AIRCRAFT INCLUDING A SYSTEM AND PROCESS FOR STORING WATER COLLECTED FROM THE ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT The object of the present invention is an aircraft including a system and process for storing water collected from the atmospheric environment of the type specified in the preamble to the first claim.

In particular, the present invention relates to an aircraft, preferably a fixed-wing aircraft, comprising a system, and process thereof, for storing water collected from moist air, for example in the form of water vapour within clouds. Similar aircraft are described in patent applications US-A-5402967 and US-A-2011/048039.

As is well known, aircraft are equipped with several interacting systems within a complex system defined, precisely, by the aircraft itself. The most common aircraft, i.e. aircrafts, are mostly characterised by a fixed wing connected to a fuselage. In addition to the structure and aerodynamic surfaces, aircrafts are generally equipped with at least a propulsion system, a control system and an air conditioning and pressurisation system.

As is well known, aircraft must keep the environment inside the cockpit compatible with human needs and, for this reason, the air inside the fuselage, at least as far as the habitable parts are concerned, must be regulated according to predetermined levels of pressure and temperature.

To summarise, in air conditioning and pressurisation systems, also known as environment control systems or ECS, which exploit bleed technology, there is generally at least one low-pressure port, located between the fifth and sixth stage of the engine compressor, through which hot, compressed air is blown, and a second high-pressure port located around the ninth stage of the engine compressor. The latter port therefore spills out compressed air intended for use especially when it is intended to supply not only the air conditioning system, but also the De/Anti Ice system and other pneumatic consumers on board. The control system then also activates the high-pressure bleed via shut-off valves. The low-pressure ducts are also equipped with non-return valves to prevent the high-pressure flow from flowing up the ducts and back into the engine. All spilled flows are fed into a single outlet, which supplies air at a temperature typically between 180°C and 250°C. Since these temperature values are quite high, the temperature itself is regulated by means of an air heat exchanger fed with external air from the engine fan, the regulation of which is done by managing the flow of the latter. Finally, the cooled flow is regulated in pressure by means of appropriate laminations and sent to the pneumatic system. A diagram of such a system is shown in Fig. 4.

The outgoing air flow from the motor-spilling system is then conveyed to the actual air-conditioning system. This generally consists of a plurality of cooling units or CAUs (Cold Air Units).

In brief, any CAU includes a turbine-compressor-fan unit, an air-to-air heat exchanger and a water separator.

The pressure-controlled flow of hot air arriving from the pneumatic system is either conveyed to the centrifugal compressor, if the latter is present, or directly to the heat exchanger. Then, a non-return valve, or check valve, installed in parallel with the compressor allows the air to reach the turbine directly via the heat exchanger. The rotation of the turbine, which is centripetal, pulls the compressor, which starts compressing the air, causing the non-return valve to close.

The increase in temperature due to compression is dissipated through the heat exchanger before the air is sent to the turbine, which, moving at high spins, causes greater air expansion and thus a more pronounced drop in air temperature at the turbine outlet.

An inlet door called the Ram Air Inlet (RAI) and an outlet door called the Ram Air Exit (RAE) control, with the help of the fan operatively connected to the turbine, the flow of air through the heat exchanger and, consequently, determine a greater or lesser cooling of the air sent to the turbine. There may also be a Turbine By-pass Valve (TBV) in the system, which regulates the amount of air flowing through the cooling turbine.

From the cooling turbine, the air passes through a water separator where gives up the excess moisture it contains.

The water separator is basically a device whose purpose is to facilitate the formation of water droplets by imparting a swirling pattern to the cooled, moist air. An example of a device known from the current state of the art is shown in Fig. 3. The water droplets are then collected and discharged at the inlet of the heat exchanger's air inlet, thus preventing the spread of mist in the cabin and the outflow of water, due to condensation, from the air distribution vents. The known technique described therefore includes some important drawbacks.

In particular, the water recovered from the water separator is essentially dispersed back into the environment through the RAE drain as it is fed into the duct defined between RAI and RAE close to the air-to-air heat exchanger of the cooling unit. Therefore, the planes of the known technique do not allow the collection of water for later use. In this situation, the technical task at the basis of the present invention is to devise an aircraft including a system and procedure for storing water collected from the atmospheric environment capable of substantially obviating at least part of the aforementioned drawbacks. In the context of said technical task, it is an important scope of the invention to obtain an aircraft comprising a system and procedure for storing water collected from the atmosphere within which the aircraft moves.

