Fluid recycling unit for aircraft
A fluid recycling unit for use on board an aircraft or other passenger transportation vehicle. The fluid recycling unit captures various types of used fluids, filters or otherwise appropriately treats the fluids, and recycles the fluids for various uses onboard the vehicle.
1 . A system for capturing used water, treating the used water to a determined treatment level to provide treated water, and recycling the treated water on board a passenger transportation vehicle, comprising:
a reservoir in fluid communication with a basin, the reservoir comprising:
an upper opening;
a top lid comprising:
a fluid inlet for receiving used water from the basin and further including a vent; and
one or more backwash rings that include a circular opening;
an outlet;
a filter system configured to be removably positionable within the reservoir and supported by the top lid, the filter system configured to treat the used water to a determined treatment level to provide treated water; and
an adapter positionable at the outlet of the reservoir, the adapter comprising, within the adapter, a first fluid channel for delivering the treated water to a first location and a second fluid channel for delivering any untreated water or excess treated water to a second location.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first location comprises a water-using system or a fluid treatment stack.
3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the water-using system comprises a toilet flush system, a sink faucet, or a potable water delivery system.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second location comprises a drain line, a vacuum waste tank, a drain mast, a fluid treatment stack, or any combination thereof.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the determined treatment level comprises a first treatment level sufficient for use of the treated water as toilet flushing water.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the determined treatment level comprises a second treatment level sufficient for use of the treated water as potable or drinkable water quality.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the filter system comprises a porous polymeric mechanical micro filter.
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the filter system comprises an electrochemical filter comprising a porous anode filter core and a metal mesh cathode.
9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the filter system is positioned within the reservoir via a filter holder.
10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the filter system comprises a mixing pump to enhance water contact time.
11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the filter system comprises a spiral or stepped configuration to enhance water contact time.
12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the circular opening is configured for generating a cleaning vortex within the reservoir.
13 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a gas absorbent material positioned within the reservoir to capture and react with exhaust gases released during filtration.
14 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising an exhaust extraction line for delivering exhaust gases released during filtration out of the reservoir.
15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the exhaust extraction line delivers exhaust gases to an aircraft outflow valve.
16 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the exhaust extraction line delivers exhaust gases to a hydrogen fuel cell.
17 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more backwash rings include a block element that is configured to block the vent to force air pulled into the vent to flow into the filter system, and one or more protrusions configured to cooperate with a groove of the top lid to secure the one or more backwash ring to the top lid.
18 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more backwash rings is shaped to fit at a base of the fluid inlet with a circular perimeter with one or more openings.
19 . A system for recycling fluid on board a passenger transportation vehicle, comprising:
a grey water reservoir in fluid communication with a lavatory sink, the grey water reservoir comprising:
an upper opening;
a top lid comprising:
a fluid inlet for receiving used water from the lavatory sink in the grey water reservoir;
one or more backwash rings that include a circular opening; and
a vent;
an outlet for directing used water from the grey water reservoir;
a first filtration system sufficient to treat the used water for recycled use in lavatory toilet flushing, the first filtration system in fluid communication with the grey water reservoir;
a second filtration system sufficient to treat the used water for recycled use in a lavatory faucet, the second filtration system in fluid communication with the grey water reservoir, wherein the first filtration system and the second filtration system are supported by the top lid; and
means for directing used water from the grey water reservoir to the first filtration system and the second filtration system.
20 . The system of claim 19 , further comprising a third filtration system configured to receive black water from lavatory toilet flushing and sufficient to treat the received black water for recycled use in additional lavatory flushing.