Patent Description:
The present disclosure relates to water storage systems for aircraft, and in particular to a hybrid water storage system that includes separate variable volumes for potable water and gray water occupying a common container.

Aircraft generally include one or more containers for storing potable water. The potable water may be used to supply sinks, showers, and other appliances on the aircraft. Spent drainage water from such appliances is often referred to as gray water or sullage, and thus gray water generally refers to waste water without urine or fecal contamination (e.g., waste streams from appliances other than toilets). Many conventional aircraft include a system or mechanism for expelling the gray water from the aircraft during flight. For example, many conventional aircraft include a drain mast or other feature that extends from the body of the aircraft to facilitate discharge of the gray water. However, the drag/air resistance caused by drain masts may negatively affect the efficiency, speed, range, and overall performance of the aircraft. Conventional solutions to this problem include adding an additional container to the aircraft for storing gray water. However, because space is limited on most aircraft, making room for an extra gray water storage container may be challenging. <CIT> relates to a hybrid water/water system architecture. <CIT> relates to a ballast system for boats. <CIT> relates to a water tank for a mobile toilet or washroom. <CIT> relates to a multi-function container.

A hybrid water storage system for an aircraft is provided in claim <NUM>.

A more complete understanding of the present disclosure, however, may best be obtained by referring to the detailed description and claims when considered in connection with the drawing figures.

The detailed description of exemplary embodiments herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings, which show exemplary embodiments by way of illustration. While these exemplary embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, it should be understood that other embodiments may be realized and that logical changes and adaptations in design and construction may be made in accordance with this disclosure and the teachings herein without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Disclosed herein, according to various embodiments, is a hybrid water storage system for an aircraft. Generally, the hybrid water storage system includes separate variable volumes for respectively storing/holding potable water and gray water occupying a common container, according to various embodiments. The hybrid water storage system is generally configured to draw potable water from a first variable volume in order to provide fresh water to one or more aircraft appliances (e.g., sinks, showers, ice-makers, etc.), and the used potable water (i.e., the potable water that is collected in drains from the aircraft appliances), referred to herein as gray water, is routed to a second variable volume that occupies the same container as the first variable volume. That is, valuable space on the aircraft may be conserved by having the gray water stored in the same container/volume from which the potable water was drawn. Although numerous details and examples are included herein pertaining to hybrid water storage systems for aircraft, the present disclosure is not necessarily so limited, and thus aspects of the disclosed embodiments may be adapted for performance in a variety of other industries (e.g., trains, vehicles, etc.). As such, numerous applications of the present disclosure may be realized.

In various embodiments, and with reference to <FIG>, an aircraft <NUM> may include one or more containers <NUM> for retaining or storing a liquid, such as water. As mentioned above, the container <NUM> may define a chamber within which two separate variable volumes are disposed for respectively storing potable water and gray water. Accordingly, the container <NUM> of <FIG> may incorporate one or more details of the hybrid water storage system described in greater detail below with reference to <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG> according to various embodiments and <FIG> according to an unclaimed example.

In various embodiments, and with reference to <FIG>, the hybrid water storage system <NUM> includes container <NUM> defining a chamber <NUM>, with a first variable volume fluid vessel <NUM> disposed in the chamber <NUM> and a second variable volume fluid vessel <NUM> also disposed in the chamber <NUM>. The first variable volume fluid vessel <NUM> is configured to store potable water and the second variable volume fluid vessel <NUM> is configured to store gray water. The hybrid water storage system <NUM> may interface with a water-use assembly <NUM> extending between and fluidly interconnecting the first variable volume fluid vessel <NUM> and the second variable volume fluid vessel <NUM>. The water-use assembly <NUM> may include tubing, piping, and/or manifolds for routing water between the two vessels. As described in greater detail below, the hybrid water storage system <NUM> may further include various inlets, outlets, and other tubing/piping/manifolds for routing water into the system, out of the system, and between components of the system. Additionally, the hybrid water storage systems depicted in the figures herein are schematic illustrations, and thus the shapes, sizes, and interconnectivity of the various components shown are not necessarily intended to represent the actual, physical shape, size, and features of the various components.

In various embodiments, and with continued reference to <FIG>, the hybrid water storage system <NUM> includes a fill port <NUM> and a delivery port <NUM> for the first variable volume fluid vessel <NUM>. That is, fresh potable water is supplied to the first variable volume fluid vessel <NUM> via the fill port <NUM> and the potable water is delivered to the water-use assembly <NUM> (i.e., the various aircraft appliances) during operation via the delivery port <NUM>. Further, and in accordance with various embodiments, the hybrid water storage system <NUM> includes a return port <NUM> and a discharge port <NUM> for the second variable volume fluid vessel <NUM>. That is, gray water from the water-use assembly <NUM> is collected and routed to the second variable volume fluid vessel <NUM> via the return port <NUM> and the gray water is subsequently discharged (e.g., after the aircraft has landed) via the discharge port <NUM> and/or used as toilet-flush water to rinse the toilet in the lavatory.