Another important aim of the invention is to realise an aircraft including a system and procedure for storing water collected from the atmospheric environment that allows the storage system to be implemented in a simple and economical manner. In conclusion, a further task of the invention is to make an aircraft including a system and procedure for storing water collected from the atmospheric environment that requires few structural modifications and whose modifications can be easily implemented in any aircraft. The specified technical task and purposes are achieved by an aircraft comprising a system and process for storing water collected from the atmospheric environment as claimed in the annexed claim 1.

Preferred technical solutions are highlighted in the dependent claims.

The features and advantages of the invention are clarified below by a detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: the Fig. 1 shows a simplified diagram of an aircraft including a system and procedure for storing water collected from the atmospheric environment according to the invention; the Fig. 2 illustrates a diagram of a system and procedure for storing water collected from the atmospheric environment according to the invention implemented within the aircraft of Fig. 1 ; the Fig. 3 is a schematic of the aircraft water separator including a system and process for storing water collected from the atmospheric environment according to the invention substantially similar to a conventional water separator known in the state of the art; and the Fig. 4 depicts a schematic of an aircraft engine air spilling system including a system and process for storing water collected from the atmospheric environment according to the invention substantially similar to a conventional bleed system known in the state of the art.

In the present document, the measurements, values, shapes and geometric references (such as perpendicularity and parallelism), when associated with words like “about” or other similar terms such as “approximately” or “substantially”, are to be considered as except for measurement errors or inaccuracies due to production and/or manufacturing errors, and, above all, except for a slight divergence from the value, measurements, shape, or geometric reference with which it is associated. For instance, these terms, if associated with a value, preferably indicate a divergence of not more than 10% of the value.

Moreover, when used, terms such as “first”, “second”, “higher”, “lower”, “main” and “secondary” do not necessarily identify an order, a priority of relationship or a relative position, but can simply be used to clearly distinguish between their different components.

Unless otherwise specified, as results in the following discussions, terms such as “treatment”, “computing”, “determination”, “calculation”, or similar, refer to the action and/or processes of a computer or similar electronic calculation device that manipulates and/or transforms data represented as physical, such as electronic quantities of registers of a computer system and/or memories in, other data similarly represented as physical quantities within computer systems, registers or other storage, transmission or information displaying devices. The measurements and data reported in this text are to be considered, unless otherwise indicated, as performed in the International Standard Atmosphere ICAO (ISO 2533:1975).

With reference to the Figures, the aircraft comprising a system and process for storing water collected from the atmospheric environment according to the invention is collectively referred to as 1.

The aircraft 1 can be a flying machine of various kinds. An aircraft, a helicopter, a tiltrotor or other. Preferably, aircraft 1 is a fixed-wing or at least partially fixed-wing aircraft. Thus, it includes, in addition to the wing, a fuselage 11.

The fuselage 11 , as is well known, is essentially the part of aircraft 1 intended for the cockpit and the containment of most of the on-board equipment.

It therefore defines a spine 11a and a belly 11b. The back 11a is the upper part of aircraft 1 , i.e. the part of aircraft 1 mostly facing the sky.

The belly 11 b is the part of the aircraft facing the ground. Therefore, belly 11 b is the part of aircraft 1 generally intended to include devices interacting with the ground such as, for example, carriages.

The aircraft 1 also includes a spillage system 2.

The spillage system 2 is basically configured to spill moist air from the atmospheric environment.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the spillage system 2 spills moist, pressurised air from the compressor of an aircraft engine 1. The spillage system 2, for example shown in Fig. 4, is basically known in the present state of the art. It includes, as mentioned above, a low-pressure port, which is generally located between the fifth and sixth compressor stages of the engine, a second high-pressure port, which is located around the ninth compressor stage, of the engine, an air heat exchanger, supplied with outside air from the engine fan, and a pressure regulator.

However, the spillage system 2 may include other components configured to spill moist air from the atmospheric environment. Such components may be in addition to, or alternatives to, the compressor spill system.

For example, spillage system 2 may include air intakes or vents arranged at the fuselage 11 , or even at the wing surface.

In detail, for example, the spillage system 2 may comprise lateral louvers arranged on the surface of the fuselage 11 and capable of conveying moist air to the interior of the aircraft 1 .

