The present subject matter generally relates to aircraft environmental control systems, and more particularly, it relates to humidity control.
The environmental control system of an aircraft provides air supply, thermal control, and cabin pressurization for the crew and passengers. The atmosphere at typical jetliner cruising altitudes is generally very dry and cold, and outside air is pumped into the cabin on a long flight. Consequently, when humid air at lower altitudes is encountered and drawn in, the environmental control system dries it through the warming and cooling cycle, so that even with high external relative humidity, inside the cabin it will usually be not much higher than 10% relative humidity. Although low cabin humidity has health benefits such as preventing the growth of fungi and bacteria, the low humidity causes a drying of the skin, eyes, and mucosal membranes and contributes to dehydration, which leads to fatigue, discomfort, and health issues.
This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify key features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
One aspect of the present subject matter includes a device form which recites an aircraft humidifier comprising a water filtration system that is suitable to produce filtered water without freezing, the water filtration system operating by static water pressure from an aircraft and including stages selected from a group consisting essentially of reverse osmosis and deionization. The aircraft humidifier further comprises a duct that is capable of receiving atomized water droplets formed from the filtered water and compressed air to communicate the atomized water droplets to ambient air. The duct includes a mouth, throat, neck, and a mix joint to receive the atomized water droplets, which together communicate the atomized water droplets to a chute, C-joint, and canal, which together in turn communicate the atomized water droplets to the ambient air through a posterior air outlet while evaporating remaining atomized water droplets inside the duct.
Another aspect of the present subject matter includes a method form which recites a method for humidifying an aircraft cabin. The method comprises filtering water without freezing by operating static water pressure from an aircraft and producing filtered water by causing the water to enter stages of reverse osmosis, deionization, and final filtering. The method further comprises communicating atomized water droplets into ambient air through a duct that is capable of receiving atomized water droplets formed from the filtered water and compressed air while evaporating remaining atomized water droplets inside the duct.
The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Various embodiments of the present subject matter engineer an aircraft humidifier. Some embodiments engineer a stand-alone, fully integrated aircraft humidifier that is suitable for providing uniform, non-wetting humidified air disbursed by the aircraft humidifier into ambient air to increase the relative humidity in low humidity environments such as aircraft interiors, including cockpits, cabins, crew rests, cargo holds, and lavatories, as well as any other enclosed areas. The term “non-wetting” means the inclusion of a condition in which water is evaporated in air that is above the dew point. In many embodiments, the aircraft humidifier is engineered to include a water source, a supply of water, a water filter, compressed air, a specialized nozzle without moving parts, a duct (including, in some embodiments, a turbulator or an evaporator) to provide for maximum evaporation through the atomization of water, and an internal drainage and collection system to collect and recycle any loose un-evaporated water within the device to provide for a safe, sanitary and microbe-free environment. Depending on the interior aircraft dew point, in a few embodiments, it is engineered so that the produced humidification is not wetting to surfaces external to the aircraft humidifier by evaporating the water and the air, and surface temperatures are caused to be above the dew point of the humid air or vice versa.
In commercial air travel, particularly in airliners, cabins may be divided into several parts. These can include travel class sections in medium and large aircraft, areas for flight attendants, the galley, and storage for in-flight services. Seats are primarily arranged in rows and alleys. Along these alleys, an aircraft galley service trolley 102 may be pushed or pulled by flight attendants to facilitate in-flight services to passengers. In various embodiments of the present subject matter, the aircraft humidifier 103 is housed by the aircraft galley service trolley 102 so as to facilitate humidifying the aircraft cabin 100. In a few embodiments, the aircraft humidifier 103 is suitably connected to an aircraft environmental control system (not shown) instead of being housed by the aircraft galley service trolley 102.
The aircraft humidifier assemblage includes a pressurized air tank 313, which stores pressurized air. The aircraft humidifier assemblage includes a compressor 323 which is coupled to the pressurized air tank 313 to communicate pressurized air to be stored by the pressurized air tank 313. A pressurized air feed line (not shown) communicates pressurized air to the nozzle 329. In one embodiment, the compressor 323 is not used and instead the pressurized air tank 313 receives bled air from the aircraft. In another embodiment, the compressor 323 is not used and instead the pressurized air tank 313 receives compressed air from the aircraft. In a third embodiment, the compressor 323 is used to provide compressed air directly to the pressurized air feed line feeding the nozzle 329.
