CN212213047U - Cooling units for aircraft galleys - Google Patents

Abstract

A cooling device (10) for an aircraft galley, comprising an evaporative refrigeration unit (1) for providing cooling air to the aircraft galley, the evaporative refrigeration unit (1) comprising a condenser (11); the cooling device further comprises a hot air duct ( 2) and the hot air outlet device (3) arranged around the aircraft galley (G), wherein the hot air duct is arranged behind the condenser (11) and communicated with the air outlet of the condenser (11) to discharge the waste heat from the condenser The exhaust gas is directed to the hot air outlet device; and wherein the hot air outlet device is arranged to discharge the waste heat exhaust gas to the dining car door area of the aircraft galley (G). The utility model utilizes the waste heat exhaust from the condenser of the evaporative refrigeration unit to adjust the temperature of the dining car door area of the kitchen (G), thereby reducing waste of resources and preventing the low temperature of the dining car door area from affecting the comfort of flight attendants.

Description

Cooling units for aircraft galleys

technical field

The utility model relates to a cooling technology for a civil aircraft galley, in particular to a cooling device for an aircraft galley.

Background technique

With the development of domestic civil wide-body aircraft, the quality of cabin service becomes more and more important. In the past, in short-haul aircraft, dry ice was usually used to cool the cabin galley. However, with the development of passenger aircraft in the future, the demand for long-distance flight and the number of passengers in the cabin will gradually increase. Dry ice alone is not enough to cool the aircraft galley well. cooling, which may further adversely affect the quality of meals served during the flight.

Therefore, at present, an air/liquid cooling device is used to cool the aircraft galley, but the use of the cooling device is prone to the problem of air-conditioning leakage in the dining car area of the aircraft galley, which in turn causes the temperature in the dining car door area to be too low, affecting the dining car door area. the comfort of the staff, especially the flight attendants. Therefore, flight attendants want to raise and maintain the temperature in the dining car door area within a suitable range.

The current common solution for this flight attendant's need is to install electric heaters in the floor of the aircraft galley to increase the temperature in the dining car door area, but heating with electric heaters is actually a way to add high-grade The process of converting electrical energy into low-grade thermal energy is a serious waste of energy.

On the other hand, the cooling units currently used for aircraft galleys release a lot of thermal energy, but this heat energy is directly expelled to the outside of the aircraft. The following improvements have been attempted for this unused thermal energy and its dissipation:

US 20180093774 A1 (Publication Date: April 5, 2018) discloses a cooling system for a galley in which air heated due to heat exchange with coolant circulating in a coolant circuit is supplied to a passenger cabin area .

US 20160114880 A1 (published date: April 28, 2016) discloses the utilization of a fuel cell for kitchen equipment, and specifically discloses the dissipation treatment of the heat emitted by the fuel cell.

EP 3010801 A1 (Publication Date: Apr. 27, 2016) discloses an aircraft in which waste heat from appliances built into the galley, gas exhausted from kitchen equipment, and gas exhausted from air coolers is used for galley drinking Water is preheated.

Therefore, in view of the problems of high energy consumption and low energy utilization of electric heating sheets, it is necessary to propose a cooling device for aircraft galleys that can use low-grade energy to increase the temperature of the dining car door area, and ideally the cooling device It can also utilize the waste heat exhaust of the evaporative refrigeration unit.

Utility model content

The utility model is completed in view of the above-mentioned technical problems, and its purpose is to provide a cooling device for an aircraft galley, which can use low-grade energy, specifically the waste heat exhaust from the cooling device to improve the dinning car door area of the aircraft galley. temperature, thereby improving the bodily comfort of people in the dining car door area, especially the flight attendants working there.

The above cooling device includes:

- an evaporative refrigeration unit for supplying cooling air to the aircraft galley, the evaporative refrigeration unit comprising a condenser;

- hot air ducts; and

- Hot air outlet installed around the aircraft galley,

Wherein, the hot air duct is arranged behind the condenser of the evaporative refrigeration unit and communicates with the air outlet of the condenser, so as to guide the waste heat exhaust gas discharged from the condenser to the hot air outlet device; and

Among them, the hot air outlet device is set to discharge the waste heat exhaust to the dining car door area of the aircraft galley.

With the cooling device according to the present invention, it is possible to effectively utilize the heat energy of the waste heat exhaust gas which is originally directly discharged to the outside of the fuselage and discharged by the condenser of the evaporative refrigeration unit, and exhaust the waste heat by means of the hot air outlet device. Direct discharge around the dining car door area of the aircraft galley, where it mixes with cooling air leaking from the aircraft galley, thereby increasing the temperature of the dining car door area, improving the temperature of the dining car door area for people working, moving in this area, especially flight attendants personnel comfort.

