Mixer assembly and method for operating a mixer assembly

• US 9,869,477 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2014
• Issued: 01/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Lampe, Dietrich, Scherer, Thomas, Lohmar, Jens, Markwart, Michael, Schmid, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): McAllister, Steven B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lin, Ko-Wei
• Application Number:
  US14/296,593
• Publication Number:
  US 20140287672A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,321 Days
• Field of Search: 454237, 454239, 454 76, 454141
• 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 2013/0655 with zone or personal climate controls
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/12 characterised by the treatment of the air otherwise than by heating and cooling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/50 On board measures aiming to increase energy efficiency

Abstract

A mixer assembly for an air-conditioning system comprising a recirculation air line, connectable to a vehicle region to be air-conditioned, to remove recirculation air from the region, and an air-conditioning air line, connectable to an air-conditioning unit to remove conditioned air from the air-conditioning unit. A first mixing region, for mixing the recirculation air with the conditioned air, is connected to the two air lines. A second mixing region, for mixing the first mixing region air with recirculation air, is connected to the recirculation air line and the first mixing region. Also, a first supply line is connected to the first mixing region to supply air from the first mixing region to a first partial region of the vehicle region, and a second supply line is connected to the second mixing region to supply air from the second mixing region to a second partial region of the vehicle region.

Claims

1. A mixer assembly for an air-conditioning system, comprising:

a recirculation air line, which is connectable to a region of a vehicle to be air-conditioned, in order to remove recirculation air from the region of the vehicle to be air-conditioned,

an air-conditioning air line, which is connectable to an air-conditioning unit in order to remove air-conditioning air, generated by the air-conditioning unit, from the air-conditioning unit,

a first mixing region, connected to the recirculation air line and to the air-conditioning air line, for mixing the recirculation air from the recirculation air line with the air-conditioning air from the air-conditioning air line,

a second mixing region, connected to the recirculation air line and to the first mixing region, for mixing mixed air from the first mixing region with further, pure recirculation air from the recirculation air line,

a first supply line, which is connected to the first mixing region and which is adapted to supply mixed air from the first mixing region to a first partial region of the vehicle region to be air-conditioned, and

a second supply line, which is connected to the second mixing region and which is adapted to supply mixed air from the second mixing region to a second partial region of the vehicle region to be air-conditioned.

2. The mixer assembly according to claim 1, wherein a set temperature of the mixed air to be supplied, via the first supply line, to the first partial region of the vehicle region to be air-conditioned is lower, at least in certain operating phases of the mixer assembly, than a set temperature of the mixed air to be supplied, via the second supply line, to the second partial region of the vehicle region to be air-conditioned.

3. The mixer assembly according to claim 1, wherein the recirculation air line is connected to the first mixing region via a first recirculation air line branch, and wherein the recirculation air line is connected to the second mixing region via a second recirculation air line branch.

4. The mixer assembly according to claim 3, wherein a first recirculation-air control valve for controlling the recirculation air flow through the first recirculation air line branch is disposed in the first recirculation air line branch.

5. The mixer assembly according to claim 3, wherein a second recirculation-air control valve for controlling the recirculation air flow through the second recirculation air line branch is disposed in the second recirculation air line branch.

6. The mixer assembly according to claim 3, wherein an air-conditioning-air control valve for controlling the air-conditioning air flow through the air-conditioning air line is disposed in the air-conditioning air line.

7. The mixer assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a control device, which is configured to control the temperature of the mixed air in the first mixing region in dependence on a set temperature of the mixed air to be supplied, via the first supply line, to the first partial region of the vehicle region to be air-conditioned, through corresponding control of the supply of at least one of recirculation air and air-conditioning air into the first mixing region.

8. The mixer assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a control device which is configured to control the temperature of the mixed air in the second mixing region in dependence on a set temperature of the mixed air to be supplied, via the second supply line, to the second partial region of the vehicle region to be air-conditioned, through corresponding control of the supply of at least one of recirculation air and air-conditioning air into the second mixing region.

9. The mixer assembly according to claim 7, wherein the control device is configured to control the temperature of the mixed air in the first mixing region in dependence on a measured actual temperature of the mixed air supplied, via the first supply line, to the first partial region of the vehicle region to be air-conditioned.

10. The mixer assembly according to claim 7, wherein the control device is configured to control the temperature of the mixed air in the second mixing region in dependence on a measured actual temperature of the mixed air supplied, via the second supply line, to the second partial region of the vehicle region to be air-conditioned.

11. The mixer assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one of:

the second mixing region is disposed above the first mixing region,

the second recirculation air line branch is connected to the mixer assembly, above the first recirculation air line branch, and

the second supply line is connected to the mixer assembly, above the first supply line; and

the air-conditioning air line is connected to the mixer assembly, beneath the first, or lowermost, mixing region.

12. A method for operating a mixer assembly for an air-conditioning system, comprising the steps:

removing recirculation air from a region of a vehicle to be air-conditioned,

removing air-conditioning air, generated by an air-conditioning unit, from the air-conditioning unit,

mixing the air-conditioning air with the recirculation air in a first mixing region,

mixing mixed air from the first mixing region with further, pure recirculation air in a second mixing region,

supplying mixed air from the first mixing region to a first partial region of the vehicle region to be air-conditioned, and

supplying mixed air from the second mixing region to a second partial region of the vehicle region to be air-conditioned.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein a set temperature of the mixed air to be supplied to the first partial region of the vehicle region to be air-conditioned is lower, at least in certain operating phases of the mixer assembly, than a set temperature of the mixed air to be supplied to the second partial region of the vehicle region to be air-conditioned.

14. The method according to claim 12,

wherein the recirculation air is supplied to the first mixing region via a first recirculation air line branch of a recirculation air line, and

wherein the recirculation air is supplied to the second mixing region via a second recirculation air line branch of a recirculation air line.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the recirculation air flow through the first recirculation air line branch is controlled by a first recirculation-air control valve disposed in the first recirculation air line branch.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the recirculation air flow through the second recirculation air line branch is controlled by a second recirculation-air control valve disposed in the second recirculation air line branch.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the air-conditioning air flow through the air-conditioning air line is controlled by an air-conditioning-air control valve disposed in the air-conditioning air line.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein the temperature of the mixed air in the first mixing region is controlled in dependence on the set temperature of the mixed air to be supplied to the first partial region of the vehicle region to be air-conditioned, through corresponding control of at least one of the supply of recirculation air and air-conditioning air into the first mixing region.

19. The method according to claim 13, wherein the temperature of the mixed air in the second mixing region is controlled in dependence on the set temperature of the mixed air to be supplied to the second partial region of the vehicle region that is to be air-conditioned, through corresponding control of the supply of at least one of recirculation air and air-conditioning air into the second mixing region.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the temperature of the mixed air in the first mixing region is controlled in dependence on a measured actual temperature of the mixed air supplied to the first partial region of the vehicle region to be air-conditioned, and wherein the temperature of the mixed air in the second mixing region is controlled in dependence on a measured actual temperature of the mixed air supplied to the second partial region of the vehicle region to be air-conditioned.