JP7085970B2 - Hydrogen transfer device and hydrogen transfer method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a hydrogen transfer device and a hydrogen transfer method capable of transporting hydrogen at low cost.

Hydrogen is a highly reactive substance. Furthermore, hydrogen has the advantages of having a large amount of heat per unit mass and producing only water during combustion. That is, hydrogen has the advantage of not emitting greenhouse gases (eg, carbon dioxide) when used, while having high energy efficiency. Therefore, hydrogen is widely used in various industrial fields (eg, petroleum refining, semiconductor manufacturing, metal manufacturing, glass manufacturing, and food manufacturing). Furthermore, hydrogen is expected to be used in fuel cell technologies (for example, fuel cell vehicles) for which technological innovation is greatly advancing, and it is expected that the use of hydrogen will continue to expand in the future. In other words, in the future, it is thought that a so-called "hydrogen society" will be built that uses hydrogen as a major energy source to replace fossil fuels such as petroleum.

In order to realize a hydrogen-based society, it is necessary to establish hydrogen supply bases (for example, hydrogen gas stations) in demand areas all over Japan. In this specification, the bases that supply hydrogen to each household and / or factory are collectively referred to as "small-scale storage facilities". Furthermore, it is conceivable to establish a medium-sized storage facility as a relay base between a large-scale hydrogen storage facility (for example, a hydrogen production plant or a port facility for storing imported hydrogen) to each small-scale storage facility. .. Therefore, it has become necessary to consider a means for transporting hydrogen from a large-scale storage facility to each small-scale storage facility (or a medium-scale storage facility).

Examples of hydrogen transporting means currently available include trailers capable of mounting a container capable of storing high-pressure hydrogen gas and trailers capable of mounting a container capable of storing liquefied hydrogen. Alternatively, it is conceivable to install a hydrogen gas pipeline extending from a large-scale storage facility to a small-scale storage facility. The medium-sized storage facility may be installed in the middle of the hydrogen gas pipeline.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-112796

However, when hydrogen is transported using a trailer equipped with a storage container for compressed hydrogen gas or liquefied hydrogen, the trailer needs to travel on an existing road including an arterial road. Since the trailer for transporting a large amount of hydrogen is very large, there is always a road on which the trailer cannot travel. Therefore, the trailer cannot travel the shortest distance from the large storage facility to the small storage facility. It is also necessary to secure a trailer driver. Therefore, the cost of transporting hydrogen by the trailer is relatively high.

In addition, the trailer must travel in a densely populated area (eg, an urban area) by the time the trailer reaches from a large storage facility to a small storage facility. Therefore, in the unlikely event that an accident occurs in the trailer, there is a risk of causing great human damage.

When installing a hydrogen gas pipeline, it is necessary to secure a vast land for the hydrogen gas pipeline, and a huge construction cost is required. In addition, in order to secure stable transportation of hydrogen gas, it is necessary to secure a large number of workers, and in addition, it is necessary to carry out regular maintenance of the hydrogen gas pipeline. Therefore, the supply of hydrogen by a hydrogen gas pipeline actually has many problems such as securing a vast land, equipment cost, and operating cost.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a hydrogen transfer device and a hydrogen transfer method capable of transporting hydrogen at low cost.

In one aspect, a machine room in which at least one gas bag filled with hydrogen, at least one drone, a battery that supplies power to the drone, and a control unit that controls the operation of the drone are arranged. A power cable extending from the machine room to the drone for supplying power to the drone is provided, and the drone is connected to a traction portion including at least the gas bag and the machine room via the power cable. The control unit controls the operation of the drone so that the traction unit moves along a predetermined flight path from a large-scale storage facility for hydrogen to a small-scale storage facility or a medium-scale storage facility. A featured hydrogen transfer device is provided.

In one aspect, the capacity of the gas bag is set so that the buoyancy of hydrogen filled in the gas bag is equal to or slightly smaller than the total weight of the traction portion.
In one aspect, the machine room has a shape in which lift is generated in the machine room when the traction portion is towed by the drone.
In one aspect, the machine room has a cross-sectional shape that is substantially teardrop-shaped.

In one aspect, the gas bag has a shape in which lift is generated in the gas bag when the traction portion is towed by the drone.
In one aspect, the gas bag has a cross-sectional shape that is substantially in the shape of a teardrop.