Or, again, the spillage system 2 may comprise one or more hoses extractable from the fuselage 11 and also configured to convey moist air to the interior of the aircraft 1 . For example, the hoses may be similar to the hoses used for loading fuel into the air and may, therefore, provide reduced interference with the aerodynamic surfaces of the aircraft as well as a remote recovery, with respect to the fuselage 11 , of air from cloudy disturbances allowing for greater stability during loading.

Or, in addition or as an alternative, spillage system 2 may include further components as further specified below.

The aircraft 1 also includes a cooling unit 3. The cooling unit 3 is also mostly known from the current state of the art.

The cooling unit 3 is, in general, operationally connected to the spillage system 2. In this way, the cooling unit 3 receives pressurised moist air from the spillage system 2.

Essentially, in the most mundane form of realisation, the cooling unit 3 includes a heat exchanger 30, at least one turbine 31 and a water separator 32.

The heat exchanger 30 is basically configured to cool moist air. Generally, the heat exchanger 30 is of the air-to-air type and is configured to cool the incoming air from the spillage system 2 with the outside air flowing between an inlet, or RAI, and an outlet, or RAE.

The turbine 31 is essentially an expansion turbine to further cool the moist air. Therefore, preferably, turbine 31 is arranged downstream of heat exchanger 30. The water separator 32 is, therefore, configured to collect water from moist air.

An example of a water separator 32 is shown in Fig. 3. Briefly, the water separator 32 comprises, as is known, a body capable of imparting a swirling motion to the moist air so as to induce a condensation of the water, in droplet form, downstream of the body. Naturally, the cooling unit 3 may include further elements. For example, the cooling unit may include a fan integral with the turbine, interfering with the flow of cold air coming from the outside, i.e. between the RAI and the RAE, and aimed in particular at favouring the circulation of said fluid. Moreover, the cooling unit 3 could also include a compressor, preferably centrifugal, arranged between the heat exchanger 30 and the turbine 31. Moreover, the cooling unit 3 could further include a further heat exchanger arranged between the compressor and the turbine 31. An example of a cooling unit 3 with compressor, fan and double heat exchanger is shown in Fig. 2.

Advantageously, the water separator 32 can include a condensation unit. The condensation unit is preferably an auxiliary condenser arranged within the condensing unit and designed to increase the condensing efficiency of the water separator.

In addition, the spillage 2 system can include half sensors configured to detect the humidity level and possibly also the temperature of the air entering the compressor. Thus, the aircraft 1 may further comprise a control unit operatively connected to the condensation unit and the sensor means. Thus, the control unit may be configured to adjust the operation of the condensation unit, possibly increasing or decreasing the output, in relation to humidity and/or temperature levels measured by the sensor means. For example, the control unit could limit itself to switching the condensing unit on or off when humidity and/or temperature levels exceed, or fail to exceed, predetermined and configurable threshold values.

Advantageously, in aircraft 1 , the water collected from the moist air by the water separator 32 is not conveyed to the RAE port. In fact, the aircraft 1 also comprises at least one tank 4 and conveying means 5.

The aircraft 1 could, of course, comprise a plurality of tank 4. In any event, the tank 4 is preferably configured to store water. Advantageously, in this regard, the tank 4 includes a casing 40.

The casing 40 is essentially a container defining closed walls. More specifically, preferably, the casing 40 is thermally controlled. It preferably defines a temperature below the temperature determined by the dew point of the moist air. In particular, the reference moist air for determining the dew point is the moist air in the water separator 32, i.e. the moist air immediately downstream of the tank 4. Naturally, therefore, the casing 40 may include walls comprising cooling and/or heating means for regulating the temperature according to the pressure, varying with altitude, to which the moist air is subjected. Such means may be readily connected to common aircraft control systems 1.

In addition, the casing 40 may be made of specific materials. Preferably, the casing 40 is made, at least in part, of polymeric material. More specifically, the casing 40 is made of polyethylene.

The conveying means 5 are, therefore, advantageously configured to convey water from water separator 32 to tank 4.

Thus, preferably, the water separator 32 is arranged in a position of greater potential gravitation than the tank 4 when the aircraft 1 is in uniform horizontal rectilinear flight. Thus, the conveying means 5 can be realised by a simple duct which, by virtue of gravitational buoyancy, conveys the water droplets more or less rapidly to the tank 4.