The nozzle 329 is engineered for projecting venting, without moving parts, the filtered water communicated by the water feed line and the pressurized air communicated by the pressurized air feed line, in one embodiment, to produce atomized water droplets. In a second embodiment, the nozzle 329 is engineered to speed up, without moving parts, the filtered water communicated by the water feed line and the pressurized air communicated by the pressurized air feed line, to produce atomized water droplets. In a third embodiment, the nozzle 329 is engineered to accelerate the filtered water communicated by the water feed line and the pressurized air communicated by the pressurized air feed line, to produce atomized water droplets.
The atomized water droplets (or exhausted humidified air) are communicated by the nozzle 329 to a duct 315 (duct, turbulator duct, evaporator duct, exhaust duct, and mixing duct may be used interchangeably). The duct 315, in one embodiment, is engineered to incorporate corrugated internal surfaces to agitate the evaporation of atomized water droplets. In a second embodiment, the duct 315 is engineered to facilitate a spiral curvilinear passage. In a third embodiment, the spiral curvilinear passage is suitably an expanding spiral. In a fourth embodiment, the spiral curvilinear passage is suitably a constant area spiral. In a fifth embodiment, the duct 315 is engineered to have variable side walls to minimize or maximize the rate of outflow. In almost all embodiments, the duct 315 is engineered to cause a further mixing of the air/water mixture in the form of atomized water droplets to ensure full evaporation.
A sump 317 is capable of collecting moisture leaking from the duct 315. Any leaked moisture is detected and communicated by a sump moisture sensor 319. Actual moisture in the sump 317 is communicated on a sump water recycle line 321 back to the water filter system 322. An air inlet port 327b is provided by the aircraft humidifier assemblage to allow air to enter into the compressor 323. The duct 315 is coupled to an air outlet port 325 as well as to an air inlet port 327a. The air outlet port 325 communicates the atomized water droplets to a locally delimited area of the aircraft cabin 100 and so as to feed humidified air into the locally delimited area of the aircraft cabin 100 during normal operation of the aircraft. In one embodiment, the atomized water droplets are communicated by the aircraft humidifier 103 to ambient air without the use of the air outlet port 325. In another embodiment, the atomized water droplets are communicated to the environmental control system of the aircraft, which in turn communicates the atomized water droplets to ambient air.
In one embodiment, the aircraft humidifier 103 is engineered to have a metallic or a composite liner which is water resistant and non-permeable to prevent leakage or contamination. In another embodiment, the aircraft humidifier 103 is engineered to include internal mechanisms to evaporate free water within the device. In a further embodiment, the aircraft humidifier 103 is engineered to recycle any free water within the device for deployment as humidification. In an additional embodiment, the aircraft humidifier 103 is engineered to facilitate access to internal components for maintenance, repair, and cleaning. In a concrete embodiment, the aircraft humidifier 103 is engineered to incorporate analog and/or digital controls for monitoring, switching, transmitting, metering, measuring, sensing, lighting, cleaning, and connecting to existing environmental control systems. In a specific embodiment, the aircraft humidifier 103 is engineered to be incorporated in a customized container which is the size of a typical aircraft galley service trolley and which then may be incorporated into the galley trolley insert locations with typical locking and docking mechanisms. In a latest embodiment, the aircraft humidifier 103 is engineered to include wheels or other mechanisms for mobility. In a latter embodiment, the aircraft humidifier 103 is engineered to be incorporated into the overhead storage bin of the aircraft's passenger cabin. In a latter embodiment, the aircraft humidifier 103 is engineered to be incorporated above or below the aircraft's passenger cabin. In an as yet further embodiment, the aircraft humidifier 103 is engineered to disperse disinfectants or other water soluble compounds into ambient air.
While illustrative embodiments have been illustrated and described, it will be appreciated that various changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/033,376, filed Sep. 20, 2013, which in turn claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/703,690, filed Sep. 20, 2012, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61703690 | Sep 2012 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 14033376 | Sep 2013 | US |
Child | 15663303 | US |