초록 ▼

A system and method are provided for refrigerating at least one enclosure, such as an aircraft galley cart. The system includes at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger, an eutectic thermal battery, a liquid-to-direct heat exchanger and at least one liquid-to-direct heat pump. The air-to-liquid hea

A system and method are provided for refrigerating at least one enclosure, such as an aircraft galley cart. The system includes at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger, an eutectic thermal battery, a liquid-to-direct heat exchanger and at least one liquid-to-direct heat pump. The air-to-liquid heat exchangers are in thermal communication with the interiors of the enclosures. The thermal battery is in fluid communication with the air-to-liquid heat exchangers via a first coolant loop. The liquid-to-direct heat exchanger and the liquid-to-direct heat pumps are in fluid communication with the eutectic thermal battery via a second coolant loop, and in thermal communication with a cold heat sink, such as an aircraft fuselage skin structure. The system can controllably operate in direct passive, indirect passive, direct active and/or an indirect active modes whereby a coolant can selectively flow in the first and/or second coolant loops to thereby refrigerate the enclosures.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A system for refrigerating at least one enclosure comprising: at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger capable of placing a coolant in a first coolant loop in thermal communication with at least one interior of the at least one enclosure such that the coolant can carry heat

What is claimed is: 1. A system for refrigerating at least one enclosure comprising: at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger capable of placing a coolant in a first coolant loop in thermal communication with at least one interior of the at least one enclosure such that the coolant can carry heat away from the at least one interior; an eutectic thermal battery including a phase change material, wherein the eutectic thermal battery is capable of receiving the coolant from the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger and thereafter placing the coolant in thermal communication with the phase change material such that the phase change material can absorb the heat carried away by the coolant in the first coolant loop, and a cold heat sink comprising at least a portion of an aircraft fuselage skin structure, the cold heat sink being configured to absorb the heat absorbed by the phase change material. 2. A system according to claim 1 further comprising a first pump capable of driving the coolant in the first coolant loop. 3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the first coolant loop is a closed loop such that the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger is capable of receiving the coolant from the eutectic thermal battery after the phase change material absorbs the heat carried away by the coolant. 4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the heat absorbed by the phase change material is capable of being carried away by a coolant in a second coolant loop, and wherein the system further comprises a liquid-to-direct heat exchanger capable of receiving the coolant in the second coolant loop such that a cold heat sink in thermal communication with the liquid-to-direct heat exchanger can absorb the heat carried by the coolant. 5. A system according to claim 4 further comprising a second pump capable of driving the coolant in the second coolant loop. 6. A system according to claim 4, wherein the second coolant loop is a closed loop such that the eutectic thermal battery is capable of receiving the coolant from the liquid-to-direct heat exchanger after the cold heat sink absorbs the heat carried away by the coolant. 7. A system according to claim 4, wherein the liquid-to-direct heat exchanger is shaped based upon a contour of at least a portion of the fuselage skin structure. 8. A system according to claim 1 further comprising a store of a pressurized inert composition, wherein the eutectic thermal battery includes an evaporator coil in thermal contact with the phase change material and in variable fluid contact with the store, wherein the pressurized inert composition is capable of being expanded into the evaporator coil such that the inert composition is capable of carrying away the heat absorbed by the phase change material. 9. A system for refrigerating at least one enclosure comprising: at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger capable of placing a coolant in a coolant loop in thermal communication with at least one interior of the at least one enclosure such that the coolant can carry heat away from the at least one interior; an eutectic thermal battery in fluid communication with the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger in the coolant loop; at least one liquid-to-direct heat pump capable of rejecting the heat carried by the coolant in the coolant loop, wherein the liquid-to-direct heat pump is in fluid communication with the eutectic thermal battery in the coolant loop, and wherein the liquid-to-direct heat pump is one of a thermoelectric or thermionic liquid-to-direct heat pump; and a cold heat sink in thermal communication with the at least one liquid-to-direct heat pump, wherein the cold heat sink is capable of receiving the heat rejected by the at least one liquid-to-direct heat pump, and wherein the cold heat sink comprises at least a portion of an aircraft fuselage skin structure. 