阅读说明：本技术 对飞行器的水系统进行消毒的方法 (Method for disinfecting a water system of an aircraft ) 是由 塞巴斯蒂安·弗拉斯哈尔 米夏埃尔·伦珀 阿克塞尔·施赖纳 于 2019-05-30 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种对飞行器的水系统进行消毒的方法包括：通过地面服务设备在水系统的入口处引入湿热空气；使湿热空气从入口冲洗穿过水系统的水管到达水系统的出口；以及在出口处提取湿热空气；其中,使湿热空气在预定的消毒时间内冲入入口并从出口冲出,并且其中湿热空气的温度在60℃与80℃之间。(A method of disinfecting an aircraft water system comprising: introducing hot humid air at an inlet of a water system through a ground service device; flushing hot humid air from an inlet through a water pipe of the water system to an outlet of the water system; and extracting hot humid air at the outlet; wherein the hot humid air is flushed into the inlet and out of the outlet within a predetermined disinfection time, and wherein the temperature of the hot humid air is between 60 ℃ and 80 ℃.)

1. A method (M) for disinfecting a water system (10), in particular a drinking water system, of an aircraft (100), the method comprising:

Introducing (M1) hot and humid air (20) at an inlet (2) of a water system (10) through a ground service equipment (11);

Flushing hot humid air (20) from an inlet (2) through water pipes (1a, 1b, 1c, 1d) of the water system (10) to an outlet (3) of the water system (10); and

Extracting (M3) hot and humid air (20) at an outlet (3);

Wherein hot humid air (20) is flushed into the inlet (2) and out of the outlet (3) within a predetermined disinfection time; and is

Wherein the temperature of the hot and humid air (20) is between 60 ℃ and 80 ℃.

2. A method (M) according to claim 1, wherein the hot humid air (20) is provided at the inlet (2) with air saturated with water vapour (22) or with water vapour (22) reaching supersaturated air.

3. A method (M) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the hot humid air (20) is generated by a ground service (11).

4. A method (M) according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the hot humid air (20) is generated by mixing hot water vapour (22) with compressed air (21).

5. A method (M) according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the hot humid air (20) is generated by heating a mixture of water and compressed air.

6. A method (M) according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein condensed water (18) is captured at the outlet (3) by the treatment device (12) and recirculated to provide hot humid air (20).

7. A method (M) according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein waste heat from the extracted hot humid air (20) is recycled by the treatment device (12) to provide hot humid air (20).

8. the method (M) according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the water pipes (1a, 1b, 1c, 1d) comprise at least one of an inlet pipe (1a), a distribution pipe (1b), an outlet pipe (1c) and a consumption pipe (1 d).

9. The method (M) according to any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the hot humid air (20) is flushed through a tank portion (9a) of the water system (10).

10. A method (M) according to claim 9, wherein a tank outlet (4) of a tank section (9a) is used as the inlet (2) or the outlet (3).

Technical Field

the invention relates to a method for disinfecting a water system of an aircraft.

Background

The (drinking) water systems of modern passenger aircraft usually comprise a wide network of water pipes which extend from inlet and outlet openings outside the aircraft fuselage via distribution pipes through the aircraft fuselage to consumers in the passenger cabin, such as kitchens, sanitary installations and the like. In addition, such passenger aircraft usually have at least one water storage tank for a water supply system, which may have a capacity of about 1000L, for example.

A publication (worksheet W557, month 10 2012) published by the german gas and Water industry association (DVGW) entitled "Cleaning and disinfecting of Drinking Water devices" describes the actual implementation of Cleaning and disinfecting measures and preventive measures against contamination of Drinking Water devices. One possible way for disinfection is thermal disinfection, in which hot water is flushed through the entire drinking water apparatus. Another possible means for disinfection that has been widely used, in particular in the aeronautical field, is chemical disinfection, in which drinking water devices are treated with specific application concentrations of disinfecting chemicals such as sodium hypochlorite, chlorine dioxide and hydrogen peroxide. Furthermore, in particular in medical and industrial applications, it is recommended to use hot water vapor at the boiling point of water (for example 100 ℃ at 1 atmosphere) for sterilization.