In one aspect, the hydrogen transfer device comprises an arm extending from both sides of the machine chamber, a universal joint connected to the tip of the arm and connected to the power cable, and the battery from the battery through the arm. Further comprising a machine room cable extending to a universal joint, the universal joint has, within it, a rotary connector electrically connected to both the power cable and the machine room cable.
In one aspect, the drone is a gimbal mechanism having a drone body and a connecting shaft connected to the drone body, and rotatably supporting the drone body around the connecting shaft, and is attached to the power cable. A gimbal mechanism to be connected, a power line extending from the power cable through the gimbal mechanism to the drone, and a rotary connector electrically connected to the power line and arranged coaxially with the connecting shaft. I have.

In one aspect, there is provided a hydrogen transfer method characterized in that hydrogen is transferred from a large-scale storage facility to a small-scale storage facility or a medium-scale storage facility by flying the hydrogen transfer device.

In one aspect, the hydrogen transfer device has a plurality of gas bags filled with hydrogen, and hydrogen filled in some of the gas bags among the plurality of gas bags is small from a large-scale storage facility. Transport to a large or medium storage facility and transfer the hydrogen filled in the remaining gas bag to another small or medium storage facility.

According to the present invention, a drone, which is an unmanned mobile body, automatically transports hydrogen filled in a gas bag in a large-scale storage facility to a small-scale storage facility or a medium-sized storage facility along a predetermined flight path. Therefore, it is not necessary to secure personnel involved in the transportation (for example, a trailer driver), and hydrogen can be transported in the shortest distance. As a result, hydrogen can be transported at low cost. Furthermore, by setting the flight path of the hydrogen transfer device to avoid densely populated areas such as mountainous areas (or at sea), the risk of human damage caused by the fall of the hydrogen transfer device can be minimized. can.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which hydrogen is transported from a large-scale storage facility to a small-scale storage facility using the hydrogen transfer device according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an enlarged view of the hydrogen transfer device shown in FIG. 3A is a plan view schematically showing the machine room of the hydrogen transfer device shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 3B is for explaining the cross-sectional shape of the machine room shown in FIG. 3A. It is a schematic diagram of. FIG. 4 is a plan view schematically showing a machine room according to another embodiment. FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing an example of a universal joint. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an X-axis rotary connector, a Y-axis rotary connector, and a Z-axis rotary connector. FIG. 7 is a top view showing an example of a drone. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a wiring structure for transmitting power from a power cable to the drone shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing how a hydrogen transfer device that has flown above a small-scale storage facility lands on the small-scale storage facility. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing how a hydrogen transfer device transfers a part of hydrogen to a small-scale storage facility and then moves to another small-scale storage facility. 11 (a) is a schematic view showing a hydrogen transfer device according to another embodiment, and FIG. 11 (b) is a plan view schematically showing a machine room of the hydrogen transfer device shown in FIG. 11 (a). Is. It is a schematic diagram which shows the state that the hydrogen transfer apparatus shown in FIG. 11A lands in a small-scale storage facility.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In FIGS. 1 to 12, the same or corresponding components are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicate description will be omitted.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which hydrogen is transported from a large-scale storage facility to a small-scale storage facility using the hydrogen transfer device according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an enlarged view of the hydrogen transfer device shown in FIG. 3A is a plan view schematically showing the machine room of the hydrogen transfer device shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 3B is for explaining the cross-sectional shape of the machine room shown in FIG. 3A. It is a schematic diagram of.

The hydrogen transfer device 100 shown in FIG. 1 is a transfer device that transports hydrogen from a large-scale storage facility 200 to a small-scale storage facility 300 (for example, a hydrogen station). The large-scale storage facility 200 shown in FIG. 1 is a hydrogen production plant, but the present invention is not limited to this example. For example, the large-scale storage facility 200 may be a port facility for storing imported hydrogen. Although not shown, the hydrogen transfer device 100 may transfer hydrogen from the large-scale storage facility 200 to the medium-scale storage facility 200. The medium-scale storage facility is a hydrogen storage facility provided between the large-scale storage facility 200 and the small-scale storage facility 300, and is, for example, a regional base for hydrogen supply provided in each prefecture or each municipality. ..

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the hydrogen transfer device 100, a plurality of gas bags 8a, 8b, 8c filled with hydrogen (three in the illustrated example) and gas bags 8a, 8b, 8c are connected to each other. A base 9, a machine room 20 connected to the base 9, and a plurality of (two in the illustrated example) drones 1 connected to the machine room 20. In the illustrated example, the hydrogen transfer device 100 includes a plurality of gas bags 8a, 8b, 8c, but the present invention is not limited to this example. For example, the hydrogen transfer device 100 may have only one gas bag. That is, the hydrogen transfer device 100 may include at least one gas bag. In the following description, the gas bags 8a, 8b, and 8c are collectively referred to as "gas bag 8" unless it is necessary to distinguish them.