In various embodiments, the first variable volume fluid vessel <NUM> and the second variable volume fluid vessel <NUM> are fluidly isolated from each other but for the water-use assembly <NUM>. Said differently, the water-use assembly <NUM> may be the exclusive fluid communication pathway between the first variable volume fluid vessel <NUM> and the second variable volume fluid vessel <NUM>. In such a configuration, the potable water is prevented from being mixed and thus contaminated with the gray water. In various embodiments, the container <NUM> is a rigid housing.

The variable volume fluid vessels <NUM>, <NUM> may be flexible bladders <NUM>, <NUM> (see below with reference to <FIG>) that substantially conform to the shape of the container <NUM>. Accordingly, the variable/changeable volumes of the vessels <NUM>, <NUM> enable the potable water and the gray water to occupy the same container. Further, the flexible bladders may conform to the shape of the container, thereby allowing further freedom to optimize the shape of the container to fit in the limited confines of the aircraft.

In various embodiments, and with reference to <FIG>, the hybrid water storage system <NUM> includes a controller <NUM> in electronic control communication with one or more sensors. The one or more sensors may include water level sensors and/or water flow sensors coupled in feedback providing electronic communication with the controller <NUM>. The term "water level sensor" may refer generally to devices that determine water quantity/volume, such as discrete level sensors, continuous level sensing devices, or other means to determine the quantity of water in the potable and gray water volumes. In various embodiments, one or more water flow sensors may be included in lines from the potable water vessels to the usage device and/or to the gray water storage volume. These flow sensors may be utilized to help the controller <NUM> determine if there is a blockage in one of the water lines. The controller <NUM> is configured to actively control the water transfer between the first variable volume fluid vessel <NUM> and the second variable volume fluid vessel <NUM> via the water-use assembly <NUM>. For example, the controller <NUM> may be configured to actuate one or more pumps for pumping the gray water to the second variable volume fluid vessel <NUM>. In various embodiments, the controller <NUM> electronically communicates with one or more features, components, and/or sensors of the water-use assembly <NUM>, such as the aircraft appliances <NUM>. In various embodiments, the water-use assembly <NUM> comprises a gray water sump <NUM> and a gray water pump <NUM>, wherein the gray water sump <NUM> is configured to receive the gray water from the aircraft appliance <NUM> and the gray water pump <NUM> is configured to pump the gray water from the gray water sump <NUM> to the second variable volume fluid vessel <NUM>.

The controller <NUM> may be integrated into computer systems onboard the aircraft, or the controller may be a standalone controller. In various embodiments, controller <NUM> comprises a processor. In various embodiments, controller <NUM> is implemented in a single processor. In various embodiments, the controller <NUM> may be implemented as and may include one or more processors and/or one or more tangible, non-transitory memories and be capable of implementing logic. Each processor can be a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof. The controller <NUM> may comprise a processor configured to implement various logical operations in response to execution of instructions, for example, instructions stored on a non-transitory, tangible, computer-readable medium configured to communicate with controller <NUM>.

System program instructions and/or controller instructions may be loaded onto a non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a controller, cause the controller to perform various operations. The term "non-transitory" is to be understood to remove only propagating transitory signals per se from the claim scope and does not relinquish rights to all standard computer-readable media that are not only propagating transitory signals per se.

In various embodiments, and with reference to <FIG>, the hybrid water storage system <NUM> includes a gray water overflow container <NUM> coupled in fluid overflow receiving communication with the second variable volume fluid vessel <NUM>. In various embodiments, gray water that is not sourced from the initial charge of potable water may be dumped into one or more drains of the aircraft appliances before any of the potable water is used. For example, a passenger may dump liquid into a sink drain, before any of the initial charge of potable water is utilized. Depending on how much of the space of the container <NUM> the first variable volume fluid vessel <NUM> occupies in response to the initial charge, there may not be sufficient volume for the extra gray water within the second variable volume fluid vessel <NUM> within the container <NUM>, and thus the gray water overflow container <NUM> may serve as a buffer chamber.

In various embodiments, and with reference to <FIG>, the hybrid water storage system <NUM> includes two separate bladders <NUM>, <NUM>. That is, the first variable volume fluid vessel may be a first bladder <NUM>, and the second variable volume fluid vessel may be a second bladder <NUM>. <FIG> shows the first bladder <NUM> having a volume that is substantially larger than the volume of the second bladder <NUM>, and thus may depict the state of the hybrid water storage system <NUM> after an initial portion of the potable water from the first bladder <NUM> has been utilized, with only a small portion of gray water stored in the second bladder <NUM>. <FIG> shows the first bladder <NUM> having a smaller volume than what is shown in <FIG> and the second bladder having a larger volume than what is shown in <FIG>, thereby showing how the decrease in the potable water supply (as the water is used) results in an increase in the gray water volume. Each of these bladders <NUM>, <NUM> may be independently removable from the container <NUM>. In such a configuration, the bladders <NUM>, <NUM> may be removed to be cleaned, serviced, repaired, or replaced.

