has not increased by more than the predetermined first filling level difference within a predetermined fifth period of time.

6 . The method according to claim 5 , comprising:
monitoring a flow of water from the upstream side to the downstream side and into the high-pressure conduit system; wherein the predetermined fifth period of time is calculated based on the monitored flow of water from the upstream side to the downstream side and into the high-pressure conduit system.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein each of the consumer assemblies comprises a buffer tank connected to the high-pressure conduit system and is configured to supply water from the buffer tank via the supply device;
the method comprising:
operating the consumer assemblies such that the connection between the consumer assemblies and the high-pressure conduit system is in an open position:
operating the central pump such that water is conveyed from the upstream side to the downstream side, into the high-pressure conduit system, and into the buffer tank of each of the consumer assemblies, wherein the buffer tanks are subsequently filled such that, at one point in time, only one of the consumer assemblies is supplied with water;
monitoring whether a level in the buffer tank of each of the consumer assemblies increases by a predetermined first filling level difference; and
providing a fourth failure signal when, for at least one of the consumer assemblies, a time between a start of the filling of the buffer tank associated therewith and of reaching the predetermined first filling level difference exceeds a predetermined fifth period of time.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the consumer assemblies comprises a buffer tank connected to the high-pressure conduit system and is configured to supply water from the buffer tank via the supply device;
the method comprising:
operating the at least one of the consumer assemblies such that the connection between the at least one of the consumer assemblies and the high-pressure conduit system is in an open position;
operating the central pump such that water is conveyed from the upstream side to the downstream side, into the high-pressure conduit system, and into the buffer tank of the at least one consumer assembly;
monitoring whether a level in the buffer tank of the at least one consumer assembly increases by more than a predetermined second filling level difference;
stopping operation of the central pump when the level in the buffer tank of the at least one of the consumer assemblies has increased by the predetermined second filling level difference;
monitoring whether a level in the buffer tank of the at least one consumer assembly decreases by more than a predetermined third filling level difference; and
providing a fifth failure signal when the level in the buffer tank of the at least one of the consumer assemblies has decreased by more than the predetermined third filling level difference within a predetermined sixth period of time.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein each of the consumer assemblies comprises a buffer tank connected to the high-pressure conduit system via an inlet valve and is configured to supply water from the buffer tank via the supply device;
the method comprising:
operating the consumer assemblies such that the connection between the consumer assemblies and the high-pressure condu

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Gmbh

Inventors

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

Classifications

• E03B11/06

  with air regulators {(air receivers for water conduits F16L55/04; pressure control devices for fluids G05D)} · CPC title

• B64D11/02 Primary

  Toilet fittings · CPC title

• G01M3/2815

  using pressure measurements · CPC title

• E03D3/10

  Flushing devices with pressure-operated reservoir, e.g. air chamber · CPC title

• E03D5/024

  Operated hydraulically or pneumatically · CPC title