The gas bag 8 is connected to the upper surface of the base 9 via a bag connector (for example, a wire) 38. The machine room 20 is connected to the lower surface of the base 9 via a machine room connector (for example, a wire) 39 extending from the upper surface of the machine room 20. Each drone 1 is connected to the machine room 20 via a power cable 5. An example of a configuration in which each drone 1 is connected to the machine room 20 will be described later. The hydrogen transfer device 100 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has a plurality of drones 1, but the present invention is not limited to this example. For example, the hydrogen transfer device 100 may include only one drone 1. That is, the hydrogen transfer device 100 may include at least one drone 1.

As used herein, a drone is a general term for unmanned aerial vehicles that move in the air. In the illustrated example, the drone 1 is a so-called "multicopter" with a plurality of rotor blades 1R that are rotated by electric power. In one embodiment, the drone 1 may include a plurality of rotors (not shown) that are rotated by electric power. The detailed configuration of the drone 1 will be described later, but the drone 1 is connected to the machine room 20 via a power cable 5. In the present embodiment, the gas bag 8, the bag connecting tool 38, the base 9, the machine room connecting tool 39, and the machine room 20 constitute a traction portion 101 towed by the drone 1.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the machine room 20 has a control unit 53 that controls the operation of each drone 1, a battery (storage battery) 54 that stores electric power supplied to each drone 1, and a control unit 53. A transmission / reception unit 55 that wirelessly transmits a command to each drone 1 is provided. In one embodiment, the command from the control unit 53 may be transmitted to each drone 1 via the power cable 5. In this case, the transmission / reception unit 55 may be omitted.

In the present embodiment, the control unit 53 preliminarily sets a plurality of measuring instruments (for example, a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, an altimeter, and a GPS (all not shown)), a predetermined flight path of the traction unit 101, and the like. It includes a storage unit (not shown) for storing and a processing unit (not shown) for calculating an operation command value of each drone 1.

The storage unit of the control unit 20 stores in advance the flight path, flight altitude, and movement speed of the traction unit 101. In the processing unit of the control unit 53, the movement path, movement altitude, and movement speed of the traction unit 101 are stored in the storage unit in advance based on the measured values of measuring instruments such as a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, a pressure sensor, an altimeter, and GPS. It is configured to calculate a command value that controls the operation of each drone 1 so as to match the stored movement path, movement altitude, and movement speed. The control unit 53 transmits the command value calculated by the processing unit to each drone 1 via the transmission / reception unit 55, and each drone 1 flies based on the received command value.

As shown by a virtual line (dotted line) in FIG. 1, the hydrogen transfer device 100 may fly based on a command from a plurality of relay points 102 provided along the flight path of the traction unit 101. FIG. 1 shows only one relay point 102. In this case, the hydrogen transfer device 100 and the plurality of relay points 102 constitute a hydrogen transfer system that transfers hydrogen from the large-scale storage facility 200 to the small-scale storage facility 300 (or a medium-scale storage facility). The processing unit of the control unit 53 transmits the measured values of the measuring instruments such as the gyro sensor, the acceleration sensor, the barometric pressure sensor, the altimeter, and the GPS to the relay point 102 via the transmission / reception unit 55. The relay point 102 is such that the movement path, the movement altitude, and the movement speed of the traction unit 101 match the predetermined movement path, the movement altitude, and the movement speed based on the measured values sent from the control unit 53. , A command value for controlling the operation of each drone 1 is transmitted to the control unit 53. The command value transmitted from the relay point 102 is stored in the storage unit of the control unit 53 via the transmission / reception unit 55, and is also sent to each drone 1. Each drone 1 flies based on the received command value. In one embodiment, each drone 1 may directly receive a command value transmitted from the relay point.

In the present embodiment, the gas bag 8 is filled with hydrogen gas having a pressure slightly higher than the atmospheric pressure. The capacity of the gas bag 8 is set so that the buoyancy of hydrogen filled in the gas bag 8 is equal to or slightly smaller than the total weight of the traction portion 101. With such a configuration, even if the gas bag 8 is filled with hydrogen, the traction portion 101 is prevented from rising due to the buoyancy of hydrogen. Further, in order to improve the safety when filling the gas bag 8 with hydrogen or when releasing hydrogen from the gas bag 8, the gas bag 8 is preferably made of an insulating material. This effectively prevents the hydrogen filled in the gas bag 8 or released from the gas bag 8 from being ignited by static electricity.

