Bleed air distribution supply system and method to supply bleed air to an aircraft

• US 8,516,826 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2006
• Issued: 08/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV)
• Inventors: Rostek, Norbert, Rehbock, Jrgen
• Primary Examiner(s): Gartenberg, Ehud
• Assistant Examiner(s): Goyal, Arun
• Application Number:
  US12/083,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20090235670A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,506 Days
• Field of Search: 602/04, 602/261, 602/62, 602/66, 607/28, 607/82, 607/85, 60/398.3, 607/95, 60/390.91, 73/40, 137/15.11
• US Class Current: 60/782
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 13/02 the air being pressurised
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2013/0618 with arrangements for reducing or managing bleed air, using another air source, e.g. ram air
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/50 On board measures aiming to increase energy efficiency

Abstract

The invention relates to a bleed air supply system and a safety device for closing a valve in at least one of the several bleed air supply lines depending on an alarm signal that indicates an opening in at least one of the several bleed air supply lines. To stop the supply of bleed air irrespective of the type of the bleed air source, the safety device comprises a filter device for generating the alarm signal depending on the ground connection signal and on an opening signal from an opening signal device that indicates any opening of the bleed air supply line that is connected to the high-pressure ground connection.

Claims

1. A bleed air supply system for supplying bleed air to an aircraft with several bleed air supply lines between one or several bleed air sources and one or several consumers, each comprising at least one valve for setting the flow-through quantity passing through the bleed air supply line, and a safety device for closing the valve in at least one of the several bleed air supply lines depending on an alarm signal that indicates an opening in at least one of the several bleed air supply lines, wherein the safety device comprises:

a connection display device for generating a ground connection signal when a bleed air supply line of the aircraft is connected to a high-pressure ground connection, and

a filter device for generating the alarm signal depending on the ground connection signal and on an opening signal from an opening signal device, which opening signal indicates any opening of the bleed air supply line that is connected to the high-pressure ground connection, the filter device being configured such that the alarm signal is only produced where both an opening signal and a ground connection signal are present.

2. The supply system according to claim 1, wherein an on-off valve is arranged in the bleed air supply line connected to the high-pressure ground connection, which on-off valve can be controlled depending on the opening signal.

3. The supply system according to claim 1, wherein a signal output connection for emitting the opening signal to an external bleed air supply source is connected to the high-pressure ground connection.

4. The supply system according to claim 3, wherein the signal output connection is integrated in the high-pressure ground connection of the aircraft.

5. The supply system according to claim 3, wherein the signal output connection is connected to a control console of the aircraft.

6. The supply system according to claim 1, wherein a warning device for generating an alarm signal depending on the opening signal is provided.

7. The supply system according to claim 6, wherein the warning device comprises an acoustic warning device for generating an acoustic alarm sound, and/or comprises a visual warning device for generating a visual alarm signal in the external region of the aircraft.

8. A method for controlling a bleed air supply system for supplying bleed air to an aircraft with several bleed air supply lines between one or several bleed air sources and one or several consumers, each comprising at least one valve for setting the quantity flowing through the bleed air supply line, and a safety device for closing the valve in at least one of the several bleed air supply lines depending on an alarm signal that indicates an opening in at least one of the several bleed air supply lines, wherein the method also comprises:

generating a ground connection signal by a connection display device when a bleed air supply line of the aircraft is connected to a high-pressure ground connection; and

generating the alarm signal with a filter device depending on the ground connection signal and an opening signal from an opening signal device, which alarm signal indicates opening of the bleed air supply line connected to the high-pressure ground connection of the safety device, the alarm signal only being produced where both an opening signal and a ground connection signal are present.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein an on-off valve is closed depending on the opening signal, which on-off valve is arranged in the bleed air supply line that is connected to the high-pressure ground connection.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the opening signal is issued to an external bleed air supply source that is connected to the high-pressure ground connection by way of a signal output connection.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the generation of an alarm signal by a warning device depending on the opening signal.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the warning device emits an acoustic alarm sound and/or a visual alarm signal in the outside region of the aircraft.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the warning device indicates the position of the leak with a specified accuracy.