Mixer assembly with surrounding filter element, stowage space with mixer assembly, vehicle with a stowage space and method for installing a mixer assembly

Abstract

A mixer assembly for mixing two air streams in a ventilation system. The mixer assembly comprises a mixing chamber, which comprises an inlet and an outlet and a mixing chamber wall delimiting the mixing chamber, and also a shroud, which surrounds the mixing chamber wall, at least in certain portions. The shroud forms and delimits an intermediate space between the mixing chamber wall and the shroud. The mixer assembly also comprises a filter element, which fluidically connects the intermediate space to a surrounding area of the mixer assembly, the intermediate space being fluidically connected to the mixing chamber. Fluid can thus flow through the filter element into the intermediate space and further into the mixing chamber. A stowage space with a mixer assembly, an aircraft with such a stowage space and a method for producing a mixer assembly in an aircraft are also described.

Claims

1. A mixer assembly for mixing two air streams in a ventilation system, the mixer assembly comprising: a mixing chamber comprising an inlet and an outlet and a mixing chamber wall delimiting the mixing chamber; a shroud surrounding the mixing chamber wall, at least in certain portions, the shroud delimiting an intermediate space between the mixing chamber wall and the shroud and having one or more openings, and a filter element disposed adjacent to an outer surface of the shroud and covering one or more openings of the shroud, the filter element fluidically connecting the intermediate space to a surrounding area of the mixer assembly by allowing fluid to flow through the filter element directly through said one or more openings into the intermediate space, and the intermediate space being fluidically connected to the mixing chamber.

2. The mixer assembly according to claim 1, the filter element being arranged detachably on the mixer assembly and abutting the shroud.

3. The mixer assembly according to claim 2, the filter element having on a side facing the shroud a contour which corresponds, at least in certain portions, to a contour of an outer side of the shroud.

4. The mixer assembly according to claim 1, further comprising: a conveying device configured to convey a fluid through the filter element into the intermediate space and out of the intermediate space into the mixing chamber.

5. The mixer assembly according to claim 4, the conveying device being arranged in the intermediate space and conveying the fluid through the mixing chamber wall into the mixing chamber.

6. The mixer assembly according to claim 4, further comprising: a pre-mixer fluidically coupled to the inlet of the mixing chamber, the conveying device conveying the fluid out of the intermediate space into the pre-mixer.

7. The mixer assembly according to claim 1, further comprising: a fresh-air feed line fluidically coupled to the inlet of the mixing chamber.

8. A stowage space in a vehicle, the stowage space comprising: a mixer assembly according to claim 1.

9. The stowage space according to claim 8, further comprising: a partition wall, which separates the stowage space containing the mixer assembly from a cargo hold and has at least one filter installation opening, the filter element being designed for being pushed through the filter installation opening and, in an end position, fluidically connecting the intermediate space to the surrounding area of the mixer assembly and fluidically sealing off the filter installation opening.

10. The stowage space according to claim 9, further comprising: a closing-off element configured to fluidically seal off the filter installation opening.

11. The stowage space according to claim 10, the closing-off element having a form which corresponds to a form of the filter installation opening or completely covers the filter installation opening.

12. An aircraft with a stowage space according to claim 8.

13. A method for producing a mixer assembly in an aircraft, the method comprising: providing a mixing chamber comprising a mixing chamber wall delimiting the mixing chamber; attaching a shroud surrounding the mixing chamber wall, at least in certain portions, and delimiting an intermediate space between the mixing chamber wall and the shroud, the shroud comprising one or more openings; attaching a filter element on an outer side of the shroud, the filter element covering one of more openings in the shroud and fluidically connecting the intermediate space to a surrounding area of the mixer assembly, and the intermediate space being fluidically connected to the mixing chamber by allowing fluid to flow through the filter element directly through said one or more openings into the intermediate space; introducing the mixer assembly with the attached shroud and filter element into a stowage space of the aircraft; and fastening the mixer assembly in the stowage space.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising: removing the filter element from the mixer assembly; and attaching a new filter element on the outer side of the shroud.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in more detail below on the basis of the drawings.