10. A system according to claim 9 further comprising: at least one pump capable of driving the coolant in the coolant loop. 11. A system according to claim 9, wherein the coolant loop is a closed loop such that the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger is capable of receiving the coolant from the at least one liquid-to-direct heat pump after the at least one liquid-to-direct heat pump rejects the heat to the cold heat sink. 12. A system for refrigerating at least one enclosure comprising: an eutectic thermal battery including a phase change material, wherein the phase change material is capable of absorbing heat carried away from at least one interior of the at least one enclosure, and wherein the eutectic thermal battery is capable of receiving a coolant from a second coolant loop and thereafter placing the coolant in thermal communication with the phase change material such that the coolant can absorb heat from the phase change material; and at least one liquid-to-direct heat pump capable of rejecting the heat carried by the coolant in the second coolant loop to a cold heat sink in thermal communication with the at least one liquid-to-direct heat pump, wherein the liquid-to-direct heat pump is one of a thermoelectric or thermionic liquid-to-direct heat pump, and wherein the cold heat sink comprises at least a portion of an aircraft fuselage skin structure. 13. A system according to claim 12 further comprising a second pump capable of driving the coolant in the second coolant loop from the eutectic thermal battery to the at least one liquid-to-direct heat pump. 14. A system according to claim 12, wherein the second coolant loop is a closed loop such that the eutectic thermal battery is capable of receiving the coolant from the at least one liquid-to-direct heat pump after the at least one liquid-to-direct heat pump rejects the heat carried by the coolant to the cold heat sink. 15. A system for refrigerating at least one enclosure comprising: at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger capable of placing a coolant in a coolant loop in thermal communication with at least one interior of the at least one enclosure such that the coolant can carry heat away from the at least one interior; a liquid-to-direct heat exchanger capable of receiving the coolant in the coolant loop; an eutectic thermal battery including a phase change material, wherein the eutectic thermal battery is capable of receiving the coolant from the air-to-liquid heat exchanger and placing the coolant in thermal communication with the phase change material such that the phase change material can absorb the heat carried away by the coolant in the coolant loop; and a cold heat sink in thermal communication with the liquid-to-direct heat exchanger, wherein the cold heat sink is capable of absorbing the heat carried by the coolant received by the liquid-to-direct heat exchanger, the cold heat sink being configured to absorb the heat absorbed by the phase change material, and wherein the cold heat sink comprises at least a portion of an aircraft fuselage skin structure. 16. A system according to claim 15 further comprising: at least one pump capable of driving the coolant in the coolant loop. 17. A system according to claim 15, wherein the coolant loop is a closed loop such that the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger is capable of receiving the coolant from the liquid-to-direct heat exchanger after the cold heat sink absorbs the heat carried by the coolant. 18. A system for refrigerating at least one enclosure comprising: at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger in thermal communication with at least one interior of the at least one enclosure; an eutectic thermal battery in fluid communication with the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger via a first coolant loop; a liquid-to-direct heat exchanger in fluid communication with the eutectic thermal battery via a second coolant loop, and in thermal communication with a cold heat sink; and at least one liquid-to-direct heat pump in fluid communication with the eutectic thermal battery via the second coolant loop, and in thermal communication with the cold heat sink, wherein the system is capable of controllably operating in at least one of a direct passive mode, an indirect passive mode, a direct active mode and an indirect active mode whereby a coolant is capable of selectively flowing in at least one of the first and second coolant loops through at least one of the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger, the eutectic thermal battery, the liquid-to-direct heat exchanger and the at least one liquid-to-direct heat pump. 19. A system according to claim 18, wherein when the system operates in the direct passive mode the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger is capable of placing the coolant in thermal communication with at least one interior such that the coolant can carry heat away from the at least one interior. 