Abstract: For use on board a mobile means of transport (eg. aircraft, bus, ship), a heating system and method are described which lead to a reduction of peak demand in the on-board kitchen energy supply system relating to the integrated heating appliances for the warming or heating of food. For this, latent or thermochemical heat storage units are used which are fully integrated into the structural elements of the heating appliance in question and heats the product in such a way that there is sufficient heat output, while at the same time, the absolute temperature is limited by means of an appropriate choice of heat storage material for product enhancement.

Abstract: Aircraft passengers who require a therapeutic oxygen supply independently of the prevailing cabin pressure, as distinguished from an emergency oxygen supply that depends on an inadequate cabin pressure, can breath therapeutic oxygen through the same masks. For this purpose a control accessible to the crew is used to connect a therapeutic oxygen supply to the emergency oxygen distribution system of the aircraft, whereby the source of oxygen is used either partially for therapeutic purposes or fully for emergency purposes.

Abstract: Water, preferably fresh potable water, is electrochemically, e.g. electrolytically, treated to achieve disinfectant properties. The electrochemically treated water is sprayed onto the toilet seat and directed into the toilet bowl for each flush cycle of an aircraft toilet system, so as to clean and disinfect the toilet seat and the toilet bowl. The electrochemically treated water has a direct germ-killing effect on the seat and bowl, and also disinfects the arising wastewater that is conveyed to and stored in a storage tank. For flushing the toilet bowl, the electrochemically treated water may further be mixed with reused graywater, which is thereby disinfected.

Abstract: Wastewater, particularly black water and/or gray water, is used, for example in an aircraft, for processing fuels used in a high temperature fuel cell. For this purpose a liquid hydrocarbon fuel is used for producing an emulsion for use as fuel in the high temperature fuel cell. The liquid hydrocarbon fuel is preferably kerosene. The liquid hydrocarbon fuel is first emulsified with the wastewater which is first passed through a treatment such as filtering, reverse osmosis, or any other cleaning treatment that makes the wastewater suitable for the emulsifying the liquid hydrocarbon fuel. The emulsion is then supplied as fuel to the high temperature fuel cell. Thus, smaller and hence lighter storage facilities for the wastewater can be used.

Abstract: In order to use so-called gray water for the flushing of toilets, for example in a conveyance such as a passenger aircraft, the gray water is passed through at least one filter, preferably through a coarse filter followed by a fine filter, into a treatment tank where it is anodically oxidized. The rinsing is performed by a pump that may be a rotary pressure pump or a piston cylinder pump. The pump passes the processed or oxidized water through an excess pressure valve and through at least one spray nozzle into a toilet bowl.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a low temperature fuel cell, a high temperature fuel cell or a hydrocarbon reformer, a hydrocarbon fuel supply, an oxygen generator, and a molecular sieve. The oxygen generator separates air to provide oxygen enriched air to the fuel cells and the reformer. Hydrocarbon fuel is provided to the high temperature fuel cell or the reformer, and the exhaust gas thereof may be separated through the molecular sieve, to provide hydrogen enriched gas to the low temperature fuel cell, water, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide. The low temperature fuel cell outputs nitrogen gas and high purity water. The emitted carbon oxides and nitrogen oxides are catalytically converted to nitrogen and carbon dioxide being returned to the atmosphere. The process and apparatus are very efficient, produce high purity water and electrical energy, and are environmentally friendly.

Abstract: Water is generated onboard of a craft such as an aircraft or in a self-contained stationary system by partially or completely integrating a water generating unit into a power plant of the craft or system. The water generating unit includes one or more high temperature fuel cells which partially or completely replace the combustion chamber or chambers of the power plant. A reformer process is integrated into the high temperature fuel cell which is arranged between, on the one hand, a fan (30) and power plant compressor stages (31, 32) and, on the other hand, power plant turbine stages (33, 34). These power plant stages may be provided in such redundant numbers that safety and redundancy requirements are satisfied.