Typically, passenger aircraft water storage tanks are thermally and chemically disinfected using Ground Service Equipment (GSE), such as tanker trucks with sufficiently large storage tanks; these devices provide a corresponding amount of hot water stock or disinfectant mixture so that the aircraft water storage tank, the connected supply and outlet lines and the pipeline network of the aircraft can be completely filled with fluid. For this reason, a large amount of fluid must be supplied, and in some cases the fluid must be heated. Additionally, multiple flushes of the water storage tank and/or water lines may be required, whereby disinfection and any associated cleaning, etc., may take an entire day.

Disclosure of Invention

In this context, it is an object of the invention to find a simpler, faster and cheaper solution for disinfecting a water system of an aircraft.

According to the invention, the above object is achieved by a method having the features of claim 1.

Accordingly, a method for disinfecting a water system, in particular a drinking water system, of an aircraft is provided. The method comprises the following steps: introducing hot humid air at an inlet of a water system through a ground service device; flushing hot humid air from an inlet through a water pipe of the water system to an outlet of the water system; and extracting hot humid air at the outlet; wherein the hot humid air is flushed into the inlet and out of the outlet within a predetermined disinfection time; and wherein the temperature of the hot humid air is between 60 ℃ and 80 ℃.

The concept underlying the present invention is to avoid the use of chemicals and storage tanks, in that hot and humid air is introduced directly into the pipeline to be disinfected in the field by Ground Service Equipment (GSE). For this reason, the GSE only needs to be connected to a supply of hot humid air or a corresponding device for generating the hot humid air. In the present method, there is no need for large fluid storage tanks that can only be heated with high energy consumption. Thus, the GSE can be compactly designed to be mobile and versatile, thereby allowing selective use of disinfection processes in certain critical (pipe) areas in a time, cost and energy efficient manner. Furthermore, due to the compact design and only a small (electrical) power consumption of the GSE, the (mobile) use in an aircraft-specific working environment becomes easier or economically feasible. The use of hot humid air also has considerable advantages in terms of time and energy compared to the use of hot water. This is partly because by means of air the surface can be heated and thus disinfected in a targeted manner, while the volume enclosed by the surface does not have to be heated and filled with fluid accordingly, whereby specific advantages of the method are found in the disinfection of large-volume aircraft drinking-water tanks. In fact, bacteria and other germs mainly grow on the (inner) surface of the pipe or tank.

first, the faster the disinfection process, the higher the water temperature. Secondly, aircraft parts of modern light aircraft usually have only a limited temperature resistance, which does not include water temperatures above 80 ℃, in particular boiling water. In this refinement, therefore, an advantageous compromise is found between as short a disinfection time as possible and the smallest possible deterioration of the affected aircraft structure, such as the pipelines and the surrounding area. In particular, it has been found that the hot humid air has a temperature of at least 60 ℃ in the entire flushing area of the water tube. For example, hot humid air at a temperature of about 70 ℃ may be provided and flushed through the water tube. Thus, in particular, the use of water vapor above 100 ℃ is avoided, which may damage or at least adversely affect adjacent aircraft structures.

in the present invention, hot humid air (i.e. hot air with a significant proportion of water vapour-as opposed to dry hot air) is used in particular in order to create a (convective) flow of medium with a sufficient specific enthalpy to effectively disinfect the pipe and/or tank surfaces at relatively low temperatures between 60 ℃ and 80 ℃. Dry air produces a lower enthalpy than moist air, and thus sterilization with dry air is not efficient at such low temperatures. This is partly because there is an amount of water vapour in the hot humid air that causes condensation on the heated surfaces of the water pipes or storage tanks, thereby heating them faster. For example, the air may be (fully) saturated or supersaturated humid air (i.e., air with saturated water vapor), and in some cases, mist droplets (i.e., 100% or higher relative humidity). In principle, however, variants of the invention are also conceivable in which a high relative humidity of less than 100% is present without the water vapor in the air having to be completely saturated.

