Air-Conditioning System For An Aircraft

Abstract

An air-conditioning system for an aircraft has a fresh air line, a recirculation device, an air-mixing device, an air distribution system with multiple cabin air outlets, and a control unit. The control unit is designed to determine or to receive flight-specific parameters characterizing the flight state of the aircraft, and to determine or to receive environment-specific parameters which characterize an air quality in the environment of the aircraft. A first operating state of the air-conditioning system is brought about in the case of a predefined limit value of at least one environment-specific parameter being exceeded, and a second operating state of said system is brought about during a second flight state, which is outside the first flight state. In the second operating state, the fresh air line is fluidically connected to the air-mixing device, and in the first operating state, the fresh air line is separated from the air-mixing device.

Claims

1. An air-conditioning system for an aircraft, comprising: a fresh air line; a recirculation device, with a cabin air inlet and a recirculation air outlet, for recirculating cabin air; an air-mixing device; an air distribution system with multiple cabin air outlets; and a control unit, wherein the air-mixing device is configured to be coupled to the recirculation outlet and to the fresh air line, and has a mixed air outlet coupled to the air distribution system, wherein the control unit is configured to determine or to receive flight-specific parameters characterizing the flight state of the aircraft, and to determine or to receive environment-specific parameters characterizing an air quality in the environment of the aircraft, wherein the control unit is configured to bring about a first operating state of the air-conditioning system during a first flight state, which is outside cruising flight, and in the case of a predefined limit value of at least one environment-specific parameter being exceeded, and to bring about a second operating state of said system during a second flight state, which is outside the first flight state, and wherein, in the second operating state, the fresh air line is fluidically connected to the air-mixing device, and wherein, in the first operating state, the fresh air line is separated from the air-mixing device.

2. The air-conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the flight-specific parameters are selected from a group of parameters, the group consisting of: barometric height, instantaneous position, flight attitude, speed, landing gear status, air data, and system information of other components.

3. The air-conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the environment-specific parameters are selected from a group of parameters, the group consisting of: carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, ozone, and fine dust.

4. The air-conditioning system according to claim 1, further comprising an air treatment device connected to the fresh air line and having a fresh air outlet, wherein the air treatment device is connected to the fresh air line and is configured to provide fresh air with a predetermined temperature at the fresh air outlet, and wherein the fresh air outlet is configured to be connected to the air-mixing device.

5. The air-conditioning system according to claim 4, wherein the control unit is configured to interrupt the operation of the air treatment device in the first operating state.

6. The air-conditioning system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one outlet valve coupled to the control unit and configured to discharge air from a cabin of the aircraft, and wherein the control unit is configured to close the at least one outlet valve in the first operating state, and to open said at least one outlet valve in the second operating state for the purpose of regulating a pressure in a cabin of the aircraft, the pressure being dependent on the flying height.

7. The air-conditioning system according to claim 6, wherein the control unit is configured to actuate the at least one outlet valve prior to the assumption of the first operating state such that, immediately prior to the first operating state, the pressure in the cabin substantially corresponds to an end pressure of the cabin after passing-through of the second operating state instead of the first operating state.

8. The air-conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the first flight state comprises a landing approach phase, which is between a cruising flight and a landing, or an ascent phase, which is between the take-off and the attainment of a cruising height.

9. The air-conditioning system according to claim 8, wherein the first flight state comprises at most a lower third of the landing approach phase or the ascent phase.

10. The air-conditioning system according to claim 1, further comprising a warning device and a deactivation means coupled to the control unit, wherein the warning device is configured to indicate the assumption of the first operating state in a cockpit of the aircraft, and wherein the deactivation means is configured to send a control signal to the control unit, so that the control unit cancels the first operating state.

11. The air-conditioning system according to claim 1, further comprising an optical detection device for detecting environment-specific parameters, wherein the optical detection device is coupled to the control unit.

12. An aircraft having a fuselage with a cabin formed therein and with at least one air-conditioning system according to one of claim 1.

13. The aircraft according to claim 12, wherein the control unit is configured to be connected to a processing unit on board the aircraft, said processing unit providing the environment-specific and/or flight-specific parameters.

14. The aircraft according to claim 13, wherein the processing unit is configured to receive at least one data set concerning environment-specific parameters from a device situated outside the aircraft and to provide said data set in a database in the aircraft in a manner retrievable by the control unit, and wherein the data set contains vertically resolved data on environment-specific parameters at least for an intended take-off or landing location.

15. The aircraft according to claim 12, wherein the aircraft is a passenger aircraft.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] Further features, advantages and possible uses of the present invention will emerge from the following description of the exemplary embodiments and from the figures. Here, all of the features described and/or illustrated in the figures form the subject matter of the invention individually and in any desired combination, even independently of the combination of said features in the individual claims or the back-references thereof. Furthermore, in the figures, the same reference signs are used for identical or similar objects.

[0036] FIG. 1 schematically shows a block diagram of an air-conditioning system according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0037] FIG. 2 shows a height diagram with an air recirculation mode represented qualitatively therein.

