Galley refrigeration system of an aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016340044-A1
Application number	US-201514716409-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 19, 2015
Priority date	May 19, 2015
Publication date	Nov 24, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A galley refrigeration system includes a liquid heat exchange loop and an air heat exchange loop in thermal communication with the liquid heat exchange loop. The air heat exchange loop includes a heat exchanger configured to be coupled in flow communication with at least one galley cart. Optionally, the galley refrigeration system may include a control system in operative communication with the liquid heat exchange loop and the air heat exchange loop.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A galley refrigeration system comprising:
a liquid heat exchange loop; and an air heat exchange loop in thermal communication with the liquid heat exchange loop, the air heat exchange loop comprising a heat exchanger configured to be coupled in flow communication with at least one galley cart.

2 . The galley refrigeration system of claim 1 , wherein the air heat exchange loop is a first air heat exchange loop and the at least one galley cart includes a first galley cart and a second galley cart, the galley refrigeration system further comprising a second air heat exchange loop in thermal communication with the liquid heat exchange loop, the second air heat exchange loop comprising a second heat exchanger configured to be coupled in flow communication with the second galley cart.

3 . The galley refrigeration system of claim 2 , wherein the first and second air heat exchange loops are operated differently to achieve different temperatures in the corresponding at least one galley cart.

4 . The galley refrigeration system of claim 1 , wherein the liquid heat exchange loop comprises a chiller, a supply line between the chiller and the air heat exchange loop, and a return line between the chiller and the air heat exchange loop.

5 . The galley refrigeration system of claim 4 , wherein the supply line is in thermal communication with a plurality of heat exchangers.

6 . The galley refrigeration system of claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is in flow communication with a plurality of galley carts.

7 . The galley refrigeration system of claim 1 , wherein the air heat exchange loop comprises a supply duct between the heat exchanger and the corresponding at least one galley cart and a return duct between the heat exchanger and the corresponding at least one galley cart.

8 . The galley refrigeration system of claim 1 , further comprising a control system in operative communication with the liquid heat exchange loop and the air heat exchange loop.

9 . The galley refrigeration system of claim 8 , wherein the control system is configured to receive at least one of a liquid supply temperature and a liquid return temperature, the control system controlling operation of the liquid heat exchange loop based on the received temperature.

10 . The galley refrigeration system of claim 8 , wherein the liquid heat exchange loop comprises a pump, the control system operatively coupled to the pump, the control system controlling the pump based on a temperature of the liquid of the liquid heat exchange loop.

11 . The galley refrigeration system of claim 8 , wherein the control system is configured to receive at least one of an air supply temperature and an air return temperature, the control system controlling operation of the air heat exchange loop based on the received temperature.

12 . The galley refrigeration system of claim 11 , wherein the control system is configured to diagnose at least one of operation of the heat exchanger and efficiency of the galley cart based on the received temperature.

13 . The galley refrigeration system of claim 8 , wherein the control system controls the heat exchanger to achieve a predetermined temperature within the corresponding at least one galley cart.

14 . The galley refrigeration system of claim 8 , wherein the control system controls the heat exchanger based on a temperature of the liquid heat exchange loop.

15 . The galley refrigeration system of claim 8 , wherein the heat exchanger includes a variable speed fan, the control system controlling a speed of the fan to achieve a predetermined temperature in the corresponding at least one galley cart.

16 . The galley refrigeration system of claim 8 , further comprising at least one temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of at least one of the liquid heat exchange loop and the air heat exchange loop, the at least one temperature sensor being in operative communication with the control system.

17 . The galley refrigeration system of claim 1 , wherein the air heat exchange loop is a first air heat exchange loop, the galley refrigeration system further comprising a second air heat exchange loop in thermal communication with the liquid heat exchange loop, the second air heat exchange loop comprising a heat exchanger configured to be coupled in flow communication with a refrigerated compartment.

18 . The galley refrigeration system of claim 1 , wherein the liquid heat exchange loop comprises a chiller, a supply line in flow communication with the chiller, a return line in flow communication with the chiller, an accumulator in the supply line configured to store cold liquid, and an accumulator bypass configured to bypass the accumulator to transfer liquid to the air heat exchange loop for defrosting the heat exchanger.

19 . A galley system comprising:
a galley having a rear wall; a liquid heat exchange loop in the galley; and an air heat exchange loop in the galley, the air heat exchange loop extending in the galley and being in thermal communication with the liquid heat exchange loop, the air heat exchange loop comprising a heat exchanger configured to be coupled in flow communication with a refrigerated compartment of the galley.

20 . The galley of claim 19 , wherein the liquid heat exchange loop extends through the rear wall to the refrigerated compartment.

21 . The galley of claim 19 , wherein the air heat exchange loop comprises a supply duct in flow communication with the heat exchanger and a return duct in flow communication with the heat exchanger, the heat exchanger, supply duct and return duct being in or near the refrigerated compartment for flow communication therewith.

22 . The galley of claim 19 , further comprising a counter oriented with respect to the rear wall and a cart compartment at least partially defined by the rear wall and the counter, the cart compartment being configured to receive at least one galley cart, wherein the heat exchanger is positioned in the cart compartment.

23 . The galley of claim 22 , wherein the heat exchanger is positioned above the counter, the air heat exchange loop comprising supply and return ducts extending from the heat exchanger into the cart compartment.

24 . The galley of claim 19 , wherein the liquid heat exchange loop comprises supply and return lines and the air heat exchange loop comprises supply and return ducts, the supply and return lines and the supply and return ducts being provided in the rear wall.

25 . The galley of claim 19 , further comprising a galley cart received in the refrigerated compartment, the galley cart being an insulated galley cart having supply and return ports in flow communication with the air heat exchange loop, the air heat exchange loop configured to supply air in an air-through-cart supply arrangement.

26 . The galley of claim 19 , further comprising a counter oriented with respect to the rear wall and a cart compartment at least partially defined by the rear wall and the counter, the cart compartment comprises a plurality of cart bays, each cart bay receiving a corresponding galley cart, the galley system comprising a plurality of the air heat exchange loops, each air heat exchange loop associated with a corresponding cart bay and galley cart.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Schalla James P

Classifications

• F25D16/00

  Devices using a combination of a cooling mode associated with refrigerating machinery with a cooling mode not associated with refrigerating machinery · CPC title

• F28D15/00

  Heat-exchange apparatus with the intermediate heat-transfer medium in closed tubes passing into or through the conduit walls {; Heat-exchange apparatus employing intermediate heat-transfer medium or bodies (F28D17/00, F28D19/00, F28D20/00 take precedence)} · CPC title

• B64D11/0007

  Devices specially adapted for food or beverage distribution services · CPC title

• B64D11/04 Primary

  Galleys · CPC title

• F28F27/00

  Control arrangements or safety devices specially adapted for heat-exchange or heat-transfer apparatus (control arrangements in general G05) · CPC title