In the case of the present invention, a distinction is made between disinfection and sterilization. Disinfection in the sense of the present invention means that an influence is exerted on the water supply or a medium, such as drinking water, such that it assumes a state in which it is no longer possible to cause infections. In this sense, the disinfection of drinking water systems can be carried out at temperatures much lower than the boiling point of water, in particular at temperatures as low as about 60 ℃. In contrast, sterilization not only means a sufficient reduction or elimination of germs and pathogens, but also means the virtually complete removal or elimination of all microorganisms at every developmental stage, including their resting stage (e.g., spores). Therefore, sterilization is usually carried out at very high temperatures (e.g., 121 ℃), especially keeping the necessary treatment time as short as possible (e.g., 3 minutes at 121 ℃).

Advantageous embodiments and refinements emerge from the further dependent claims and the description with reference to the figures.

According to a refinement, hot humid air can be provided at the inlet with air saturated, in particular completely saturated, with water vapor or with air supersaturated with water vapor. Thus, in this refinement, energy is transferred particularly efficiently for disinfection due to condensation of water vapor on the surface of the water pipe and/or the storage tank.

According to a refinement, the hot humid air can be generated by a floor service device. In order to provide hot and humid air, only a small amount of energy is required, so that hot and humid air can be directly generated on site with small power consumption by means of compact floor installations; in particular, this facilitates use in an aviation specific working environment or makes it economically feasible.

According to a refinement, hot humid air can be generated by mixing hot water vapor with compressed air. For example, the ground service apparatus may have a water connection to a steam generator for generating a steam jet. At the same time, the floor service equipment can be connected to a compressed air supply, by means of which a compressed air jet is provided, which can be mixed with the steam jet in the floor service equipment.

According to a refinement, the hot humid air can be generated by heating a mixture of water and compressed air. Instead of or in addition to the mixture of water vapour and compressed air, hot humid air can also be generated directly by heating the mixture of water and air.

According to a refinement, the condensed water can be captured at the outlet by a treatment device and recirculated to provide hot humid air. In this refinement, the treatment device therefore serves as a condensate recirculator. For maximum efficiency in terms of energy and material, a heating circuit can be effectively formed from the inlet via the water pipe to the outlet and from the outlet back to the inlet.

According to a refinement, the waste heat from the extracted hot humid air can be recirculated by the processing device to provide hot humid air. In this refinement, the treatment device serves as a heat exchanger.

According to a refinement, the water pipes may comprise an inlet pipe, a distribution pipe, a supply pipe, an outlet pipe and/or a consumption pipe. In addition, the water pipe may include tapping points (tapping points) or the like. For example, it is possible to perform not only the flushing of the inlet and outlet pipes connected to the inlet or outlet and the supply or distribution pipes connected thereto and extending, for example, under the cabin floor. It is also possible to sterilize the consumption pipes of the passenger cabin, the cab and/or the consumers in the cargo hold (e.g. kitchens, sanitary installations, etc.) which are connected to the supply pipes.

According to a refinement, hot humid air can be flushed through the tank part of the water system. In this advantageous development, the tank section comprising one or more tanks is therefore flushed with hot humid air only. One or more of the tanks need not be filled with hot water or other fluid in a time and energy intensive manner that may be impractical, especially for tanks having a capacity of 1000L or more, or may preclude use in an aviation specific work environment. The invention herein makes use of the fact that it may often be sufficient to disinfect if the surfaces of pipes and tanks where bacteria and germs mainly grow are heated sufficiently, for example to a temperature between 60 ℃ and 80 ℃ (e.g. 70 ℃).

according to a refinement, the tank outlet of the tank section can be used as an inlet or as an outlet. For example, an overflow drain or overflow outlet of the tank section may be used for this purpose. In addition, for example, as with the tank outlet, an inlet of an aircraft that exists as a standard may be used as the inlet. It is therefore sufficient that no special aircraft-side precautions have to be taken to achieve air circulation through the tank section, or technical facilities (e.g. pipes, valves, etc.) that may make appropriate use of the water system that is present in any case.

The above embodiments and modifications may be arbitrarily combined with each other where appropriate. Further possible embodiments, refinements and implementations of the invention also include combinations of features of the invention that are not explicitly listed above or below in relation to the exemplary embodiments. In particular, the person skilled in the art will add various aspects as modifications or additions to the respective basic embodiments of the invention.