Abstract: Water for use in a self-contained water using unit, such as an aircraft, watercraft, ground conveyance, or stationary unit, is treated so that water of different qualities can be distributed to different use locations in the self-contained unit. The treatment is performed by a process using a combined high temperature fuel cell (1) operating at temperatures above 500° C. and a turbine (6) with a reformer process (2) integrated into the fuel cell. The reformer process is operated by the heat of the fuel cell which uses a hydrocarbon fuel to which contaminated and/or fresh water is admixed. The heat of the fuel cell is used for a water purification process. Purified water is filtered in an active charcoal filter and distributed by a distribution system. At least a portion of the purified water available for distribution is automatically salified.

Abstract: A waterless vacuum toilet system for an aircraft includes a toilet bowl connected via a suction valve and a waste collection pipe to a waste collection tank. Waste-contacting surfaces that come into contact with urine and fecal waste are coated with an adhesion-inhibiting or adhesion-reducing nanocoating. The adhesion of waste is significantly reduced, and the need for flushing water is completely eliminated. Instead, an air jet arrangement preferably including an annular ring nozzle or annular air gap directs an airflow into the toilet bowl and along the nanocoated waste-contacting surface thereof, to “air flush” the waste material from these surfaces. The flushing airflow may be induced through the air jet arrangement into the toilet bowl by the suction applied through the suction valve. The “air flushed” toilet system substantially reduces the total system weight and eliminates the need for toilet flushing water to be carried in the aircraft.

Abstract: Catering in a transport vehicle like an aircraft involves collecting mixed waste including solids (e.g. left-over food portions, food wastes, napkins, disposable cutlery) and liquids (e.g. beverage rests), without separation. These wastes are disposed of into an apparatus including a receiving container with a filter and separating element at the bottom, a waste shaft leading into the container, a press arrangement with flap doors, pressure pistons which press the press arrangement and flap doors onto the waste in the container to compact the waste, and a drain and coupling system at the bottom of the container. As the waste is compacted, liquids drain down through the filter, oils and fats are removed by the separating element, and non-oily liquids are removed through the coupling system to the vacuum disposal system or the gray water drain line of the vehicle. A control unit controls the overall operation.

Abstract: Catering in a transport vehicle like an aircraft involves collecting mixed waste including solids (e.g. left-over food portions, food wastes, napkins, disposable cutlery) and liquids (e.g. beverage rests), without separation. These wastes are disposed of into an apparatus including a receiving container with a filter and separating element at the bottom, a waste shaft leading into the container, a press arrangement with flap doors, pressure pistons which press the press arrangement and flap doors onto the waste in the container to compact the waste, and a drain and coupling system at the bottom of the container. As the waste is compacted, liquids drain down through the filter, oils and fats are removed by the separating element, and non-oily liquids are removed through the coupling system to the vacuum disposal system or the gray water drain line of the vehicle. A control unit controls the overall operation.

Abstract: A toilet system, especially for passenger transport vehicles, includes a toilet bowl connected via a suction valve and a waste collection pipe to a waste collection tank. Waste-contacting surfaces of the toilet system that come into contact with urine and fecal waste are coated with an adhesion-inhibiting or adhesion-reducing nanocoating. Thereby, the adhesion of waste to the toilet bowl and other components is significantly reduced, and the total flushing water demand can be substantially reduced or, preferably completely eliminated. An airflow flowing into the toilet bowl, induced by the vacuum suction through the suction valve, is sufficient to “flush” the waste material from the nanocoated waste-contacting surfaces. The toilet system provides a substantial reduction in the total system weight and in the required quantity of flushing water that must be carried in the vehicle, and thus makes the toilet system particularly applicable for passenger transport vehicles such as aircraft.

Abstract: A filter press with a novel spray washing arrangement for the filter plates which plates are shiftable on horizontal guides. The novel spray washing means comprises a carrier frame encompassing the stack of plates together with the horizontal guides and a spray pipe. The carrier frame is movable along the stack of filter plates at vertical, lateral struts. The spray pipe is equipped with spray nozzle and is guided as a unit movably up and down along the vertical struts. The spray pipe comprises two branch lines enclosing between them a filter plate that is to be spray washed. The spray nozzles of the two branch lines face each other to provide the same pressure on front and back surfaces of the filter plate.