(2) FIG. 1 schematically shows a conventional mixing chamber with further ventilation components,

(3) FIG. 2 schematically shows a perspective view of a mixer assembly,

(4) FIG. 3 schematically shows a plan view of a filter element of a mixer assembly,

(5) FIG. 4 schematically shows a cross section longitudinally through a mixer assembly,

(6) FIG. 5 schematically shows a detail of part of a cross section longitudinally through a mixer assembly according to a variant configuration,

(7) FIG. 6 schematically shows a view of a mixer assembly according to a further variant configuration,

(8) FIG. 7 schematically shows a side view of the mixer assembly from FIG. 6,

(9) FIG. 8 schematically shows a vehicle with a mixer assembly, and

(10) FIG. 9 shows a flow diagram of a method for producing a mixer assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(11) According to the present invention, a mixer assembly with a mixing chamber wall and a shroud surrounding the mixing chamber wall is described, a filter element fluidically connecting an intermediate space between the mixing chamber wall and the shroud to a surrounding area of the mixer assembly and the intermediate space being fluidically connected to the mixing chamber. A stowage space with such a mixer assembly, a vehicle with such a stowage space and a method for producing a mixer assembly are also described.

(12) FIG. 2 schematically shows a perspective view of a mixer assembly 100, while FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross section longitudinally through a mixer assembly 100. The mixer assembly 100 comprises a mixing chamber 110, which has at least one inlet 111 and at least one outlet 112 and, lying in between, a mixing chamber wall 113 delimiting the mixing chamber 110. The mixing chamber 110 is surrounded both by a shroud 120 and by a filter element 130.

(13) As can be seen from FIG. 4, the mixing chamber wall 113 is surrounded, at least in certain portions, by the shroud 120, the shroud 120 delimiting an intermediate space 121 between the mixing chamber wall 113 and the shroud 120. The intermediate space 121 may be flowed through by a fluid (for example air). The filter element 130 provided on the outside of the shroud 120 in this case fluidically connects the intermediate space 121 to a surrounding area of the mixer assembly 100. For example, the filter element 130 may rest on the shroud 120 and thereby cover an opening 122 in the shroud 120. In FIG. 4, merely by way of example, a single opening 122 is shown for each portion depicted of the filter element 130. It goes without saying that there may be more openings 122. The present disclosure is also not limited to the depicted size of the openings 122. For example, the shroud 120 may also comprise, at least in certain portions, a perforated plate, as a result of which the shroud 120 can be produced at low cost.

(14) The filter element 130 is detachably arranged abutting on the mixer assembly 100 and on the shroud 120. For this, as can be seen from the schematic plan view of the filter element 130 shown in FIG. 3, the filter element 130 may be of a multipart configuration. For example, the filter element 130 may comprise two half-round parts, which are rotatably coupled to one another at a joint 131. The joint 131 may comprise a number of joints or else a piano hinge. On the opposite side, the two parts of the filter element 130 are connected to one another by a closure element 132. The closure element 132 may be configured very simply by eyes or other openings on each of the two filter element parts and a locking bolt inserted into the eyes or other openings. It is similarly possible that the closure element 132 comprises, at least partially, a hook-and-loop closure.

(15) The filter element 130 has on the side facing the shroud 120 (inner side) a contour 133, which corresponds, at least in certain portions, to a contour of an outer side of the shroud 120. As a result, firm abutment of the filter element 130 on the shroud 120 is achieved, which in turn prevents a fluid being sucked in between the filter element 130 and the shroud 120 and thereby bypassing the filter element 130. For example, the cross section of the attached filter element may be circular on the inner side (that is to say, the contour 133) and similarly the cross section of the shroud 120 may be circular with the same diameter.

