Auxiliary cooling device for connection to an aircraft liquid cooling system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8931290-B2
Application number	US-200913000524-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 24, 2009
Priority date	Jun 26, 2008
Publication date	Jan 13, 2015
Grant date	Jan 13, 2015

Abstract

An auxiliary cooling device is configured to be operated outside of an aircraft. The auxiliary cooling device is configured to be connected to an aircraft liquid cooling system which includes a refrigerating device, a coolant supply connection, a coolant discharge connection, and a control device. The auxiliary cooling device includes a cold source that is adapted to cool a coolant down to a desired low temperature, an auxiliary cooling device outlet which is connected to the cold source and connectable to the coolant supply connection. The auxiliary cooling device also includes an auxiliary cooling device inlet which is connected to the cold source and connectable to the coolant discharge connection of the aircraft liquid cooling system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An auxiliary cooling device, which is configured to be operated outside of an aircraft and connected to a liquid cooling system of the aircraft, the liquid cooling system including a refrigerating device, a coolant supply connection, a coolant discharge connection, and a control device, the auxiliary cooling device comprising:
a cold source configured to cool a coolant down to a desired temperature, the coolant being in liquid phase,
an auxiliary cooling device outlet connected to the cold source, the auxiliary cooling device outlet being connectable to the coolant supply connection of the aircraft liquid cooling system in order to deliver the coolant cooled to the desired temperature by the cold source to the liquid cooling system,
an auxiliary cooling device inlet, which is connected to the cold source and connectable to the coolant discharge connection of the aircraft liquid cooling system in order to receive coolant heated by heat absorption from a heat load in the aircraft, and
an auxiliary cooling device interface configured to receive from the control device of the liquid cooling system a signal that indicates at least one of a coolant requirement and a setpoint temperature of the coolant to be delivered to the liquid cooling system, the auxiliary cooling device being further configured to provide coolant in response to the receipt of said signal that indicates at least one of the coolant requirement and a setpoint temperature of coolant to be delivered.

2. The auxiliary cooling device according to claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary cooling device delivers coolant cooled to the desired low temperature by the cold source at the auxiliary cooling device outlet to the liquid cooling system in accordance with the signal received by the auxiliary cooling device interface.

3. The auxiliary cooling device according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:
wheels configured to allow the auxiliary cooling device to be moved to the aircraft for use with the liquid cooling system, and
connection lines extending from an airport area accommodating the auxiliary cooling device when formed as a stationary device to the aircraft liquid cooling system.

4. The auxiliary cooling device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a filter device for filtering the coolant.

5. The auxiliary cooling device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a diesel motor with an integrated generator, wherein the auxiliary cooling device is adapted to fill the liquid cooling system with coolant and to drain coolant from the aircraft liquid cooling system.

6. An aircraft cooling assembly, comprising:
an auxiliary cooling device including a cold source configured to cool a coolant down to a desired temperature, the coolant being in liquid phase, an auxiliary cooling device outlet connected to the cold source, an auxiliary cooling device inlet connected to the cold source, and an auxiliary cooling device interface configured to receive a signal that indicates at least one of a coolant requirement and a setpoint temperature of the coolant to be delivered,
the auxiliary cooling device being further configured to provide coolant in response to the receipt of said signal that indicates at least one of a coolant requirement and a setpoint temperature of coolant to be delivered, and
an aircraft liquid cooling system, comprising:
a refrigerating device configured to cool a liquid coolant circulating in a cooling circuit down to the desired low temperature,
a coolant supply connection connectable to the auxiliary cooling device outlet of the auxiliary cooling device in order to receive coolant cooled down to the desired low temperature by the cold source of the auxiliary cooling device, and
a coolant discharge connection connectable to the auxiliary cooling device inlet of the auxiliary cooling device in order to deliver coolant heated by heat absorption from a heat load in the aircraft to the auxiliary cooling device.

7. The aircraft cooling assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the aircraft liquid cooling system further comprises:
a heat exchanger, which comprises a first fluid line as well as a second fluid line thermally coupled to the first fluid line, wherein the first fluid line is connected in a fluid-conveying manner to the cooling circuit of the aircraft liquid cooling system and the second fluid line is connected to the coolant supply connection as well as to the coolant discharge connection of the aircraft liquid cooling system.

8. The aircraft cooling assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the aircraft liquid cooling system further comprises:
a control device configured to transmit via an aircraft cooling system interface to the auxiliary cooling device interface of the auxiliary cooling device the signal that indicates the coolant requirement and/or the setpoint temperature of the coolant to be delivered to the aircraft liquid cooling system.

9. The aircraft cooling assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the aircraft liquid cooling system further comprises:
a coolant supply line connected to the coolant supply connection and in which a coolant supply connection valve is arranged, and
a coolant discharge line connected to the coolant discharge connection and in which a coolant discharge connection valve is arranged.

10. The aircraft cooling assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the coolant supply line and the coolant discharge line open out into the cooling circuit of the aircraft liquid cooling system connected to the refrigerating device, and wherein a first valve is arranged in the cooling circuit between the coolant supply line and the coolant discharge line.

11. The aircraft cooling assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the first valve is at least one of: formed as a ball valve, formed as a return valve, formed as an electrical control valve, and is integrated in a conveying device arranged in the cooling circuit.

12. The aircraft cooling assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the control device of the aircraft liquid cooling system is adapted to control at least one of: the refrigerating device, the first valve, the coolant supply connection valve, and the coolant discharge connection valve, and wherein the control device of the aircraft liquid cooling system is adapted in a special mode to control the communication between the aircraft liquid cooling system and the auxiliary cooling system.

Assignees

• Soenmez Kenan
• Leroy Luc
• Airbus Operations Gmbh
• Airbus Sas

Inventors

• Soenmez Kenan
• Leroy Luc

Classifications

• B64F1/364 Primary

  Mobile units · CPC title

• Y02T50/82

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• Y02T50/80

  Energy efficient operational measures, e.g. ground operations or mission management · CPC title