JP2001048094A - Soft high altitude airship and operating and controlling method therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide the constitution capable of simply and easily performing climbing, level flight and lowering controls with extremely simple structure and an operating and controlling method therefor, in a soft high altitude airship constituted of soft pressurizing film structure in an airframe. SOLUTION: This airship is provided with an envelope 1 formed by pressurizing film structure and empennages 2. Inside the envelope 1, air chambers 11, 12 having comparatively small volume in a head part and a tail part, an air chamber 13 having large volume in a center lower part, a small gas chamber 14 to be filled with floating gas at a center upper part and a large gas chamber 15 formed in space within the envelope 1 except the air chambers 11, 12 and the small gas chamber 14 are provided. Each air chamber 11, 12 is provided with a pressure governing valve and a pressurizing air blower for making a difference of internal pressure and atmospheric pressure constant. The small gas chamber 14 is provided with a valve for emitting floating gas at the time of lowering. The large gas chamber 15 is provided with a pressurizing air blower for feeding outside atmosphere at the time of lowering.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a flexible high altitude airship and a method of controlling the operation of the airship, and more specifically, to a flight in the stratosphere, which is propelled by power such as photoelectric conversion of sunlight against wind. All-soft giant LTA (Lighter-Than-Air) that performs observations and wireless relays for global environmental protection
The present invention relates to a high altitude airship effective for application to an airframe of a platform and an operation control method thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Known scientific balloons do not exhaust air at the time of ascending, but inflate the balloon with helium to ascend with sufficient buoyancy. At the start of the descent, a part of the balloon is torn and the load is lowered with a parachute. On the other hand, the airspace in the lower stratosphere, about 20 km from the ground, is clear all year round and the wind is weak and calm.
It is effective to use the platform for long-term flight and environmental observation and information relay, but in this case, it is difficult to ascend and process using the same means as the above scientific balloon, Stable soft landing is required by simple means.

[0003] As a high altitude airship that constitutes such a huge LTA platform, a multi-gas bag type airship having a configuration as shown in FIG. 4 has been proposed. In this airship, a large number of movable and deformable gas chambers 22 are provided in the envelope 21 from the head to the tail, and the gas chambers 22 are filled with helium gas, and the space 23 outside the air chamber 22 is filled with helium gas. As shown in FIG. 5, the airship is lifted and lowered by moving the helium gas and air inside and outside the deformable gas chamber 22 inside the airframe, as shown in FIG. The position of the center of gravity 25 is changed, and the change is minimized.

In this multi-gas bag type airship, as described above, since the distance between the buoyant center 24 and the center of gravity 25 is small, it is possible to take a nearly horizontal rising posture by using the control wings of the tail fin. The rising speed can be freely set by adjusting the excess buoyancy. However, since the gas chamber 22 is subdivided into a large number, the free interface between air and helium gas becomes large, and the area of the film material becomes large. As the size increases, the weight increases, and the film material forming the free boundary surface is deformed due to a change in the attitude of the aircraft due to flight, etc., so that material fatigue easily occurs and the structure is easily broken. Is a problem.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The technical problem of the present invention is basically that of a flexible high altitude airship in which the fuselage is formed of a soft pressurized membrane structure, with a very simple structure, ascent, level flight and It is an object of the present invention to provide a configuration and an operation control method for controlling the descent easily and easily. Another technical object of the present invention is to provide a flexible high altitude airship that minimizes the area and weight of the membrane material used, reduces the weight of the fuselage, and minimizes destruction due to material fatigue. It is in. Another technical object of the present invention is to provide a flexible high altitude airship having a structure that achieves the purpose most safely and inexpensively.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided a flexible high altitude airship having an envelope and a tail formed by a pressurized membrane structure, and the interior of the envelope is filled with air. The air chamber with a relatively small volume at the head and tail, the air chamber with a large volume at the lower center, the small gas chamber filled with buoyant gas at the upper center, and the inside of the envelope excluding the air chamber and the small gas chamber A large gas chamber formed in the space, and each of the air chambers communicates with the outside atmosphere via a pressure regulating valve that opens when the difference between their internal pressure and atmospheric pressure becomes equal to or greater than a certain value. A pressurized blower driven so that the difference between the internal pressure and the atmospheric pressure does not fall below a certain value is provided. Atmospheric atmosphere It is characterized in the provision of the air infeed means fed.