Drawings

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments shown in the schematic drawings. The attached drawings show that:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of an aircraft having a water system prior to performing a disinfection method according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the aircraft of FIG. 1 during performance of the method;

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of an aircraft having a water system during execution of a disinfection method according to a further embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 4 is a schematic flow diagram of a method for disinfecting a water system of an aircraft, according to an embodiment of the invention.

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of embodiments of the invention. Which illustrate embodiments and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles and concepts of the invention. Many of the advantages of the other embodiments and descriptions appear with respect to the drawings. The elements of the drawings are not necessarily to scale.

In the drawings, the same elements, features and components having similar functions or effects have the same reference numerals unless otherwise specified.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 and 2 show a schematic side view of an aircraft 100 with a water system 10 during the execution of a disinfection method M according to an embodiment of the invention. A schematic flow chart of method M is shown in fig. 4.

The aircraft 100 (e.g. a passenger aircraft) comprises a water system 10, in particular a drinking water system, having a network of water pipes 1a to 1d and a tank 8 located in a tank portion 9a of the water system 10. In a purely exemplary manner, the aircraft 100 comprises a forward water connection 5 and an aft water connection 6, which in principle can be used as an inlet and/or outlet, respectively. The various water pipes 1a to 1d comprise an inlet pipe 1a, a distribution or supply pipe 1b, an outlet pipe 1c and a consumption pipe 1d, extending from the water connections 5, 6 through the fuselage of the aircraft 100 in the tank section 9a and the adjacent distribution section 9 b. The consumer tube 1d can here lead, for example, to consumers in the passenger cabin, cockpit or cargo compartment, for example, kitchens, sanitary installations such as showers, toilets or the like. For example, the distribution or supply pipe 1b may extend along and below the cabin floor (not shown) and be connected to the inlet and outlet pipes 1a, 1c, which in turn lead to the water connections 5, 6. Further, the tank part 9a of the water system 10 is also connected to the water pipes 1a to 1d of the distribution part 9b of the water system 10. In addition, the tank section 9a has a separate tank outflow 4, which is configured as an overflow or purge connection for the tank 8. For example, the tank 8 may have a capacity of 1000L or more. In principle, it should be pointed out that the water connections 5, 6 or the tank outlet 4, the water pipes 1a to 1d and the tank 8 shown in detail in this exemplary embodiment are to be regarded as purely exemplary. Those skilled in the art will immediately appreciate, on the basis of the present teachings, that the specific configuration of these components may be configured differently in alternative embodiments. For example, more than two water connections 5, 6 may be provided, the routes of the water pipes 1a to 1d and their connection points may be different, or more than one tank 8 may be installed, etc. Furthermore, the tank 8 or the tank section 9a may be located at different positions within the aircraft 100.

Fig. 1 also shows a ground service device 11, for example, a ground vehicle. The ground service unit 11 comprises a steam generator 14 which is supplied with electrical energy by means of an electrical power source 17. The steam generator 14 is connected to the water supply device 19 and evaporates the water supplied by the water supply device 19. The generated water vapour 7 is led to a steam-air mixer 13 of the floor service equipment 11, where the water vapour 7 is mixed with compressed air 21 from a compressed air supply 15 to form humid hot air 20, in which the water vapour 22 is fully saturated or supersaturated and which has a temperature between 60 ℃ and 80 ℃, for example 70 ℃. The hot humid air 20 may be used by the ground service 11 to fill the water system 10 of the aircraft 100 (see fig. 2). The floor service facility 11 also has a processing device 12, which processing device 12 is configured to capture hot condensate water and supply it to the steam generator 14, i.e. the processing device 12 can be used as a condensate water recoverer. Alternatively or additionally, the processing device 12 may be configured as a heat exchanger for recovering waste heat from the extracted hot humid air 20 in order to provide the hot humid air 20 (e.g. for preheating compressed air and water). The use of such a device in a method M for disinfecting a water system 10 of an aircraft 100 is explained below with reference to fig. 2.

In fig. 2, the ground service equipment 11 is connected to the tank outlet 4 for incoming hot humid air 20 and to the rear water connection 6 for receiving condensed water 18 or recovering waste heat from extracted hot humid air 20. Here, the rear water connection 6 serves as an outlet 3 for the condensed water 18, whereas in this example the tank outlet 4 serves as an inlet 2.