The conveying means 5 also includes at least one valve element 50.

The valve element 50 is advantageously permeable by water only in the direction of the tank 4. This means that, even if the water remains in the aircraft 1 , there is no possibility of it being distributed, for example, in the cabin or generally in the fuselage by the air-conditioning and pressurisation system.

The aircraft 1 may, therefore, include a discharge 6.

The discharge 6 is preferably in fluid passage connection with tank 4. If the aircraft 1 comprises a plurality of tanks 4, discharge 6 may be in fluid passage connection with all tanks 4.

Furthermore, it is configured to allow water to be dispensed, on command, from aircraft 1. For example, if the tank 4 is arranged at the belly 11 b of the aircraft 1 , the discharge 6 may be, also, arranged at the belly 11 b. In general, the discharge 6 may be directly connected to the tank 4 at a potential lower gravity zone of the tank 4. The discharge 6 may be a simple pluggable conduit or equipped with valves or other elements obstructing the outflow of water and controllable. Preferably, the discharge 6 includes at least one nebuliser device.

The nebuliser may be positioned in particular at the belly 11 b or tail of the aircraft 1. In general, the nebuliser is configured to deliver water droplets, at high pressure, from aircraft 1.

So, basically, the nebuliser can be similar to a sprinkler that distributes drops of water into the external environment. Therefore, if the aircraft discharges water spray at high altitude, it is possible to make ice powder or snow to be distributed in areas affected by fires to facilitate their extinguishment.

Of course, the discharge 6 may comprise one or more pumps, e.g. electric pumps, operatively connected to the control system of the aircraft 1. If present, preferably the aircraft 1 comprises one pump for each tank 4. Furthermore, preferably, the pump is positioned at the bottom, e.g. towards the belly 11b, of the fuselage 11 of the aircraft 1 or, in general, at an area of potential lower gravitation of the tank 4. Thus, the pump is configured to convey, on command, water from tank 4 to a nebuliser or to the nebuliser if aircraft 1 comprises only one.

The aircraft 1 may also include an additional element. For example, aircraft 1 may include a fin 12. If present, the fin 12 may essentially be similar to a wing surface, but arranged transversely to the fuselage 11. Thus, the fin 12 may be removable on command. Preferably, it is arranged at the spine 11 a.

The fin 12, in particular, is configured to collect air when extracted. Flence, it is operatively connected to water separator 32 so as to convey moist air to water separator 32. In other words, as mentioned above, the spillage system 2 may comprise the fin 12. The latter may be added to, or used as an alternative to, the aircraft compressor spillage system 1 and/or the air intakes or vents that may be present on the fuselage 11 or wing surface.

Preferably, the air intakes or vents, louvers or hoses, if any, are also operatively connected to the water separator 32 in order to convey moist air to the water separator 32.

The invention thus comprises a new process for storing water collected from the atmospheric environment. The process is, of course, carried out by aircraft 1 as previously described.

The process thus comprises at least one flight phase, one withdrawal phase and one accumulation phase.

In the flight phase, advantageously, aircraft 1 flies at the edge of a cloud disturbance. Thus, in the withdrawal phase, moist air is collected in from the cloud disturbance. For example, the withdrawal phase can be realised by tapping the moist air at least from the compressor of said engine. In addition, or alternatively, the sampling phase can be realised with the fin 12 or even with other elements or sockets, for example a vent, a slot or a hose, capable of collecting moist air from the external environment. Then, the water separated from the moist air is stored in tank 4.

In conclusion, the process may comprise a further dispensing phase. In this phase, preferably, aircraft 1 dispenses the accumulated water in nebulised form into the external environment, preferably by means of the discharge 6.

The aircraft including a system, and process, for storing water collected from the atmospheric environment 1 according to the invention achieves important advantages. In fact, aircraft 1 allows the accumulation of water collected from the atmosphere within which the aircraft moves.

In particular, aircraft 1 avoids wasting water, which is usually expelled through the RAE port. Therefore, as the system is connected to components already present on common aircraft, the storage system can be implemented easily and inexpensively.

In fact, the adaptation of the aircraft to the system requires few structural modifications and the changes are easily implemented in any aircraft.

The invention is susceptible to variations within the inventive concept as defined by the claims.

Here, all details can be replaced by equivalent elements and the materials, shapes and sizes can be any.