Patent ID: 7784289

Claim:
Cooling system ( 10 ) for cooling heat-generating installations ( 44 , 46 , 48 ) and for maintaining the temperature of closed-off areas at below cabin temperature in an aircraft, the cooling system comprising: a refrigerating installation ( 12 ) in the aircraft, including at least two refrigeration machines ( 18 , 20 ) which operate independently of one another in parallel; at least one refrigeration consumer ( 44 , 46 , 48 ) constructed as a heat generating installation or as an area to be maintained at a temperature below cabin temperature; a refrigeration transport system ( 14 ) connecting the refrigerating installation ( 12 ) and the refrigeration consumer ( 44 , 46 , 48 ); and a central control unit operatively coupled to the refrigerating installation ( 12 ) and controlling the refrigeration capacity of the at least two refrigeration machines ( 18 , 20 ) depending on at least one parameter indicating the current refrigeration demand, such that each of the at least two refrigeration machines ( 18 , 20 ) operates, on the average, for substantially the same amount of time, wherein the refrigerating installation ( 12 ) covers the maximum refrigeration requirement of the at least one refrigeration consumer ( 44 , 46 , 48 ), wherein the at least one refrigeration consumer ( 44 , 46 , 48 ) is supplied with cold generated in the refrigerating installation ( 12 ) via a refrigerating agent circulating in the refrigeration transport system ( 14 ), wherein a conveying pipe ( 28 ) having a shut-off valve ( 29 ) is provided, the shut-off valve ( 29 ) opening to feed at least a portion of the refrigerating agent from the refrigerating installation ( 12 ) by bypassing the at least one refrigeration consumer ( 44 , 46 , 48 ) directly to a pump unit ( 30 ) and back to the refrigerating installation ( 12 ), the shut-off valve ( 29 ) closing to force all of the refrigerating agent from the refrigerating installation ( 12 ) to the at least one refrigeration consumer ( 44 , 46 , 48 ), the shut-off valve ( 29 ) thereby controlling a refrigeration output of the cooling system based on a changing refrigeration requirement.