[0038] FIG. 3 shows an aircraft having an air-conditioning system of said type.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] FIG. 1 shows a schematic embodiment of an air-conditioning system 2 in a block-based illustration. By way of example, a passenger cabin 4, represented by dashed lines, is, by way of the air-conditioning system 2, supplied with treated air and subjected to a desired pressure.

[0040] The air-conditioning system 2 has a fresh air line 6 by way of which fresh air is provided. The source for fresh air cannot be seen in the illustration and may be provided by bleed air, ram air or other air sources. An air treatment device 8 receives fresh air and is able to treat this in the desired manner. This concerns in particular the provision of a desired temperature and a desired pressure at a fresh air outlet 9. For example, the air treatment device 8 may be designed as a bleed air-operated air cycle machine and/or with in particular electrically operated compressors and an evaporative cooling installation and/or other conceivable cooling devices. It is self-evident that hybrid variants of all of these embodiments are also conceivable.

[0041] A fresh air valve 10 is, by way of example, shown arranged downstream of the air treatment device 8 and is completely open in this illustration. Consequently, it is possible for fresh air from the fresh air line 6 to be conducted in treated form through the fresh air valve 10. Said fresh air then reaches a mixing device 12, which has a fresh air inlet 14 for this purpose.

[0042] The mixing device 12 also has a recirculation air inlet 16, which is connected to a recirculation device 18. The latter device is set up for receiving used air from the cabin 4 via a schematically indicated cabin air inlet 21. It should be noted at this juncture that, normally, there is provided no discrete cabin air inlet 21 but rather a series of a large number of outlet openings through which air from the cabin flows into one or more spaces situated below the cabin and, from there, is extracted by suction. The cabin air inlet 21 may thus be an inlet opening of the recirculation device 18. The recirculation device 18 conducts the used air into the mixing device 12 via a recirculation air outlet 20.

[0043] The mixing device 12 is designed to provide, from the incoming air streams, mixed air at a mixed air outlet 22, which mixed air is fed to an air distribution system 24. The air distribution system 24 may have main lines 26 and 28 which are connected to multiple cabin air outlets 30. Mixed air which flows into the air distribution system 24 is consequently fed to the cabin air outlets 30, which in turn discharge the air into the cabin 4.

[0044] In order for a part of used cabin air to be removed, use is made of outlet valves 32, which may be arranged in a lower region of an aircraft fuselage. By regulation of the degree of opening of the outlet valves 32, the pressure in the interior of the cabin 4 is influenced directly when air continuously flows into the cabin 4 through the cabin air outlets 30. In order to regulate the cabin pressure, a cabin pressure regulation device 34 may be provided, which is connected in particular to the outlet valves 32 and the other components of the air-conditioning system 2. The cabin pressure regulation device 34 has, as is normally the case with passenger aircraft, one or more dedicated sensors 35, which are able to detect the pressure of the cabin independently of other devices.

[0045] As stated in the introduction, it is conceivable that, in the case of flight through air layers having pollutants, the latter are introduced into the cabin 4. Such a situation may occur in particular in near-ground regions, which occur during a direct landing approach or after take-off and the initial climbing flight. Data concerning air pollution which is possibly present may be stored in a processing unit 36. By way of example, this could be a flight management system (FMS) or a separate computer unit provided for this purpose, or could be realized merely as a function in another device on board the aircraft. The processing unit 36 may be supplied externally with data 38, which contain information about air quality in the form of environment-specific parameters.

[0046] A control unit 40 is provided to determine or to receive flight-specific parameters which characterize the flight state of the aircraft. For example, the control unit 40 could receive information about the present flight state by way of a connection to the processing unit 36, which could be designed as an FMS. A flight state may comprise information about flight attitude angle, speed, acceleration, flying height, location on a planned flight path, or the like. Consequently, the control unit 40 can establish whether the aircraft is in a near-ground region, in which any pollutants in the air could occur.

[0047] An exact definition of a near-ground region should include a certain amount of leeway, which could be adapted to the altitude of a starting airport, a landing airport, a geographical location or the like. The near-ground region may furthermore also be the same for all flight destinations. It could be expedient to define the near-ground region up to one third or half of a (first) cruising height.

[0048] It is provided that the control unit 40 can furthermore determine or receive data which characterize the air quality in an environment of the aircraft. The computer device 36 may provide said data. For example, the control unit 40 could permanently receive said data during the flight. It is also conceivable that the control unit 40 requests said data, and then evaluates them, only when the first flight state is present.

[0049] The control unit 40 is designed to determine from environment-specific parameters whether a tolerable amount of air pollution is being exceeded. This may be carried out on the basis of different measurement values, which are stated above. If the control unit 40 can actually detect an exceedance of a predefined limit value of at least one environment-specific parameter, the control unit 40 can bring about a first operating state of the air-conditioning system 2. This relates in particular to the closure of the fresh air valve 10 and, optionally, the deactivation of the air treatment device 8. In order to prevent a pressure decrease, it is also possible for the outlet valves 32 to be closed. In the first operating state, the cabin 4 consequently has no fresh air supply, but rather is operated in a pure air recirculation mode. If there is a departure from an air layer having a non-tolerated amount of air pollution, the control unit 40 can bring about the assumption of the first operating state. This is shown in FIG. 1 in that the fresh air valve 10 and the outlet valves 32 are open and also the air treatment device 8 is being operated.

