Adjustable cooling system for airplane electronics

Abstract

Airplane ground service equipment includes an air conditioning system for an airplane and also a fluid cooling system for airplane electronics which detachably connects to a first port and a second port on the airplane. The fluid cooling system includes a first connector, a second connector, and a fluid conduit therebetween, the first and second connectors being adapted to be connected to the first and second ports, respectively, such that the connection of the ports to the connectors completes a fluid circuit. A fluid pump directs fluid through the fluid conduit, and a heat exchanger in the fluid conduit removes heat from the fluid circuit and transfers it into the air conditioning system of the ground support equipment. A temperature regulation mechanism stabilizes the temperature of the fluid in the fluid conduit to compensate for changes in the amount of heat that is drawn from the airplane electronics.

1 . A fluid cooling system for airplane electronics which detachably connects to a first port and a second port on an airplane, the cooling system comprising:
 a first connector, a second connector, and a fluid conduit therebetween, the first and second connectors being adapted to be connected to the first and second ports, respectively, and wherein such connection of the ports to the connectors completes a fluid circuit;   a fluid pump that directs fluid through the fluid conduit;   a first bypass that redirects fluid past the first and second connectors and the airplane to stabilize the pressure applied across the first and second connectors.   a heat exchanger that removes heat from the fluid in the fluid conduit; and   a temperature regulation mechanism that stabilizes the temperature of the fluid in the fluid conduit to compensate for changes in the amount of heat drawn from the airplane electronics.   
   
   
       2 . A fluid cooling system in accordance with  claim 1  further comprising
 a pressure sensor arranged to sense the pressure of fluid across the connectors and generating a pressure indication signal; and   a pressure comparator that compares the pressure indication signal to a setpoint pressure chosen in accordance with the requirements of the type and class of the airplane and that generates a pressure comparison signal which is fed to the first bypass to control its redirection activities.   
   
   
       3 . A fluid cooling system in accordance with  claim 2  further comprising
 a plurality of fluid setpoint pressures in a memory each corresponding to the needs and requirements of different types or classes of airplanes, a display on which the different types or classes of airplanes are identified for manual selection by a human operator, and a control system that responds to manual selection of a particular type or class of airplane by retrieving the setpoint pressure corresponding to that airplane from the memory and conveying that setpoint pressure to the pressure comparator.   
   
   
       4 . A fluid cooling system in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the temperature regulation mechanism comprises
 a second bypass connected in parallel with the heat exchanger and controlled by the temperature regulator mechanism to bypass the heat exchanger as needed to regulate the temperature of the fluid.   
   
   
       5 . A fluid cooling system in accordance with  claim 4  further comprising
 a pressure sensor arranged to sense the pressure of fluid applied across the connectors and generating a pressure indication signal; and   a pressure comparator that compares the pressure indication signal to a setpoint pressure chosen in accordance with the requirements of the type or class of airplane and that generates a pressure comparison signal which is fed to the first bypass to control its redirection activities.   
   
   
       6 . A fluid cooling system in accordance with  claim 5  further comprising
 a plurality of setpoint pressures in a memory each corresponding to the needs and requirements of a different type or class of airplane, a display on which the different types and classes of airplanes are identified for manual selection by a human operator, and a control system responsive to manual selection of a particular type or class of airplane for retrieving the setpoint pressure corresponding to that type or class of airplane from the memory and conveying it to the pressure comparator.   
   
   
       7 . A ground support equipment cart having an air conditioning system for an airplane and also having a fluid cooling system for airplane electronics which cooling system detachably connects to a first port and a second port on an airplane, the fluid cooling system comprising:
 a first connector, a second connector, and a fluid conduit therebetween, the first and second connectors being adapted to be connected to the first and second ports, respectively, and wherein such connection of the ports to the connectors completes a fluid circuit;   a fluid pump that directs fluid through the fluid conduit;   a heat exchanger in the fluid conduit that removes heat from the fluid circuit and transfers it into the air conditioning system of the ground support equipment cart; and   a temperature regulation mechanism that stabilizes the temperature of the fluid in the fluid conduit to compensate for changes in the amount of heat drawn from the airplane electronics.   
   
   
       8 . A ground support equipment cart in accordance with  claim 7  further comprising:
 a first bypass that redirects fluid past the first and second connectors and the airplane to stabilize the pressure applied across said first and second connectors.   
   
   
       9 . Aground support equipment cart in accordance with  claim 8  further comprising
 a pressure sensor arranged to sense the pressure of fluid across the connectors and generating a pressure indication signal; and   a pressure comparator that compares the pressure indication signal to a setpoint pressure chosen in accordance with the requirements of the type and class of airplane and that generates a pressure comparison signal which is fed to the first bypass to control its redirection activities.   
   
