System and method for cooling at least one heat producing device in an aircraft

Abstract

A system is provided for cooling at least one heat producing device in an aircraft that includes, but is not limited to at least one coolant circuit. A coolant absorbs heat from the heat producing device and dissipates heat, by way of a heat dissipation device, to the surroundings of the aircraft. A temperature spreading device reduces the temperature of the coolant in a feed line of the coolant circuit and increases the heat dissipation temperature of the heat dissipation device relative to the temperature of the coolant in a return line of the coolant circuit. In this manner ram air ducts that are commonly used in the state of the art or systems that consume pre-cooled air can be avoided, which in particular when the aircraft is situated on the ground on hot days can render avionics cooling or the like difficult.

1 . A system for cooling at least one heat producing device in an aircraft, comprising:
 at least one coolant circuit configured to receive a coolant in order to absorb heat from the heat producing device, the coolant circuit comprising:
 a feed line arranged upstream of the heat producing device; and 
 a return line arranged downstream of the heat producing device; 
   a heat dissipation device that is configured to thermally communicate with the return line and dissipate heat from the coolant circuit; and   a temperature spreading device configured to reduce a temperature of the coolant in the feed line and increase a heat dissipation temperature of the heat dissipation device relative to the temperature of the coolant in the return line of the coolant circuit.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a skin-section heat exchanger arranged on an outer skin of the aircraft with flow ducts as the heat dissipation device that thermally connects the flow ducts to the outer skin. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising an air duct that is delimited by the skin-section heat exchanger towards the outside of the aircraft with heat dissipation elements that extend into the air duct, and around which the heat dissipation elements are configured to flow. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising at least one closing element configured to open or close at least one opening of the air duct. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the coolant circuit is an open circulation system. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one conveying device configured to convey the coolant in the coolant circuit. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature spreading device comprises a cooling medium circuit with a condenser and an evaporator. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the condenser is arranged at the return line of the coolant circuit. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the evaporator is arranged at the feed line or at the return line of the coolant circuit. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 ,
 wherein the heat dissipation device is implemented by the condenser that is configured to be cooled with air from an additional air source, and   wherein the additional air source provides air.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the condenser is connected to a heat exchanger that is configured to be cooled by air. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising two coolant circuits comprising feed lines that are thermally interconnected with a heat exchanger. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the feed line and the return line of the two coolant circuits are configured to communicate in a switchable manner by way of valves. 
     
     
         14 . A method for cooling at least one system for cooling at least one heat producing device in an aircraft, comprising:
 absorbing heat from the heat producing device with a coolant flowing into a return line of a coolant circuit;   increasing a temperature of the coolant in the return line;   dissipating heat from the coolant whose temperature has been increased with a dissipation device; and   reducing the temperature of the coolant flowing into a feed line of the coolant circuit.   
     
     
         15 . An aircraft, comprising:
 at least one space;   at least one coolant circuit within the at least one space that is configured to receive a coolant in order to absorb heat from the heat producing device, the coolant circuit comprising:
 a feed line arranged upstream of the heat producing device; and 
 a return line arranged downstream of the heat producing device; 
   a heat dissipation device within the at least one space that is configured to thermally communicate with the return line and dissipate heat from the coolant circuit; and   a temperature spreading device configured to reduce a temperature of the coolant in the feed line and increase a heat dissipation temperature of the heat dissipation device relative to the temperature of the coolant in the return line of the coolant circuit.   
     
     
         16 . The aircraft of  claim 15 , further comprising a skin-section heat exchanger arranged on an outer skin of the aircraft with flow ducts as the heat dissipation device that thermally connects the flow ducts to the outer skin. 
     
     
         17 . The aircraft of  claim 16 , further comprising an air duct that is delimited by the skin-section heat exchanger towards the outside of the aircraft with heat dissipation elements that extend into the air duct, and around which the heat dissipation elements are configured to flow. 
     
     
         18 . The aircraft of  claim 17 , further comprising at least one closing element configured to open or close at least one opening of the air duct. 
     
     
         19 . The aircraft of  claim 15 , wherein the coolant circuit is an open circulation system. 
     
     
         20 . The aircraft of  claim 15 , further comprising at least one conveying device configured to convey the coolant in the coolant circuit.