HEAT EXCHANGER INCORPORATED INTO A WALL OF AN AIRCRAFT

• US 20130333857A1
• Filed: 08/20/2013
• Published: 12/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Guering, Bernard, Durand, Yves
• Granted Patent: US 9,446,850 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/41
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 13/00 Arrangements or adaptations of air-treatment apparatus for aircraft crew or passengers, or freight space , or structural parts of the aircraft treatment rooms with artificial climate for medical purposes A61G10/02; respiratory apparatus in general A62B; for vehicles in general B60H
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 13/08 the air being heated or cooled
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2013/0614 with subsystems for cooling avionics
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2013/0674 comprising liquid subsystems
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2225/04 for conduits
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/50 On board measures aiming to increase energy efficiency

Abstract

An aircraft includes at least one wall delimiting a first zone (I) of the aircraft which is thermally insulated from the outside of the aircraft and a second zone (E) contained within the aircraft which is not thermally insulated with respect to the outside of the aircraft and a heat exchanger inside which a heat transfer fluid circulates, wherein the wall includes at least one duct inside which the heat transfer fluid circulates so as to act as a heat exchanger.

Claims

1. An aircraft comprising:

at least one wall delimiting a first zone of the aircraft which first zone is thermally insulated from the outside of the aircraft and a second zone contained within the aircraft which second zone is not thermally insulated with respect to the outside of the aircraft; and

a first heat exchanger inside which a heat transfer fluid circulates,

wherein said at least one wall comprises at least one duct inside which the heat transfer fluid circulates so as to act as a second heat exchanger.

2. The aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one duct is delimited by at least one rib thereby increasing the mechanical strength of the wall.

3. The aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one duct is delimited by the at least one wall, one face of which duct is in contact with the heat transfer fluid and the other face of which duct is in contact with the air present in the second zone.

4. The aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein the duct projects from the face of the wall in contact with the second zone to increase the surface area for heat exchange between the heat transfer fluid and the air.

5. The aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one wall is a wall or a part of a wall delimiting a landing gear bay.

6. The aircraft as claimed in claim 5, wherein the wall delimiting the landing gear bay comprises, on an outer face thereof, a plurality of ribs arranged in pairs, with a cap for each pair linking the ends of the ribs so as to delimit, with the ribs and the wall, a duct.

7. The aircraft as claimed in claim 6, wherein the plurality of ribs is parallel to the lower edge of the wall.

8. The aircraft as claimed in claim 6, wherein the ends of each duct are blocked off by transverse partitions linking the two ribs which delimit the duct, the ducts being connected to each other by connectors so as to form a circuit.

9. The aircraft as claimed in claim 8, wherein the connectors are provided on the inner face of the wall.

10. The aircraft as claimed in claim 9, wherein the wall comprises, for each end of the connectors, a through hole, the ribs being curved so as to delimit a conical zone in line with each through hole in order to limit localized pressure losses.

11. The aircraft as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat transfer fluid is a liquid.