In the example of fig. 1 and 2, the disinfection of the water system 10 of the aircraft 100 consists in that, during a step M1, hot humid air 20 is introduced at the inlet 2 through the ground service equipment 11, is then flushed from the inlet 2 through the water pipes 1a, 1c and the storage tank 8 of the storage tank section 9a to the outlet 3, and is then extracted at the outlet through the ground service equipment 11. The flow of the hot humid air 20 is indicated by thick dashed lines in fig. 2. The rinsing process is performed within a predetermined sterilization time. The hot humid air 20 is introduced into the storage tank 8 such that the air 20 circulates in the storage tank 8 as extensively and/or turbulently as possible (indicated by arrows in fig. 2). As the water vapour reaches full saturation or supersaturation, the water vapour in the hot humid air 20 condenses onto the surfaces of the water pipes 1a, 1c and the storage tank 8, e.g. the walls of the storage tank (not shown).

Due to the high enthalpy density of the warm moist air 20, these surfaces are heated particularly quickly and efficiently to a predetermined temperature between 60 ℃ and 80 ℃, for example 70 ℃. At the same time, it is not necessary to completely fill the tank 8 with liquid, which must also be heated in an energy-intensive manner. As a result, the process M can be carried out particularly rapidly, economically and energy-efficiently. The surface can be heated and thus sterilized in a targeted manner with hot humid air, without the volume enclosed by the surface having to be filled with water and heated to the same extent. Bacteria and other germs mainly grow on the inner surface of the water pipes 1a, 1c or the storage tank 8. The ground service equipment 11 used can be designed compactly to be mobile, since no external fluid storage tanks or high-power heating devices are required (which is advantageous for use in aviation-specific working environments or makes it economically feasible for the first time). The greater these advantages become, the larger the tank 8 of the aircraft 100. In addition, the use of water vapor in the region of the boiling point of water (for example 100 ℃ C. or higher) is avoided, whereby adverse effects or damage to the affected aircraft structures (for example water tubes 1a, 1c and surrounding areas) can be excluded.

An alternative exemplary variant of the method M is shown in fig. 3, in which the configuration of the aircraft 100 and its water system 10 is the same as in fig. 1 and 2. In contrast to the embodiment of fig. 1 and 2, the floor service device 11 here comprises a heating device 16, which heating device 16 is supplied both with water from a water supply 19 and with compressed air from a compressed air supply 15. The mixture of water and compressed air, produced by mixing water and compressed air, is heated by the heating device 16, producing hot humid air 20, which is fully saturated or supersaturated with water vapour and which has a temperature between 60 ℃ and 80 ℃, for example 70 ℃. Thus, an alternative variant for generating hot humid air 20 in the floor service device 11 is provided. Except for these differences, method M is similar to the method in fig. 1 and 2.

In the foregoing detailed description, various features are combined in one or more examples to improve clarity of presentation. It is to be understood, however, that the above description is merely illustrative and not restrictive in nature. It is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents of the various features and exemplary embodiments. In view of the above description, many other examples will be immediately and directly apparent to those skilled in the art in view of their expertise.

for example, the number of connections used, the direction of flow of the hot water and the routing of the water pipes can be adjusted to the existing configuration of the aircraft to be disinfected.

The exemplary embodiments have been chosen and described in order to best explain the principles on which the invention is based and its practical application. The invention and its various exemplary embodiments may thus be best used and modified by the skilled person for the proposed application. In the claims and specification, the terms "comprising" and "including" are used as the neutral language of the corresponding term "comprising". Furthermore, the use of the terms "a" or "an" does not in principle exclude the plurality of features and elements so described.

List of reference numerals

1a to 1d water pipe

1a inlet pipe

1b distribution pipe

1c outlet pipe

1d consumption tube

2 inlet

3 outlet port

4 outlet of storage tank

5 front water connector

6 rear water connecting piece

7 steam of water

8 storage tank

9a tank part/rear part

9b distribution part

10 Water System

11 ground service equipment

12 treatment device

13 steam-air mixer

14 steam generator

15 compressed air supply device

16 heating device

17 power supply

18 condensed water

19 water supply device

20 moist and hot air

21 compressed air

100 plane

M method

Method step of M1

Method step of M2

Method step of M3