US-12617535-B2 - Aircraft air conditioning device comprising a large-capacity mixer, method for installing such a device and aircraft equipped with such an air conditioning device

US12617535B2US 12617535 B2US12617535 B2US 12617535B2US-12617535-B2

Abstract

An air conditioning device includes a mixer configured to mix the air withdrawn from a conditioned-air zone with the regulated air. This mixer includes a body, at least one withdrawn-air inlet connected to a withdrawing circuit and positioned in the vicinity of the lower end of the body, and at least one air outlet connected to a distribution circuit and positioned in the vicinity of the upper end of the body, at least one orifice from among the withdrawn-air inlet and the air outlet being positioned between the lower and upper ends, in the vicinity of one of the lower and upper ends that is closed off by a transverse wall.

Inventors

Bernardo ARMERO

Assignees

AIRBUS OPERATIONS SAS

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20230706
Priority Date: 20220713

Claims (10)

1 . An air conditioning device comprising: a withdrawing circuit configured to withdraw air present in a conditioned-air zone, a mixer configured to mix the air withdrawn from the conditioned-air zone with regulated air coming from a regulated-air source, and a distribution circuit configured to re-inject the air exiting the mixer into the conditioned-air zone, the mixer comprising a body extending between lower and upper ends having at least one air inlet connected to the withdrawing circuit and positioned closer to the lower end than the upper end, and at least one air outlet connected to the distribution circuit and positioned closer to the upper end than the lower end, wherein one of the lower and upper ends is closed off by a lower or upper transverse wall, wherein the body of the mixer comprises an upper part comprising the upper end of the body and having a first junction plane, a lower part comprising the lower end of the body and having a second junction plane, and a connection system connecting the upper and lower parts in a sealed manner, the connection system being configured to allow relative movements between the upper and lower parts, and wherein the connection system comprises: a first sleeve, surrounding the upper and lower parts, having a first zone of overlap overlapping the upper part, a second zone of overlap overlapping the lower part and an intermediate zone connecting the first and second zones of overlap, the first sleeve having a first rigidity, a second sleeve surrounding the first sleeve, having a second rigidity greater than the first rigidity of the first sleeve and an adjustable diameter, comprising a first end segment at least partially overlapping the first zone of overlap of the first sleeve and a second end segment at least partially overlapping the second zone of overlap of the first sleeve, a first ring positioned between the first zone of overlap of the first sleeve and the first end segment of the second sleeve, a second ring positioned between the second zone of overlap of the first sleeve and the second end segment of the second sleeve.
2 . The air conditioning device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one air inlet comprises a plurality of air inlets and the at least one air outlet comprises a plurality of air outlets, wherein said plurality of air inlets and said plurality of air outlets are positioned between the lower and upper ends of the body of the mixer, and wherein the lower and upper ends are closed off respectively by lower and upper transverse walls.
3 . The air conditioning device according to claim 1 , wherein the body of the mixer further comprises a cylindrical lateral wall, each air outlet being positioned closer to the upper end of the body on the lateral wall than the lower end.
4 . The air conditioning device according to claim 1 , wherein the mixer further comprises at least one protrusion that communicates with the body and that is positioned closer to the lower end of the body than the upper end, the protrusion having an upper surface oriented toward the upper end of the body, and wherein the at least one air inlet of the mixer is positioned on the upper surface of the protrusion.
5 . The air conditioning device according to claim 1 , wherein, the body is oriented vertically, and the first and second junction planes are inclined with respect to a horizontal plane.
6 . The air conditioning device according to claim 1 , wherein the connection system further comprises at least a first adhesive tape interposed between the upper part and the first zone of overlap of the first sleeve, and at least a second adhesive tape interposed between the lower part and the second zone of overlap of the first sleeve.
7 . The air conditioning device according to claim 1 , wherein the second sleeve further comprises a first peripheral recess positioned at the first end segment and configured to accommodate the first ring, and a second peripheral recess positioned at the second end segment and configured to accommodate the second ring.
8 . The air conditioning device according to claim 1 , wherein the air conditioning device further comprises a first sub-assembly comprising the upper part of the mixer and a first part of the distribution circuit, this distribution circuit comprising a second part that is not included in the first sub-assembly, and a second sub-assembly comprising the lower part of the mixer and a first part of the withdrawing circuit, the withdrawing circuit comprising a second part that is not included in the second sub-assembly, and wherein at least one of the withdrawing circuit or the distribution circuit further comprises first and second segments that are positioned respectively in the first and second parts of the withdrawing or distribution circuit, the air conditioning device comprising a connection system connecting the first and second segments.
9 . An aircraft comprising an air conditioning device according to claim 1 , wherein the air conditioning device has first and second sub-assemblies, and wherein the aircraft comprises a structure and at least one length-adjustable connecting system connecting the first sub-assembly or second sub-assembly and the structure of the aircraft.