In addition, the cooling device according to the present invention overcomes the problems of excessively high energy consumption and low energy utilization rate for heating with electric heating sheets in the prior art, and effectively reduces the thermal energy of the waste heat exhaust gas of the condenser. Reuse.

It should be noted that, in the context of the present invention, the waste heat exhaust of the condenser refers to the air discharged from the air outlet of the condenser and heated after passing through the evaporative refrigeration unit of the cooling device.

Preferably, a heat insulating material with a certain thickness is provided outside the side wall of the aircraft galley, and the hot air outlet device of the cooling device according to the present invention is embedded in the heat insulating material layer formed by the heat insulating material. Ideally, the hot air outlet device is arranged around the two side walls on both sides of the dining car door area of the aircraft galley. The hot air outlet device is provided with at least one hot air outlet protruding from the insulating material, and is used for discharging the waste heat exhaust gas to the surroundings of the side where the dining car door area is located.

The arrangement of the above-mentioned insulating material layer can realize thermal isolation of the hot air outlet device, especially the waste heat exhaust gas flowing therein, and the side wall of the aircraft galley, so as to prevent the waste heat exhaust gas from reaching at least one hot air outlet before it reaches at least one hot air outlet. The heat is lost due to heat exchange with the side walls of the aircraft galley. This also prevents the heat energy of the waste heat exhaust from exchanging heat with the cooling air in the aircraft galley through the side wall of the aircraft galley and dissipating the heat into the galley, which heats the air in the galley and weakens the cooling device's effect on the aircraft. The cooling effect inside the kitchen, in turn, adversely affects the quality and safety of the meals that will be served.

Preferably, in the layers of insulating material on both sides of the dining car door area of the aircraft galley, a plurality of hot air outlets are arranged, so as to discharge the waste heat exhaust from the condenser more evenly around the dining car door area of the aircraft galley, so that Regulates the temperature of the area more quickly and evenly. Ideally, the plurality of hot air outlets may be arranged symmetrically on both sides.

Preferably, the cooling device according to the present invention further comprises:

- a control valve placed in the hot air duct, and

- Exhaust valves and exhaust pipes,

Therein, a control valve is connected to the exhaust valve via the exhaust duct, and the exhaust valve communicates to the outside of the fuselage when opened.

With this arrangement, the heat energy required to heat up the dining car door area can be adjusted correspondingly according to the cooling air leaking from the aircraft galley, which is specifically realized by adjusting the opening degree of the control valve. By adjusting the opening degree of the control valve, it is possible to adjust the flow rate of the waste heat exhaust gas fed to the hot air outlet device through the hot air duct and then discharged through the hot air outlet, so that all the waste heat exhaust gas is no longer directly delivered to the dining car door area. It avoids the discomfort of flight attendants that may be caused by the high temperature of the dining car door area; it also avoids the impact on the cooling effect in the aircraft kitchen caused by transporting too much waste hot air to the dining car door area. Food quality.

Further, without the need to discharge all the waste heat exhaust from the air outlet of the condenser to the area around the dining car door of the aircraft galley, by adjusting the opening of the control valve, part of the waste heat air can continue to flow through the hot air duct. To the hot air outlet, the remaining waste heat exhaust is guided to the exhaust valve through the exhaust duct, and is discharged to the outside of the fuselage through the open exhaust valve, avoiding excessive waste heat exhaust in the hot air duct and hot air outlet device. accumulate within.

Preferably, the control valve is a three-way control valve, the inlet of which is connected to the air outlet of the condenser, and the two inlets are respectively connected to the hot air outlet device and to the exhaust valve via the exhaust duct.

Particularly preferably, the hot air outlet device further includes at least one hot air outlet pipe, which is connected from the hot air duct downstream of the control valve to the at least one hot air outlet. In the case where multiple hot air outlets are provided, the hot air outlet device will include a corresponding plurality of hot air outlet pipes, which are embedded in parallel in the heat insulating material layer outside the side wall of the aircraft galley.

Particularly preferably, the cooling device according to the present invention further comprises:

- the controller, and

- at least one temperature sensor located in the dining car door area of the aircraft galley,

Wherein, the controller is configured to control the opening degree of the control valve of the cooling device according to the temperature measured by the at least one temperature sensor.