The traction section 101 utilizes the buoyancy of hydrogen filled in the gas bag 8 and the traction force acting on the traction section 101 by the flying drone 1 from the large-scale storage facility 200 to the small-scale storage facility 300 (or medium-scale storage). Will be transported to the facility). As described above, hydrogen is filled in the gas bag 8 so that the buoyancy of the hydrogen is equal to or slightly smaller than the total weight of the traction portion 101. Therefore, the drone 1 can raise the traction portion 101 from the ground to the air and lower it from the air to the ground with a slight traction force. Further, the drone 1 can move the traction portion 101 floating in the air with a slight traction force. As a result, the power consumption of each drone 1 can be reduced, so that the flight distance of each drone 1 can be increased.

As shown in FIG. 2, it is preferable to mount a plurality of base ballasts 51 for adjusting the total weight of the traction portion 101 on the base 9. A plurality of machine room ballasts 65 (see FIG. 3A) for adjusting the total weight of the traction portion 101 may be mounted in the machine room 20 in place of or in addition to the base ballast 51. ..

The machine room 20 preferably has a structure that generates lift in the machine room 20 when the traction unit 101 is towed by the drone 1. As a result, the traction force borne by each drone 1 for flying the traction portion 101 can be further reduced. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3B, the cross section of the machine room 20 has a substantially teardrop shape similar to the airfoil of an airplane. More specifically, the machine chamber 20 has a leading edge portion 20a having a rounded cross-sectional shape and a trailing edge portion 20b having a sharply pointed cross-sectional shape, and a predetermined intermediate point 20c from the leading edge portion 20a. The cross-sectional area up to is gradually increased, and the cross-sectional area from the predetermined intermediate point 20c to the trailing edge portion 20b is gradually reduced. At the midpoint 20c, the width of the machine room 20 in the vertical direction is maximized. In the machine room 20 having such an airfoil cross-sectional shape, lift can be generated due to the difference between the flow velocity of the air flowing on the lower surface thereof and the flow velocity of the air flowing on the upper surface thereof.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the machine room 20 according to another embodiment. The machine room 20 shown in FIG. 4 has a machine room main body 20d in which the control unit 53, a battery 54, a transmission / reception unit 55, and a machine room ballast 65 are arranged, and a wing portion 20e extending from both side surfaces of the machine room main body 20d. And prepare. The cross section of the wing portion 20e has the above-mentioned substantially teardrop shape (that is, the airfoil of an airplane). Even with such a configuration, lift can be generated in the machine room 20 when the towing portion 101 is being towed by the drone 1.

As shown in FIG. 3A, arms 67 are fixed to both side surfaces of the machine room 20, and a power cable 5 for supplying electric power to the drone 1 is attached to the tip of each arm 67. It is connected. The arm 67 is outside the outer edge of the base 9 (see the virtual line (dashed line) in FIG. 3B) so that the power cable 5 does not collide with the base 9 and interfere with the free flight of the drone 1. It stands out.

In the present embodiment, a universal joint 10 is attached to the tip of the arm 67, and the power cable 5 is connected to the arm 67 via the universal joint 10. In the machine room 20 shown in FIG. 4, arms 67 are fixed to both side surfaces of the machine room main body 20d, and the power cable 5 is connected to the arm 67 via a universal joint 10. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 4, the machine room cable 2 extending from the battery 54 is connected to the universal joint 10 through the internal space of the arm 67. The machine room cable 2 is a power cable for supplying the electric power stored in the battery 54 to the universal joint 10. The electric power stored in the battery 54 is supplied to the drone 1 via the machine room cable 2, the universal joint 10, and the power cable 5.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing an example of the universal joint 10. The universal joint 10 includes an X-axis rotary joint 12 that can rotate around the X-axis, a Y-axis rotary joint 15 that can rotate around the Y-axis, and a Z-axis rotary joint 18 that can rotate around the Z-axis. is doing. The X-axis rotary joint 12 is connected to the arm 67 (see FIGS. 3A and 4), the Y-axis rotary joint 15 is connected to the X-axis rotary joint 12, and the Z-axis rotary joint 18 is the Y-axis rotary joint 15. And is connected to the power cable 5. The X-axis rotary joint 12 includes a first X-axis shaft 12A fixed to the tip of the arm 67 and a second X-axis shaft 12B coaxially connected to the first X-axis shaft 12A. The central axes of the first X-axis shaft 12A and the second X-axis shaft 12B coincide with the X-axis, and the first X-axis shaft 12A and the second X-axis shaft 12B are rotatable relative to each other about the X-axis.