In addition, a method for controlling the operation of a flexible high altitude airship according to the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems includes an envelope and a tail formed by a pressurized film structure, and the inside of the envelope is filled with air. Relatively small air chambers at the head and tail, large air chambers at the lower center, small gas chambers filled with buoyant gas at the upper center, and air chambers in the envelope excluding the air chambers and small gas chambers A method of controlling the operation of a flexible high altitude airship with a large gas chamber formed in the space, and when the airship rises, the airborne gas and air in the envelope move upright with the center of gravity and the center of gravity separated by the movement of air. While maintaining the attitude, while discharging air so as to keep the differential pressure between the internal pressure of the air chamber and the atmospheric pressure at a constant value, the air is raised by the excess buoyancy of the floating gas in the large gas chamber, and Discharges air and surplus buoyant gas to the outside atmosphere and keeps the airspace in a horizontal position when only the buoyant gas in the envelope is almost expanded, and discharges buoyant gas in small gas chambers when the airship descends. In addition, the floating gas in the large gas chamber is mixed with the outside atmosphere to lower the envelope by its own weight while maintaining the shape and rigidity of the envelope.

According to the flexible altitude airship and the operation control method thereof having the above-described configuration, the ascent, level flight, and descent control of the flexible altitude airship having a very simple structure with a pressurized membrane structure can be performed. Can be performed easily and easily, and the area and weight of the membrane material used can be minimized to reduce the weight of the fuselage and minimize the destruction due to material fatigue, thereby ensuring safe and inexpensive Can have a structure that achieves the purpose.

[0009]

1 to 3 show an embodiment of a flexible high altitude airship according to the present invention. This soft-type high altitude airship has an envelope (body body) 1 and a tail 2 which are formed by a pressurized film structure, and as described below, the inside of the envelope 1 is filled with air. Air chambers 11 to 13 and gas chambers 14 and 15 filled with a buoyant gas such as helium gas are provided, and the buoyant gas in these gas chambers rises due to the excess buoyancy, and the mission altitude is about 20 to 22 km above the ground. At a low wind speed altitude, the aircraft descends by its own weight by discharging a part of the buoyant gas. In other words, this soft-type high altitude airship does not perform ascent or descent by power propulsion in principle, but only uses horizontal flight at high altitude as power propulsion, and can also be called a power balloon.

[0010] The structure of the above-mentioned flexible high altitude airship will be described more specifically. As shown in FIG.
Is divided into five spaces, and the air chambers 11 and 11, which have relatively small volumes of the head and tail filled with air,
12 and an air chamber 13 with a large volume at the lower center,
Furthermore, the small gas chamber 14 in which the floating gas in the upper center is filled
And a large gas chamber 15 formed in a space inside the envelope 1 excluding the air chambers 11 to 13 and the small gas chamber 14. The head and tail air chambers 11 and 12 have a volume of about 10% of the total volume, and the large air chamber 12 at the lower center has a volume of about 80%. The small gas chamber 14 in the upper center is formed to have a volume of about 10% of the entire volume. Further, when the large gas chamber 15 discharges all of the air and the floating gas in the air chambers 11 to 13 and the small gas chamber 14, FIG.
As shown in the figure, the volume is formed to be substantially the same as the volume of the space in the envelope 1.

In order to keep the pressure difference between the internal pressure and the atmospheric pressure constant when the airship rises, the airship discharges air from all the air chambers and the pressurized membrane tail in the envelope, and when the descent descends, the air is discharged as necessary. It is necessary to send the atmosphere to the air chamber and the like. Therefore, the three air chambers 11 to 13 and the pressurized membrane tail 2 are respectively opened to the outside atmosphere via a pressure regulating valve (not shown). These pressure regulating valves are controlled such that when the difference between the internal pressure of each of the air chambers 11 to 13 and the atmospheric pressure becomes equal to or more than a predetermined value, the internal air is discharged to the outside atmosphere. At the same time, these three air chambers 1
A pressure blower (not shown) is provided for each of 1 to 13 and the pressurized film tail 2, and the pressurized blower is driven so that the difference between the internal pressure and the atmospheric pressure does not become lower than a certain value. It is controlled so as to maintain a constant differential pressure in between and maintain rigidity.