20. A system according to claim 19, wherein when the system operates in the direct passive mode the liquid-to-direct heat exchanger is capable of receiving the coolant such that the cold heat sink in thermal communication with the liquid-to-direct heat exchanger can absorb the heat carried by the coolant. 21. A system according to claim 20 further comprising a plurality of valves capable of controlling the flow of coolant in the first and second coolant loops. 22. A system according to claim 20, wherein when the system operates in the indirect passive mode the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger is capable of placing the coolant in the first coolant loop in thermal communication with at least one interior such that the coolant can carry heat away from the at least one interior. 23. A system according to claim 22, wherein when the system operates in the indirect passive mode the eutectic thermal battery is capable of receiving the coolant from the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger and thereafter absorbing the heat carried away by the coolant. 24. A system according to claim 23, wherein when the system operates in the indirect passive mode the liquid-to-direct heat exchanger is capable of receiving the coolant in the second coolant loop such that the cold heat sink in thermal communication with the liquid-to-direct heat exchanger can absorb the heat carried by the coolant. 25. A system according to claim 20, wherein when the system operates in the direct active mode the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger is capable of placing the coolant in the first coolant loop in thermal communication with at least one interior such that the coolant can carry heat away from the at least one interior. 26. A system according to claim 25, wherein when the system operates in the direct active mode the at least one liquid-to-direct heat pump is capable of rejecting the heat carried by the coolant in the first coolant loop to the cold heat sink. 27. A system according to claim 25 further comprising a store of a pressurized inert composition, wherein the eutectic thermal battery includes an evaporator coil in variable fluid contact with the store, wherein when the system operates in the direct active mode the eutectic thermal battery is capable of receiving the coolant from the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger and thereafter absorbing the heat carried away by the coolant in the first coolant loop, and the pressurized inert composition is capable of being expanded into the evaporator coil to thereby carry away the heat absorbed by the eutectic thermal battery. 28. A system according to claim 20, wherein when the system operates in the indirect active mode coolant in the second coolant loop is capable of being placed in thermal communication with the eutectic thermal battery such that the coolant carries heat away from the eutectic thermal battery. 29. A system according to claim 28, wherein when the system operates in the indirect active mode the at least one liquid-to-direct heat pump is capable of rejecting the heat carried by coolant in the second coolant loop. 30. A system according to claim 20 further comprising a store of a pressurized inert composition, wherein the eutectic thermal battery includes an evaporator coil in variable fluid contact with the store, and wherein the pressurized inert composition is capable of being expanded into the evaporator coil. 31. A system for refrigerating at least one enclosure comprising: at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger in thermal communication with at least one interior of the at least one enclosure; an eutectic thermal battery including a phase change material, wherein the eutectic thermal battery is capable of receiving the coolant from the air-to-liquid heat exchanger via a first coolant loop and placing the coolant in thermal communication with the phase change material such that the phase change material can absorb the heat carried away by the coolant in the coolant loop; a liquid-to-direct heat exchanger in fluid communication with the eutectic thermal battery via a second coolant loop; and at least one liquid-to-direct heat pump in fluid communication with the eutectic thermal battery via the second coolant loop, wherein the liquid-to-direct heat pump is one of a thermoelectric or thermionic liquid-to-direct heat pump; and a cold heat sink in thermal communication with at least one of the liquid-to-direct heat exchanger and liquid-to-direct heat pump, the cold heat sink being configured to absorb the heat absorbed by the phase change material, wherein the cold heat sink comprises at least a portion of an aircraft fuselage skin structure. 32. A system according to claim 31, wherein the phase change material comprises a freezing temperature below that of water. 33. A system according to claim 31, wherein the system is capable of controllably operating in at least one of a direct passive mode, an indirect passive mode, a direct active mode and an indirect active mode whereby a coolant is capable of selectively flowing in at least one of the first and second coolant loops through at least one of the at least one air-to-liquid heat exchanger, the eutectic thermal battery, the liquid-to-direct heat exchanger and the at least one liquid-to-direct heat pump.