The Y-axis rotary joint 15 includes a first Y-axis shaft 15A connected to the second X-axis shaft 12B and a second Y-axis shaft 15B rotatably connected to the first Y-axis shaft 15A. The first Y-axis shaft 15A may be integrally configured with the second X-axis shaft 12B, or may be configured as a separate body. The first Y-axis shaft 15A and the second Y-axis shaft 15B are rotatably connected to each other by a pivot shaft 16. The axis of the pivot axis 16 coincides with the Y axis. Therefore, the first Y-axis shaft 15A and the second Y-axis shaft 15B are relatively rotatable about the Y-axis.

The Z-axis rotary joint 18 includes a first Z-axis shaft 18A connected to the second Y-axis shaft 15B and a second Z-axis shaft 18B coaxially connected to the first Z-axis shaft 18A. The 1st Z-axis shaft 18A may be integrally configured with the 2nd Y-axis shaft 15B, or may be configured as a separate body. The central axes of the first Z-axis shaft 18A and the second Z-axis shaft 18B coincide with the Z-axis, and the first Z-axis shaft 18A and the second Z-axis shaft 18B are rotatable relative to each other about the Z-axis. The power cable 5 is connected to the center of the 2nd Z-axis shaft 18B and is arranged coaxially with the 2nd Z-axis shaft 18B. That is, the power cable 5 is arranged coaxially with the Z-axis rotary joint 18.

The X-axis, which is the rotation axis of the X-axis rotary joint 12, is perpendicular to the Y-axis, which is the rotation axis of the Y-axis rotary joint 15, and the Y-axis is the Z-axis, which is the rotation axis of the Z-axis rotary joint 18. Is vertical. Therefore, the universal joint 10 including the X-axis rotary joint 12, the Y-axis rotary joint 15, and the Z-axis rotary joint 18 allows free rotation and free tilting of the power cable 5 with respect to the arm 67. As a result, the drone 1 connected to the tip of the power cable 5 can freely move with respect to the arm 67, so that the drone 1 can maintain a stable attitude in the air and fly stably. can do.

The universal joint 10 further includes an X-axis rotary connector 21, a Y-axis rotary connector 31, and a Z-axis rotary connector 41 arranged in the universal joint 10. The X-axis rotary connector 21 is arranged in the X-axis rotary joint 12, the Y-axis rotary connector 31 is arranged in the Y-axis rotary joint 15, and the Z-axis rotary connector 41 is arranged in the Z-axis rotary joint 18. .. The X-axis rotating connector 21, the Y-axis rotating connector 31, and the Z-axis rotating connector 41 are electrically connected to both the power cable 5 and the machine room cable 2 extending from the battery 54. That is, the X-axis rotating connector 21, the Y-axis rotating connector 31, and the Z-axis rotating connector 41 can maintain the electrical connection between the power cable 5 and the battery 54 while allowing the free movement of the universal joint 10. It is a rotary connector that can be used.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing an example of the X-axis rotary connector 21, the Y-axis rotary connector 31, and the Z-axis rotary connector 41. The X-axis rotary connector 21 is arranged coaxially with the X-axis rotary joint 12, the Y-axis rotary connector 31 is arranged coaxially with the Y-axis rotary joint 15, and the Z-axis rotary connector 41 is coaxial with the Z-axis rotary joint 18. Is located in. That is, the X-axis rotation connector 21 is arranged on the X-axis, the Y-axis rotation connector 31 is arranged on the Y-axis, and the Z-axis rotation connector 41 is arranged on the Z-axis.

The X-axis rotating connector 21 has two X-axis rotating terminals 23 connected to the positive electrode electric wire 2a and the negative electrode electric wire 2b of the machine room cable 2 extending from the battery 54, and two Xs in contact with the X-axis rotating terminals 23, respectively. The shaft stationary terminal 24 is provided. The two X-axis stationary terminals 24 are connected to the two XY electric wires 27, respectively. The X-axis rotating connector 21 and the Y-axis rotating connector 31 are electrically connected by two XY electric wires 27.