(16) In addition, on the filter element 130 or on the shroud 120, there may be arranged at least one sealing element 134, which seals off a slit between the filter element 130 and the shroud 120 at an outer periphery of the filter element 130. This ensures that no fluid is sucked in between the filter element 130 and the shroud 120, and could thereby bypass the filter element.

(17) As can be inferred from the flow arrows from FIG. 4, a fluid, for example recirculation air in the surrounding area of the mixer assembly 100, is conveyed by means of a conveying device 140 through the filter element 130 into the intermediate space 121 (through the openings 122) and out of the intermediate space 121 into the mixing chamber 110. In other words, the conveying device 140 sucks the fluid out of the intermediate space 121, and therefore replenishing fluid flows from the surrounding area of the mixer assembly 100 through the filter element 130 and the openings 122.

(18) According to the configuration from FIG. 4, the fluid thus filtered is passed on by the conveying device 140 by way of a pre-mixer 150, which is fluidically coupled to the inlet 111 of the mixing chamber 110. The pre-mixer 150 can premix the recirculation air thus conveyed with fresh air from a fresh-air line 160, before both air streams enter the mixing chamber 110 by way of the inlet 111. After complete mixing in the mixing chamber 110, the mixed air stream is conducted by way of the outlet 112 into regions of the vehicle that have to be supplied with fresh air, such as, for example, a passenger cabin 12 (see FIG. 8). Here, the outlet 112 of the mixing chamber 110 may be connected to a customary conducting system of a vehicle, for which reason this is not depicted here and is not described any further.

(19) From the pre-mixer 150, a premixed air stream may be carried away by way of a corresponding connection 170. For example, specific regions that are distinguished by special requirements for the distribution of the incoming air (for example thermal requirements or particular demands with respect to the fresh-air/recirculation-air ratio), such as, for example, a cockpit, may be supplied with this air stream.

(20) FIG. 5 schematically shows a detail of part of a cross section longitudinally through a mixer assembly 100 according to a variant configuration. In this variant, the conveying device 140 is arranged in the intermediate space 121. As a result, the fluid can be conveyed through the mixing chamber wall 113 into the mixing chamber 110 without having to fit a pre-mixer 150 (see FIG. 4). The conveying device 140 or number of conveying devices 140 may be (respectively) arranged in front of an opening 114 in the mixing chamber wall 113. The opening(s) 122 in the shroud 120 may lie opposite the openings 114 of the mixing chamber wall 113, and therefore the one or more conveying device(s) 140 can lie between these two openings 121, 114. Alternatively, the openings 122, 114 may also be arranged offset in relation to one another in the longitudinal direction of the mixing chamber 110, as is shown in FIG. 5. This makes possible an at least partial mixing of the streams of filtered fluid within the intermediate space 120.

(21) The construction otherwise of the mixer assembly 100 corresponds to the construction shown in FIG. 4, and is therefore not explained any further. Since a fluid from another source (for example fresh air by way of fresh-air line 160) is also conducted into the mixing chamber 110 by way of the inlet 111, nonreturn valves 180 prevent fresh air from escaping from the mixing chamber 110 in the direction of the conveying device 140 and the filter element 130.

(22) FIG. 6 schematically shows a view of a mixer assembly 100 according to a further variant configuration. The view depicted in FIG. 6 shows a cross section through the mixer assembly 100 similar to FIG. 4. As a difference from the variant shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the filter element 130 is of a rectangular configuration, therefore has no curvatures. In a way corresponding to the filter element 130, the shroud 120 is also straight, at least in the region in which the filter element 130 abuts. This allows easier removal of the filter element, since it can be pulled out like a drawer. Here, too, a sealing element 134 may be provided, in order to arrange the filter element 130 in a fluid-tight manner on the shroud 120.