   
       10 . A ground support equipment cart in accordance with  claim 9  further comprising
 a plurality of fluid setpoint pressures and air conditioning setpoint pressures in a memory each corresponding to the needs and requirements of different types and classes of airplanes, a display on which the different types and classes of airplanes are identified for manual selection by a human operator, and a control system that responds to manual selection of a particular type or class of airplane by retrieving the fluid and air conditioning setpoint pressures corresponding to that type and class of airplane from the memory and conveying the fluid setpoint pressure to the pressure comparator and the air conditioning setpoint to the air conditioning system.   
   
   
       11 . A ground support equipment cart in accordance with  claim 8  wherein the temperature regulation mechanism comprises
 a second bypass connected in parallel with the heat exchanger and controlled by the temperature regulator mechanism to bypass the heat exchanger as needed to regulate the temperature of the fluid.   
   
   
       12 . A ground support equipment cart in accordance with  claim 11  further comprising
 a pressure sensor arranged to sense the pressure of fluid applied across the connectors and generating a pressure indication signal; and   a pressure comparator that compares the pressure indication signal to a setpoint pressure chosen in accordance with the requirements of the type or class of airplane and that generates a pressure comparison signal which is fed to the first bypass to control its redirection activities.   
   
   
       13 . A ground support equipment cart in accordance with  claim 12  further comprising
 a plurality of fluid setpoint pressures and air conditioning setpoint pressures in a memory each corresponding to the needs and requirements of different types or classes of airplanes, a display on which the different types and classes of airplanes are identified for manual selection by a human operator, and a control system responsive to manual selection of a particular type or class of airplane by retrieving the fluid and air conditioning setpoint pressures corresponding to the type or class of airplane from the memory and conveying fluid setpoint pressure to the pressure comparator and the air conditioning setpoint to the air conditioning system.   
   
   
       14 . A ground support equipment cart having a dual, pre-cool and post-cool air conditioning system for an airplane and also having a fluid cooling system for airplane electronics which cooling system detachably connects to a first port and a second port on an airplane, the fluid cooling system comprising:
 a first connector, a second connector, and a fluid conduit therebetween, the first and second connectors being adapted to be connected to the first and second ports, respectively, and wherein such connection of the ports to the connectors completes a fluid circuit;   a fluid pump that directs fluid through the fluid conduit;   a heat exchanger in the fluid conduit that removes heat from the fluid circuit and transfers it into the pre-cool portion of the dual air conditioning system of the ground support equipment cart; and   a temperature regulation mechanism that stabilizes the temperature of the fluid in the fluid conduit to compensate for changes in the amount of heat drawn from the airplane electronics, the temperature regulation mechanism also adjusting the parameters of the pre-cool and post-cool portions of the air conditioning system to compensate for the added cooling load of the fluid cooling system.   
   
   
       15 . A ground support equipment cart in accordance with  claim 14  further comprising:
 a first bypass that redirects fluid past the first and second connectors and the airplane to stabilize the pressure across said first and second connectors.   
   
   
       16 . A ground support equipment cart in accordance with  claim 15  further comprising
 a pressure sensor arranged to sense the pressure of fluid across the connectors and generating a pressure indication signal; and   a pressure comparator that compares the pressure indication signal to a setpoint pressure chosen in accordance with the requirements of the type and class of the airplane and that generates a pressure comparison signal which is fed to the first bypass to control its redirection activities.   
   
   
       17 . A ground support equipment cart in accordance with  claim 16  further comprising
 a plurality of fluid setpoint pressures and air conditioning setpoint pressures in a memory each corresponding to the needs and requirements of different types or classes of airplanes, a display on which the different types of airplane are identified for manual selection by a human operator, and a control system that responds to manual selection of a particular type or class of airplane by retrieving the fluid and air conditioning setpoint pressures corresponding to the type or class of airplane from the memory and conveying the fluid setpoint pressure to the pressure comparator and the air conditioning setpoint to the air conditioning system, adjusting the air conditioning setpoints to reflect whether the fluid cooling system is or is not in operation.   
   
   
       18 . A ground support equipment cart in accordance with  claim 16  wherein the temperature regulation mechanism comprises
 a second bypass connected in parallel with the heat exchanger and controlled by the temperature regulator mechanism to bypass the heat exchanger as needed to regulate the temperature of the fluid.   
   
   
       19 . A ground support equipment cart in accordance with  claim 18  further comprising
 a pressure sensor arranged to sense the pressure of fluid applied across the connectors and generating a pressure indication signal; and   a pressure comparator that compares the pressure indication signal to a setpoint pressure chosen in accordance with the requirements of the type or class of airplane and that generates a pressure comparison signal which is fed to the first bypass to control its redirection activities.   
   
   
       20 . A ground support equipment cart in accordance with  claim 19  further comprising
 a plurality of setpoint pressures and air conditioning setpoint pressures in a memory each corresponding to the needs and requirements of different types or classes of airplanes, a display on which the different types and classes of airplanes are identified for manual selection by a human operator, and a control system responsive to manual selection of a particular type or class of airplane by retrieving the fluid and air conditioning setpoint pressures corresponding to that type or class of airplane from the memory and conveying the fluid setpoint it to the pressure to the pressure comparator and the air conditioning setpoint to the air conditioning system.