In various embodiments, the material of the bladders may be stretchable/expandable. In various embodiments, and with momentary reference to <FIG>, the controller <NUM> and the gray water pump <NUM> are configured to pressurize the second bladder <NUM> with the gray water. The pressurized second bladder <NUM> volume may contribute to the pressure in the first bladder <NUM>. That is, the expansion of the second bladder <NUM> in response to pumping the gray water thereto may apply pressure on the first bladder which is directly adjacent to the second variable volume. Accordingly, the bladders <NUM>, <NUM> may be in direct contact with each other (e.g., the respective external surfaces of the bladders may be in contact with each other). In various embodiments, the bladders are not substantially stretchable/expandable, and instead take on a collapsed form when not filled with water (e.g., portions may be collapsed when not full). In various embodiments, there is little to no void space between the bladders <NUM>, <NUM>.

In various embodiments, a volumetric fluid capacity of the first variable volume fluid vessel is between <NUM>% and <NUM>% of a volume of the container. In various embodiments, a volumetric fluid capacity of the first variable volume fluid vessel is between <NUM>% and <NUM>% of a volume of the container. That is, when the first variable volume fluid vessel is filled to capacity, it may occupy between <NUM>% and <NUM>% of the volume of the container. In various embodiments, this range is between <NUM>% and <NUM>%. In various embodiments, this range is between <NUM>% and <NUM>%.

In an unclaimed example, and with reference to <FIG>, the hybrid water storage system <NUM> includes a container <NUM> defining a chamber <NUM>, with a bladder <NUM> disposed in the chamber <NUM>. The bladder <NUM> defines a first variable volume and potable water may be configured to be stored therein. That is, potable water may be supplied to the bladder <NUM> via fill port <NUM>, and potable water may be directed to the water-use assembly <NUM> of the aircraft via delivery port <NUM>. The hybrid water storage system <NUM> may further include a second variable volume <NUM> defined between external surfaces of the bladder <NUM> and internal surfaces of the container <NUM>. That is, the second variable volume <NUM> is the negative space of the container <NUM> around the bladder <NUM>. The gray water may be stored in the second variable volume <NUM>. That is, gray water may be returned to the system via return port <NUM>, and the gray water from the second variable volume <NUM> may be discharged from the aircraft via discharge port <NUM> and/or used as toilet-flush water to rinse the toilet. The water-use assembly <NUM> may include the features described above.

In various embodiments, and with reference to <FIG>, a method <NUM> of managing water storage on an aircraft is provided. The method <NUM> may include filling a first bladder with an initial charge of potable water, wherein the first bladder is disposed within a chamber defined by a container at step <NUM>. In response to the potable water becoming gray water after use, the method <NUM> may include directing the gray water to a second bladder disposed within the same container at step <NUM>. In various embodiments, in response to the initial charge the first bladder occupies between <NUM>% and <NUM>% of a volume of the chamber. In various embodiments, directing the gray water to the second bladder comprises actuating a gray water pump, by a controller, to drive the gray water to the second bladder. In various embodiments, the method <NUM> further includes receiving feedback, by the controller, from at least one of a water level sensor and a water flow sensor.

Moreover, where a phrase similar to "at least one of A, B, or C" is used in the claims, it is intended that the phrase be interpreted to mean that A alone may be present in an embodiment, B alone may be present in an embodiment, C alone may be present in an embodiment, or that any combination of the elements A, B and C may be present in a single embodiment; for example, A and B, A and C, B and C, or A and B and C.

In the detailed description herein, references to "one embodiment", "an embodiment", "various embodiments", etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic.

Claim 1:
A hybrid water storage system (<NUM>) for an aircraft, the hybrid water storage system comprising:
a container (<NUM>) defining a chamber (<NUM>);
a first variable volume fluid vessel (<NUM>) disposed in the chamber, wherein the first variable volume fluid vessel is configured to store potable water; and
a second variable volume fluid vessel (<NUM>) also disposed in the chamber, wherein the second variable volume fluid vessel is configured to store gray water, the second variable volume fluid vessel being defined between an external surface of the first variable volume fluid vessel and an internal surface of the container;
a water-use assembly (<NUM>) extending between and fluidly interconnecting the first variable volume fluid vessel and the second variable volume fluid vessel, wherein potable water is supplied to the first variable volume fluid vessel via a fill port and is directed to the water-use assembly via a delivery port (<NUM>), and wherein gray water is returned to the second variable volume fluid vessel via a return port and is discharged from the second variable volume fluid vessel via a discharge port (<NUM>);
wherein the water-use assembly comprises a gray water sump and a gray water pump, wherein the gray water sump is configured to receive the gray water from an aircraft appliance and the gray water pump is configured to pump the gray water from the gray water sump to the second variable volume fluid vessel;
a controller (<NUM>) configured to actively control a water transfer between the first variable volume fluid vessel and the second variable volume fluid vessel via the water-use assembly; and
a gray water overflow container (<NUM>) coupled in overflow receiving communication with the second variable volume fluid vessel.