The small gas chamber 14 in the upper center of the envelope 1 has a helium amount of about 10% of the total buoyancy when the descent starts from the horizontal flight at the mission altitude.
It is for releasing gas to the outside atmosphere and initiating descent. Therefore, the small gas chamber 14 is provided with a sufficiently airtight valve, and this valve is opened at the start of descent, or the outer membrane of the gas chamber 14 is perforated instead of this valve, and helium.
Gas release means such as a perforation mechanism for releasing gas is provided. If necessary, a pressure regulating valve for maintaining the pressure difference from the outside atmosphere at a certain value or less can be provided. Small gas bunch 1
The amount of the helium gas to be charged into the gas chamber 4 is set in advance so that the volume of the gas chamber 14 can be kept constant and the specified amount can be charged. The small gas chamber 14 may be further divided into a plurality of small gas chambers, and each of the small gas chambers may be provided with the valve or the like. These divided small gas chamber valves etc.
It is optional to open at once when the airship starts to descend, or to partially open to adjust the descending speed.

On the other hand, air chambers 11 to 13 in the envelope 1
The buoyant gas filled in the large gas chamber 15 formed by the space other than the small gas chamber 14 and the large gas chamber 15 is, in principle, in flight during the flight, except for gas release for maintaining the differential pressure with the outside atmosphere below a certain value. Although the air is not released into the outside atmosphere, the outside air is mixed with the buoyant gas in the large gas chamber 15 when the airship descends, and it is lowered by its own weight while maintaining the shape and rigidity of the envelope. The chamber 15 is provided with an air feeding means such as a pressurized blower for feeding the outside atmosphere into the floating gas.

The descent of the airship is performed by discharging the floating gas in the small gas chamber 14 as described above. If necessary, the amount of helium gas discharged from the small gas chamber 14 is reduced by the gas discharge. The descending speed is adjusted by means, and the outside atmosphere is mixed with the buoyant gas in the large gas chamber 15, and air is supplied to the arbitrary air chambers 11 to 13 as necessary to balance the descending velocity and attitude. Is controlled so that the final descent speed does not become excessive and a danger does not occur due to collision with a surface object or the like, and the vehicle is controlled to descend to the sea or the surface of the ground.

The above-mentioned high altitude airship is basically formed by a flexible pressurized membrane structure, but generates a propulsive force that stays at a fixed position against a wind at a low wind speed altitude in the stratosphere. Needless to say, a propulsion device, various devices for a mission, a power generation device for generating power for driving them by photoelectric conversion of sunlight, and the like, as well as the above-described pressure regulating valve and pressurized blower are provided.

Next, the manner of ascent, level flight, and descent of the high altitude airship will be described. FIG. 2 shows a state where the altitude airship rises. In this case, the air in the air chamber 11 is discharged as needed, but the buoyant gas filled in the large gas chamber 15 has excess buoyancy. In the envelope 1, the buoyant gas and the air move to the center of gravity 17 due to the movement of the air. 18 leaves and naturally rises upright. When the airship rises, air is discharged from the air chambers 11 to 13 and the pressurized membrane tail 2 in the envelope via the pressure regulating valve in order to keep the differential pressure between the internal pressure and the atmospheric pressure at a constant value. FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, the multi-gas-bag type airship of the configuration shown in FIG. 5 has an unstable posture due to a small distance between the buoyancy 24 and the center of gravity 25 when ascending. Although it is possible to take an ascending posture that is nearly horizontal, the ascending speed becomes extremely small as the aircraft becomes horizontal.

Since the climbing speed of the airship is basically proportional to the square root of the surplus buoyancy, in the above-mentioned high altitude airship, the climbing speed can be freely selected by adjusting the surplus buoyancy. And large gas bunch 15
Release buoyant gas equivalent to the excess buoyancy in the ambient atmosphere,
The envelope 1 contains only expanded helium. Therefore, if the positional relationship between the center of gravity 17 and the buoyant center 18 is determined in advance so that the aircraft takes a horizontal attitude, it is possible to proceed to level flight as it is.

When the airship rises to high altitude and reaches the stratosphere (mission altitude) of low wind speed altitude, as described above,
The inside of the envelope 1 is almost only expanded helium, and the aircraft takes a horizontal attitude based on the positional relationship between the center of gravity 17 and the buoyant center 18. Therefore, it is propelled by the photoelectric conversion power of sunlight against the wind to maintain a certain position. By doing so, missions such as monitoring for global environmental conservation and wireless relay of information can be performed.