With the above arrangement, the closed-loop adjustment of the temperature of the dining car door area is realized, wherein the temperature sensor sends the detected temperature of the dining car door area of the kitchen to the controller, and the controller then according to the temperature and the preset target of the dining car door area The temperature is used to adjust the opening degree of the control valve, so that the automatic feedback adjustment of the opening degree of the control valve can be realized, so that the flow rate of the waste heat exhaust gas from the control valve to the hot air outlet device in the hot air duct can be adjusted, so that it can be better Keep the temperature of the dining car door area within a comfortable range for the occupants, especially the flight attendants, and improve the utilization efficiency of the thermal energy of the waste heat exhaust.

Optionally, the cooling device includes two temperature sensors, which are arranged on both sides of the dining car door area of the aircraft galley. The temperature data measured by the above two temperature sensors are processed to a certain extent, for example, an average value can be obtained, so as to obtain a more accurate temperature measurement value of the dining car door area.

Specifically, the temperature sensor may be disposed near the hot air outlet in the thermal insulation material layer of the aircraft galley, so that it detects the temperature of the hot air outlet of the hot air outlet device.

Particularly preferably, the temperature sensor is arranged at a position close to the ground in the side wall of the dining car door area of the aircraft galley, so that what it senses will be the temperature felt by the legs of the flight attendants, which can be better used for adjusting the meal. The temperature of the door area is provided as a reference to improve the somatosensory comfort of the flight attendants.

Particularly preferably, the controller of the cooling device can also communicate with the cabin temperature sensor of the aircraft, so that the temperature measured by the temperature sensor in the galley dining car door area, the temperature measured by the cabin temperature sensor and the preset temperature in the controller can be further referred to. To adjust the temperature of the dining car door area, that is, to adjust the opening of the control valve.

Optionally, the controller of the cooling device may communicate with a user interface of the peripheral device, such as a touch screen display, with the help of the user interface, the flight attendant can preset the temperature of the desired dining car door area to the controller, and can also set the temperature in the controller. When the temperature adjusted according to the currently set target temperature value still does not make the flight attendant feel comfortable, manually adjust the target temperature of the dining car door area.

Optionally, the cooling device for an aircraft galley according to the present invention is installed behind the aircraft galley. Preferably, the controls for the cooling device are located behind the exterior of the aircraft galley.

The utility model has the advantages that the proposed cooling device effectively utilizes the waste heat discharged from the cooling device of the aircraft galley, which is not fully utilized in the prior art, specifically the waste heat discharged from the air outlet of the condenser of the evaporative refrigeration unit Thermal energy of exhaust gas. In the utility model, by discharging the waste heat exhaust to the area around the dining car door of the aircraft galley, it effectively solves the problem that the leakage of cooling air in the aircraft galley causes the temperature of the dining car door area to be too low. It also effectively reuses energy and avoids the extra cost of installing electric heaters in the dining car door area. Further, the cooling device also realizes the closed-loop feedback control of the temperature of the dining car door area through the setting of the temperature sensor and the controller.

Additional features and advantages described herein will be set forth in the following detailed description, and will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following, or will be recognized by those skilled in the art from practice of the embodiments described herein, including the following detailed description, claims, and drawings.

It is to be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description illustrate various embodiments and are intended to provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature and characteristics of the claimed subject matter. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the various embodiments and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate various embodiments described herein, and together with the description serve to explain the principles and operation of the claimed subject matter.

Description of drawings

With reference to the above objects, the technical features of the present invention are clearly described in the following claims, and its advantages are apparent from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show by way of example preferred embodiments of the present invention, It does not limit the scope of the concept of the present invention.

Fig. 1 shows the principle schematic diagram of the cooling device according to the present invention;

2A is a side view of an aircraft galley with a cooling device according to the present invention installed;

2B is a front view of a cooling device with an aircraft galley installed in accordance with the present invention; and

Figure 3 schematically shows an aircraft galley fitted with a cooling device according to the invention in a front perspective view.

List of reference signs

1 Evaporative refrigeration unit;

11 condenser;

2 hot air duct;

3 hot air outlet device;

31-Hot air outlet;

32-Hot air outlet pipe;

4 temperature sensor;

5 controller;

6 Control valve;

7 exhaust valve;

8 thermal insulation materials;

9 exhaust pipe;

10 cooling device;

G aircraft kitchen;

I Cabin cool air intake.

Detailed ways

Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While the invention will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments, it should be appreciated that this description is not intended to limit the invention to those exemplary embodiments. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives, modifications and equivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims and other implementations. For ease of explanation and precise definition in the appended claims, the terms "upper," "lower," "inner," and "outer" are used to refer to the positions of features of the exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings to refer to these features describe.