10 . A method for installing an air conditioning device according to claim 8 in an aircraft comprising a structure, wherein the method comprises: assembling first and second sub-assemblies of the air conditioning device outside the aircraft, installing second parts of the withdrawing and distribution circuits, fitting the first sub-assembly of the air conditioning device in the aircraft and fastening the first sub-assembly of the air conditioning device to the structure of the aircraft, fitting the second sub-assembly of the air conditioning device in the aircraft, fastening the second sub-assembly of the air conditioning device to the structure of the aircraft, connecting the upper part of the body of the mixer and the lower parts of the body of the mixer, connecting the first segment of the first part of the withdrawing and distribution circuits and the second segment of the second part of the withdrawing and distribution circuits.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of the French patent application No. 2207249 filed on Jul. 13, 2022, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by way of reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present application relates to an aircraft air conditioning device comprising a large-capacity mixer, to a method for installing such an air conditioning device, and to an aircraft equipped with the air conditioning device. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION According to one embodiment visible in FIGS. 1 and 2, an aircraft 10 comprises a fuselage 12, which extends from a nose cone 12.1 as far as a tail cone 12.2, and a floor 14 which splits the interior of the fuselage 12 into an upper zone 16.1 situated above the floor 14 and a lower zone 16.2 situated below the floor 14. For the remainder of the description, a longitudinal direction X corresponds to a direction which passes approximately through the nose cone 12.1 and the tail cone 12.2 and which is substantially horizontal when the aircraft is on the ground. A transverse plane is a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. A transverse and horizontal direction Y is horizontal and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X. A transverse and vertical direction Z is vertical and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X. The aircraft 10 comprises at least one conditioned-air zone 18, such as a passenger cabin situated in the upper zone 16.1, for example, and an air conditioning device 20 making it possible to regulate, to determined conditions, the air present in the conditioned-air zone 18. This air conditioning device comprises a withdrawing circuit 22 configured to withdraw air present in the conditioned-air zone 18, a mixer 24 configured to mix the air withdrawn from the conditioned-air zone 18 with regulated air coming from a regulated-air source, and a distribution circuit 26 configured to re-inject the air exiting the mixer 24 into the conditioned-air zone 18. According to one embodiment visible in FIG. 2, the mixer 24 is positioned in the lower zone 16.2, below the floor 14. The mixer 24 comprises: a substantially cylindrical body 28, positioned vertically, having a lower end 28.1 oriented toward the fuselage 12 and an upper end 28.2 oriented toward the floor 14;a collector 30 positioned in the continuation of the lower end 28.1 of the body 28, below the latter, in the form of an inverted Y having two air inlets 30.1, 30.2 that are connected to the withdrawing circuit 22 and that are situated below the lower end 28.1 of the body 28;two exhausts 32, 32′ positioned in the continuation of the upper end 28.2 of the body 28, above the latter, in the form of a Y having two air outlets 32.1, 32.2 that are connected to the distribution circuit 26 and that are situated above the upper end 28.2 of the body 28. The withdrawing circuit 22 comprises a plurality of longitudinal ducts 22.1 which extend parallel to the longitudinal direction and which are positioned just below the floor 14, and, for each air inlet 30.1, 30.2 of the mixer 24, a circuit portion 22.3, 22.2 incorporating a filter 34 and a fan 36 configured to generate an airflow in the withdrawing circuit 22 in the direction of the mixer 24. The withdrawing circuit 22 also comprises, for each air inlet 30.1, 30.2 of the mixer 24, an upstream bend 38 connecting the air inlet 30.1, 30.2 and the corresponding circuit portion 22.3, 22.2. In order to limit pressure losses, each upstream bend 38 has a relatively large radius of curvature. The distribution circuit 26 comprises a plurality of longitudinal ducts 26.1 which extend parallel to the longitudinal direction and which are positioned just below the floor 14, and, for each air outlet 32.1, 32.2 of the mixer 24, a transverse segment 26.2 which is positioned approximately in a transverse plane and which connects one of the air outlets 32.1, 32.2 and at least one longitudinal duct 26.1. Each air outlet 32.1, 32.2 has a downstream bend 40 with a relatively large radius of curvature in order to limit pressure losses. According to one operating mode, the different parts of the mixer 24 and the different segments of the withdrawing and distribution circuits 22, 26 are introduced one by one into the lower zone 16.2, then connected to one another and to the structures of the fuselage 12 and of the floor 14. Taking account of the curved shapes of the collector 30, of the exhaust 32 and of the upstream and downstream bends 38, 40, the height H of the body 28 of the mixer 24 (corresponding to the distance separating the lower and upper ends 28.1, 28.2) is limited and can hardly be increased. Since the capacities of the mixer 24 are associated with its height H, the volume of air treated by the mixer 24, for a given dimension under the floor 14, can hardly be increased in spite of the increasing needs for cool air. The present invention aims to remedy all or some of the drawbacks of the prior art. SUMMARY OF THE