FIG. 3 shows a state at the time of descending return after performing the mission. When the airship descends, basically, the floating gas in the small gas chamber 14 is exhausted, and the outside air is mixed with the floating gas in the large gas chamber 15 by air inlet means. Air is blown into any of the air chambers 11 to 13 by a pressurized blower, and is lowered by its own weight while maintaining the shape and rigidity of the envelope 1. By controlling the discharge of the floating gas and the flow of the outside atmosphere, The descending speed can be controlled in a wide speed range. As a result, the ship is returned to the sea or to the surface without making the final sinking speed excessive.

When the airship descends, it sucks in the outside atmosphere and completely removes it from the air chamber 11 which is different from the floating gas.
If it is separated into １３13, the buoyancy and the center of gravity are too far apart, making it difficult to raise the nose. Therefore, the outside air is sent into the large gas chamber 15, the buoyant gas and the air are mixed, and the positional relationship between the buoyancy and the center of gravity is measured to thereby cause the airframe to be caused by the tail control plate. . However, since the descent speed depends on the ratio of released levitation gas, if the descent speed is low enough, landing on the ground is relatively safe with the nose down, and the use of parachutes near the ground The landing speed can also be reduced. In particular, it is important to prevent the final sinking speed from becoming excessive, such as by adjusting the amount of buoyant gas discharged, and to control the landing so as not to cause danger due to collision with a surface object. And the gas chamber has the simplest configuration and arrangement suitable for such control.

The above-mentioned high altitude airship, whose entire body is formed of a soft pressurized membrane structure, can be landed in the same manner as a conventional balloon, and not only requires a small load force to be applied to the ground surface, but also has Also, the degree of damage to the airframe itself and damage to the ground surface is slight. In addition, the high altitude airship is capable of ascending, leveling, and descending with the simplest structure and method, and can achieve its purpose safely and inexpensively.

[0022]

According to the present invention described in detail above, a high altitude airship in which the airframe has a soft pressurized membrane structure can be provided with an extremely simple structure while minimizing the area and weight of the membrane material used. ,
It is possible to reduce the weight of the fuselage and minimize the destruction due to material fatigue. Also,
It is possible to provide a configuration capable of easily and easily controlling the ascent, level flight, and descent of the airship, and an operation control method thereof.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an embodiment of a flexible high altitude airship according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing a state where the above-mentioned rubber-type high altitude airship rises.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing a state in which the rubber-type high altitude airship descends.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing a configuration of a multi-gas bag type airship that has already been proposed.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing a state in which the multi-gas bag type airship rises.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Envelope 2 Tail 11-13 Air chamber 14 Small gas chamber 15 Large gas chamber

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Hiroshi Sugimoto 1-7-15 Uehara, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Inside SKYPIA CORPORATION

Claims (2)

[Claims] An envelope and a tail formed by a pressurized membrane structure are provided. Inside the envelope, an air chamber with a relatively small volume at a head and a tail filled with air, and a volume at a lower center portion are provided. A large gas chamber, a small gas chamber filled with buoyant gas in the upper center, and a large gas chamber formed in a space inside the envelope except for the air chamber and the small gas chamber. When the difference between the internal pressure and the atmospheric pressure exceeds a certain value, it communicates with the outside atmosphere through a pressure regulating valve that opens, and is also driven so that the difference between those internal pressures and the atmospheric pressure does not fall below a certain value. A gas blower is provided, wherein the small gas chamber is provided with gas releasing means for releasing buoyant gas when descending, and the large gas chamber is provided with air introducing means for introducing the outside atmosphere when descending. Rubber-type altitude airship. 2. An air chamber having a relatively small volume of a head and a tail portion filled with air, and a large volume of a lower center portion, comprising an envelope and a tail formed by a pressurized membrane structure. Controls the operation of a flexible high altitude airship that includes an air chamber, a small gas chamber filled with buoyant gas in the upper center, and a large gas chamber formed in a space inside the envelope excluding the air chamber and the small gas chamber. When the airship rises, the vertical pressure between the inner pressure of the air chamber and the atmospheric pressure is maintained at a constant value while maintaining the upright attitude where the center of gravity and the buoyancy are separated by the movement of buoyant gas and air inside the envelope. At the mission altitude, the air and excess buoyant gas are almost released to the outside atmosphere, while the air is exhausted so as to keep the air in the large gas chamber. When the airship descends, the buoyant gas in the small gas chamber is exhausted, and the floating atmosphere in the large gas chamber is mixed with the outside atmosphere. An operation control method for a flexible high altitude airship, wherein the airship is lowered by its own weight while maintaining rigidity.