Patent ID: 8011536

Claim:
An aircraft liquid provisioning device for providing a cooled or heated liquid onboard an aircraft, comprising: a reservoir that receives a liquid to be cooled or heated and includes a first upper region, a second lower region, and first and second circulation connections, the first circulation connection being located in the second lower region, the second circulation connection be in located in the first upper region; a circulation conduit connecting the first circulation connection and the second circulation connection outside the reservoir; and a heat transfer conduit through which one of a cooling medium and a heat transfer medium may flow, the heat transfer conduit extending essentially helically about the reservoir and being thermally coupled with the reservoir, wherein the first upper region of the reservoir contains liquid which has a lower temperature than liquid in the second lower region of the reservoir, such that a temperature radient between cooler liquid located in the first upper region of the reservoir and warmer liquid located in the second lower region of the reservoir results in a gravity-driven circulation of liquid through the circulation conduit in a direction from the first circulation connection to the second circulation connection.