[0050] The control unit 40 may also be connected to a warning device 42, which is positioned for example in a cockpit of the aircraft (not shown). The warning device may have a deactivation means 44, by way of which it is possible to manually depart from the first operating state again.

[0051] FIG. 2 shows, on the basis of a height diagram, which consequences the operation of the control unit 40 has on the cabin pressure or the cabin pressure regulation. Here, the cabin pressure is represented by a so-called cabin height, that is to say the height at which a barometric pressure which is identical to the cabin pressure prevails.

[0052] The instantaneous flying height of the aircraft is represented by the (solid) height curve 46. Following a climbing phase, which is shown in a simplified manner, the aircraft flies at a constant cruising height and then performs a descent and landing approach. By way of example, a near-ground region 48 which could contain pollution is marked. If the aircraft is situated in this region 48, the first flight state is to be adopted. A region 50 situated thereabove is regarded as being sufficiently clean. If the aircraft is situated therein, the second flight state is adopted.

[0053] If, in the first flight state, an excessive amount of air pollution in the direct environment of the aircraft is detected, the control unit 40 brings about the assumption of a first operating state 52, which is identified by a dashed line along the X-axis (progression of time). Assumed in this first operating state 52 are the fresh air supply, by way of closure of the fresh air valve 10, and the optional deactivation of the air treatment device 8 and also the closure of the outlet valves 32. The cabin 4 is then air-conditioned exclusively in an air recirculation mode. The detection of the excessive amount of air pollution may be realized by evaluation of the environment-specific data. In this case, specific parameters are compared with predefined limit values. In the case of a limit value being exceeded, a non-tolerated amount of air pollution can be assumed.

[0054] Subsequently, that is to say in the upper height region 50, in which the second flight state is adopted, the fresh air supply is resumed by opening the fresh air valve 10 and the start-up of the air treatment device 8 is resumed. Additionally, the outlet valves 32 are re-opened. The cabin height then increases by a greater degree to a maximum cabin height 60.

[0055] Through the comparison with a dash-dotted line, which represents conventional operation exclusively in a second operating state 53 with no switching into the air recirculation mode, it becomes clear that, in the first operating state 52, the cabin height increases to an end pressure 58 only relatively slowly. This occurs here, by way of example, exclusively as a result of possible leakage in the fuselage, which leads to a leakage air stream and thus to a slow pressure decrease. Following the switching of the air-conditioning system 2 into a second operating state 55, the cabin height then increases to a maximum cabin height 60. Following initiation of the descent, the near-ground region 48 is again reached at a certain point in time, in which region the first flight state is present and in which region, in the case shown, an excessive amount of pollutants in the air surrounding the aircraft is again assumed. The closure of the outlet valves 32 and the deactivation of the fresh air supply, by way of closure of the fresh air valve 10, and the activation of the air treatment device 8 are again realized.

[0056] A special feature can furthermore be seen in FIG. 2 in that, at this beginning of a renewed first operating state 54 at the end of a flight mission, that is to say in a descent phase or landing approach phase during entry into the relevant near-ground region 48, if there is air pollution there, a negative cabin height 56 is present by way of example. The control unit 40 is able to regulate with advance checking the cabin pressure in the cabin 4 already significantly ahead of this further first operating state 54 owing to the data regarding presence of pollution in the air. Following the end of the first operating state 54, owing to possible leakage, an end pressure prevails, or an end cabin height 62 corresponding to the latter is present, which would correspond to the end pressure which is to be expected when a second operating state 55 is exclusively used.

[0057] The dash-dotted line shows the profile of the cabin height in a conventional mode, that is to say without switching into the air recirculation mode.

[0058] Finally, FIG. 3 shows an aircraft 64 which has an air-conditioning system 2 mentioned above.

[0059] It is additionally pointed out that having or comprising does not rule out other elements or steps, and a or an do not rule out a multiplicity. It is also pointed out that features that have been described with reference to one of the above exemplary embodiments may also be used in combination with other features of other exemplary embodiments described above. Reference signs in the claims are not to be regarded as limiting.

[0060] While at least one exemplary embodiment of the present invention(s) is disclosed herein, it should be understood that modifications, substitutions and alternatives may be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art and can be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. This disclosure is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the exemplary embodiment(s). In addition, in this disclosure, the terms comprise or comprising do not exclude other elements or steps, the terms a or one do not exclude a plural number, and the term or means either or both. Furthermore, characteristics or steps which have been described may also be used in combination with other characteristics or steps and in any order unless the disclosure or context suggests otherwise. This disclosure hereby incorporates by reference the complete disclosure of any patent or application from which it claims benefit or priority.