(23) FIG. 7 schematically shows a side view of the mixer assembly 100 from FIG. 6. Here, the arrangement of the mixer assembly 100 in a stowage space 200 of the vehicle 11 is depicted. The stowage space 200 is separated from a cargo hold 220 by a partition wall 210. Respectively provided in the partition wall 210 is a filter installation opening 211, through which one of the filter elements 130 can be pushed in and out. The completely pushed-in filter element 130 can, in its end position, fluidically connect the intermediate space 121 to the surrounding area of the mixer assembly 100 and at the same time fluidically seal off the filter installation opening 211. By corresponding guiding elements (not depicted), the filter element 130 can be guided to its end position. For example, rails or other sliding devices may be provided for this, in order to accomplish the “drawer function.”

(24) In order to fluidically seal off the cargo hold, even when the filter elements 130 are inserted, a further sealing element 212 may be provided. This may be arranged, for example, along an edge of the filter installation opening 211 and/or along a corresponding edge or side of a closing-off element 135 of the filter element 130. The closing-off element 135 has a form which corresponds to a form of the filter installation opening 211. As a result, the closing-off element 135 can be arranged flush with the partition wall 210 when the filter element 130 has reached its end position (position for use at the shroud 120). Alternatively, the closing-off element 135 may completely cover the filter installation opening 211 and have a kind of cover (not depicted), which has a larger form than the filter installation opening 211.

(25) This arrangement makes possible a quick exchange of the filter elements 130 from the cargo hold 210, without having to open a separate access into the stowage space 210 for corresponding service personnel. As a result, a change of the filter elements 130 will be performed not only more easily but also at lower cost.

(26) FIG. 8 schematically shows a vehicle 11 with a mixer assembly 100. The mixer assembly 100 may be arranged in a stowage space 200, which is separated from a cargo hold 220 by way of a partition wall 210. The mixer assembly 100 serves for mixing two air streams in a ventilation system 10, it being possible for the two mixed air streams to be fed to a region of the vehicle 11, for example a passenger cabin 12.

(27) FIG. 9 shows a flow diagram of a method for producing a mixer assembly 100. In a first step 310, a mixing chamber 110 is provided, and subsequently, in step 320, a shroud 120, which surrounds the mixing chamber 113, at least in certain portions, is attached. The attaching 320 of the shroud 120 may also comprise integrating the shroud 120 with the mixing chamber 110. In other words, the shroud 120 may be produced in one piece with the mixing chamber 110. After that, the filter element 130 may be attached on an outer side of the shroud 120 in step 330. The filter element 130 will thereby fluidically connect the intermediate space 121 to a surrounding area of the mixer assembly 100, as described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 7.

(28) The mixer assembly 100 prefabricated in this way can be introduced into a stowage space 200 of the aircraft 11 (step 340) in a final production process of the aircraft 11, for example on the final assembly line (FAL). Subsequently, the mixer assembly 100 with the already attached shroud 120 may be fastened in the stowage space 200 in step 350. Optionally, the filter element 130 may also already be attached when the mixer assembly 100 is introduced into the stowage space 200 and fastened there. The filter element 130 may also only be arranged on/at the mixer assembly 100 after fastening of the mixer assembly 100 in the stowage space 200.

(29) Not only is the thus arranged installation of a mixer assembly 100 particularly quick and easy, but so too is the changing of the filter element 130 of such a mixer assembly 100. Thus, in a further step 360, the filter element 130 may be removed from the mixer assembly 100, while the rest of the mixer assembly remains in the stowage space 200 of the aircraft 11. Subsequently, in step 331, a new filter element 130 can be attached on the outer side of the shroud 120. This may take place either by enclosing the shroud 120 with a filter element 130 according to FIGS. 2 and 3 or by pushing in a filter element 130 according to FIGS. 6 and 7.

(30) The variants, configurations and exemplary embodiments discussed above serve merely for describing the claimed teaching, but do not restrict the latter to the variants, configurations and exemplary embodiments.

(31) 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.