FIG. 1 schematically shows the working principle of a cooling device for an aircraft galley G, generally designated by the reference numeral 10 .

As shown in FIG. 1, the cooling device 10 includes:

- Evaporative refrigeration unit 1 for providing cooling air to the aircraft galley G, wherein the evaporative refrigeration unit 1 comprises a condenser 11, the evaporative refrigeration unit 1 may be any evaporative refrigeration known in the art for cooling aircraft galleys unit;

- Hot air duct 2, which is connected to the air outlet of the condenser 11 for guiding the waste heat exhaust from the condenser 11;

- a hot air outlet device 3, which is in fluid connection with the hot air duct 2, wherein the hot air outlet device 3 includes a hot air outlet 31 (shown in Figures 2B and 3) and a hot air outlet duct 32, and the hot air outlet The air device 3 is arranged to discharge the waste heat exhaust to the surroundings of the dining car door area through the hot air outlet 31 arranged in the dining car door area of the aircraft galley G;

- a temperature sensor 4, arranged in the dining car door area of the aircraft galley G, for sensing the temperature of this area;

- The control valve 6 is arranged in the hot air duct 2. By adjusting the opening of the control valve 6, the flow rate of the waste heat exhaust gas guided to the hot air outlet device 3 through the hot air duct 2 can be adjusted;

- exhaust valve 7, which when open communicates with the outside of the nacelle;

- an exhaust duct 9, which is arranged to flow-connect the control valve 6 to the exhaust valve 7, which leads the remaining waste heat exhaust gas that has not passed the control valve 6 into the hot air duct 2 to the exhaust valve 7 and via it is expelled outside the cabin; and

- a controller 5 in communication and/or electrical connection with the temperature sensor 4 and the control valve 6 and configured to be pre-set in the controller 5 according to the temperature of the dining car door area sensed by the temperature sensor 4 The opening degree of the control valve 6 is adjusted according to the target temperature in .

2A and 2B show a front view and a side view, respectively, of the aircraft galley G with the cooling device 10 installed.

As shown in FIG. 2A , the cooling device 10 is integrally installed at the exterior rear of the aircraft galley G. With this installation method, it can be conveniently applied to the existing aircraft galley, and can even be used for cooling the existing aircraft galley G. The device has been improved.

As shown in FIG. 2B , a layer of insulating material 8 is also provided outside the side walls on both sides of the dining car door area of the aircraft galley G. The insulating material 8 is preferably rigid polyurethane foam, although other insulating materials known in the art may be used. The hot air outlet device 3 is embedded in the insulating material layers provided on the side walls on both sides, and the hot air outlet 31 protrudes from the insulating material 8, and is specifically located outside the longitudinal sides of the dining car door area of the aircraft galley G. .

Preferably, the hot air outlet device 3 includes a plurality of hot air outlet pipes 32 . In FIG. 3 , the plurality of hot air outlet ducts 32 are shown with dotted lines. As shown in the figure, the plurality of hot air outlet pipes 32 are arranged in parallel and parallel to each other downstream of the hot air duct 2 and are correspondingly connected to the hot air outlet 31 arranged on both sides of the dining car door area of the aircraft galley G. The tuyere 31 can thereby discharge the waste hot air exhausted by the condenser 11 to the surroundings of the dining car door area to increase the temperature of the dining car door area.

An exemplary arrangement of the hot air outlet duct 32 is shown in FIG. 3, and it should be noted that this arrangement is not limiting, but only exemplary.

Meanwhile, FIG. 3 also shows the uniform and symmetrical arrangement of the hot air outlet pipes 32 on the side walls on both sides of the dining car door area of the kitchen. However, it should be noted that the arrangement of the parallel and symmetrical hot air outlet pipes 32 and the hot air outlet 31 shown in the figure is not unique. It should also be noted that in the cooling device 10 shown in FIG. 3 two temperature sensors 4 are provided, which are respectively arranged at the lower part of the two sides of the dining car door area of the aircraft galley G, in particular at the galley door area near the ground. , this height can realize the sensing of the temperature that the flight attendant's legs may feel more in line with the actual feeling. Preferably, two temperature sensors 4 are arranged near the hot air outlet 31 on both side walls of the galley door area of the aircraft galley G. It should be noted that this arrangement is merely illustrative and not restrictive. In practice, the temperature sensor 4 can also be arranged at the upper part of the dining car door area.

