ULTRA SMALL AIR CHILLER FOR AIRCRAFT GALLEY

• US 20090107163A1
• Filed: 10/29/2008
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Wright, Michael E., Mattly, Shon, Bates, Edward, Rizzo, Richard, Birkmann, Timothy Andrew, Whisler, Steven, Lu, Qiao
• Granted Patent: US 8,171,749 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/291
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/04 Galleys
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2013/0629 with subsystems for cooling food, catering or special loads
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 17/06 by forced circulation
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 19/00 Arrangement or mounting of refrigeration units with respect to devices or objects to be refrigerated, e.g. infrared detectors
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 21/14 Collecting or removing condensed and defrost water; Drip trays

Abstract

An aircraft-galley chiller, enclosed in a housing, including an evaporator condensate drying device. The galley chiller may operate on DC power and may be transported from one cart to another to provide chilled air to a particular cart.

Claims

1. A portable air chiller, the chiller comprising:

a housing;

a refrigeration system located inside the housing, the system including a compressor, a condenser, an evaporator, and tubing adapted to transport refrigerant through the system; and

an evaporator condensate drying device, the system including a condensate drain arranged to collect condensate from the exterior of the evaporator and route the condensate to a location within the housing.

2. The chiller of claim 1, wherein the condensate is routed to a location proximate a point where the refrigerant tubing enters the condenser.

3. The chiller of claim 2, wherein the condensate drain includes an exit placed such that the condensate exiting the drain contacts the refrigerant tubing at at least one point proximate the point where the refrigerant tubing exits the condenser.

4. The chiller of claim 3, wherein the contact between the condensate and the tubing transfers thermal energy from the refrigerant to the condensate.

5. The chiller of claim 4, wherein the transfer of thermal energy to the condensate vaporizes the condensate.

6. The chiller of claim 5, wherein the condensate vapor is exhausted from the housing.

7. The chiller of claim 2, wherein the housing is divided into a first and a second compartment by a divider, and wherein the condensate drain passes through the divider.

8. The chiller of claim 7, wherein:

the evaporator is located in the first compartment;

the condenser is located in the second compartment; and

the condensate drain is arranged so as to direct substantially all the condensate through the drain.

9. The chiller of claim 8, wherein the first compartment includes an inlet arranged to allow return air into the compartment and a fan arranged to exhaust chilled air from the compartment.

10. The chiller of claim 1, wherein the compressor is powered by direct electrical current.

11. An air chiller, the chiller comprising:

a housing including a first and a second chamber, separated by a divider;

a series of components located inside the chambers, including a compressor, a condenser, and an evaporator;

tubing connecting the components to one another, the tubing designed to transport refrigerant therebetween; and

a condensate drain passing through the divider so as to allow condensate to move through the drain from the first compartment to the second compartment, wherein the drain is positioned so as to direct the condensate to a point proximate a point on the tubing proximate the condenser.