In use, the fan in the evaporative refrigeration unit 1 of the cooling device 10 extracts fresh air in the aircraft cabin through the cabin cold air inlet 1, which passes through the condenser 11 to obtain warmed waste heat exhaust gas, and the waste heat exhaust gas passes through the condenser. The air outlet of 11 is discharged to the hot air duct 2.

At the same time, the controller 5 performs processing according to the temperatures sensed by the two temperature sensors 4, such as taking an average value, to obtain the actual temperature of the dining car door area of the aircraft galley G, and further compares it with the meal pre-given to the controller 5. The target temperature of the door area is compared, and the opening degree of the control valve 6, here is the three-way valve, is controlled according to the temperature difference, and part or all of the waste heat exhaust gas is passed through the hot air duct 2, the hot air outlet pipe 32 and the hot air as needed. The air outlet 31 is discharged around the dining car door area to mix and heat exchange with the cold air leaked therein to increase the temperature of the dining car door area.

Although not shown in the schematic diagram, the controller 5 may also be in communication and/or electrical coupling with a cabin temperature sensor of the aircraft, so as to combine the temperature measured by the cabin temperature sensor, the temperature measured by the temperature sensor 4 of the cooling device 10 and the predetermined temperature The set target temperature can better adjust the temperature of the dining car door area of the aircraft galley G, and improve the physical comfort of the flight attendants.

On the other hand, if only part of the residual heat exhaust gas is required to heat the dining car door area, the remaining residual heat exhaust gas flows via the other outlet of the control valve 6 to the exhaust duct 9 , which leads it to the exhaust valve 7, the remaining waste heat exhaust gas is thus discharged to the outside of the engine room when the exhaust valve 7 is opened.

Optionally, although not shown, the controller 5 of the cooling device 10 may also be coupled to a touch-screen display provided outside the aircraft galley G, and configured such that the flight attendant can also adjust the preset on the controller by means of the touch-screen display. 5 in the target temperature.

Therefore, the cooling device 10 improves the problem of excessively low temperature in the dining car door area caused by the leakage of cooling air from the aircraft galley G, so that the problem of poor comfort for the cabin crew when working in the dining car door area is improved. At the same time, the cooling device 10 also avoids the problems of high energy consumption and low energy utilization rate by using an electric heating sheet for heating in this area.

Within the scope of the present invention, each embodiment can be freely combined, or each embodiment can be appropriately modified or omitted.

Claims (10)

1. A cooling device (10) for an aircraft galley, comprising an evaporative refrigeration unit (1) for providing cooling air to an aircraft galley (G), the evaporative refrigeration unit (1) comprising a condenser (11), It is characterized in that, The cooling device further comprises a hot air duct (2) and a hot air outlet device (3) arranged around the aircraft galley (G), Wherein, the hot air duct (2) is arranged behind the condenser (11) and communicates with the air outlet of the condenser (11), and guides the waste heat exhaust gas discharged from the condenser to the hot air outlet device (3); and Wherein, the hot air outlet device is configured to discharge the waste heat exhaust to the dining car door area of the aircraft galley (G). 2. The cooling device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the hot air outlet device (3) is embedded in the heat insulating material (8) outside the side wall of the kitchen (G), And at least one hot air outlet (31) extending out of the heat insulating material (8) is included. 3. The cooling device (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that, the at least one hot air outlet (31) is a plurality of multiple air outlets provided on the side walls on both sides of the dining car door of the aircraft galley (G). A hot air outlet. 4. The cooling device (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that, further comprising a control valve (6) arranged in the hot air duct (2), and comprising an exhaust valve (7) and an exhaust duct (9), wherein the control valve (6) is connected to the exhaust valve (7) via the exhaust duct (9), and the exhaust valve (7) communicates to the outside of the fuselage when opened . 5. The cooling device (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that it further comprises a controller (5) and at least one temperature sensor (4) arranged in the dining car door area of the aircraft galley (G), wherein , the controller (5) is configured to control the opening degree of the control valve (6) according to the temperature measured by the at least one temperature sensor (4). 6. The cooling device (10) according to claim 5, wherein the at least one temperature sensor (4) is arranged near the hot air outlet (31). 7. The cooling device (10) according to claim 5, wherein the at least one temperature sensor (4) is two temperature sensors. 8. The cooling device (10) according to claim 7, wherein the two temperature sensors are arranged close to the ground. 9. The cooling device (10) according to any one of claims 4 to 8, wherein the control valve (6) is a three-way control valve. 10. The cooling device (10) according to any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the controller (5) is arranged outside the aircraft galley (G) and is located in the aircraft galley (G) )rear.

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