In the present embodiment, the X-axis rotating terminal 23 has a ring shape, and the X-axis stationary terminal 24 is composed of a metal brush in contact with the X-axis rotating terminal 23. The two X-axis rotation terminals 23 are arranged in parallel along the X-axis and can rotate around the X-axis. The positive electrode electric wire 2a and the negative electrode electric wire 2b of the battery 54 can rotate together with the X-axis rotating terminal 23. A slip ring can be used for the X-axis rotary connector 21 having such a configuration.

When the X-axis rotating terminal 23 is rotating around the X-axis, the X-axis stationary terminal 24 remains relatively stationary with respect to the X-axis rotating terminal 23 and remains in contact with the X-axis rotating terminal 23. is doing. Therefore, in the X-axis rotating connector 21, the positive wire 2a and the negative wire 2b of the machine room cable 2 rotate together with the X-axis rotating terminal 23, and the electrical connection between one XY wire 27 and the positive wire 2a and the other The electrical connection between the XY wire 27 and the negative wire 2b can be maintained.

The Y-axis rotation connector 31 includes two Y-axis rotation terminals 33 connected to the two XY electric wires 27, and two Y-axis stationary terminals 34 in contact with the Y-axis rotation terminals 33, respectively. The two Y-axis stationary terminals 34 are connected to the two YZ electric wires 37, respectively. The Y-axis rotating connector 31 and the Z-axis rotating connector 41 are electrically connected by two YZ electric wires 37.

In the present embodiment, the Y-axis rotating terminal 33 has a ring shape, and the Y-axis stationary terminal 34 is composed of a metal brush in contact with the Y-axis rotating terminal 33. The two Y-axis rotation terminals 33 are arranged in parallel along the Y-axis and can rotate around the Y-axis. The two XY electric wires 27 can rotate together with the Y-axis rotation terminal 33. A slip ring can be used for the Y-axis rotating connector 31 having such a configuration.

When the Y-axis rotating terminal 33 is rotating around the Y-axis, the Y-axis stationary terminal 34 remains relatively stationary with respect to the Y-axis rotating terminal 33 and remains in contact with the Y-axis rotating terminal 33. is doing. Therefore, the Y-axis rotating connector 31 can maintain the electrical connection between the two XY electric wires 27 and the two YZ electric wires 37 while the two XY electric wires 27 rotate together with the Y-axis rotating terminal 33.

The Z-axis rotation connector 41 includes two Z-axis stationary terminals 43 connected to the two YZ electric wires 37, respectively, and two Z-axis rotation terminals 44 in contact with the Z-axis stationary terminals 43, respectively. The two Z-axis rotating terminals 44 are connected to the positive electrode electric wire 5a and the negative electrode electric wire 5b of the power cable 5, respectively.

In the present embodiment, the Z-axis rotating terminal 44 has a ring shape, and the Z-axis stationary terminal 43 is composed of a metal brush in contact with the Z-axis rotating terminal 44. The two Z-axis rotation terminals 44 are arranged in parallel along the Z-axis and can rotate around the Z-axis. The positive electrode electric wire 5a and the negative electrode electric wire 5b of the power cable 5 are rotatable together with the Z-axis rotating terminal 44. A slip ring can be used for the Z-axis rotating connector 41 having such a configuration.

When the Z-axis rotating terminal 44 is rotating about the Z-axis, the Z-axis stationary terminal 43 remains relatively stationary with respect to the Z-axis rotating terminal 44 and remains in contact with the Z-axis rotating terminal 44. is doing. Therefore, in the Z-axis rotating connector 41, the positive wire 5a and the negative wire 5b of the power cable 5 rotate together with the Z-axis rotating terminal 44, and the one YZ wire 37 and the positive wire 5a of the power cable 5 are electrically connected. And the other YZ wire 37 and the negative wire 5b of the power cable 5 can be maintained in electrical connection.

According to the configuration shown in FIG. 6, power is supplied from the battery 54 to the machine room cable 2, the X-axis rotating connector 21, the XY electric wire 27, the Y-axis rotating connector 31, the YZ electric wire 37, the Z-axis rotating connector 41, and the power cable. It is supplied to the drone 1 via 5. The combination of the X-axis rotating connector 21, the Y-axis rotating connector 31, and the Z-axis rotating connector 41 allows the power cable 5 and the machine room to be connected to the drone 1 even if the power cable 5 is tilted in all directions with respect to the arm 67. An electrical connection with the cable 2 (ie, the battery 54) can be maintained. Further, since the X-axis rotary connector 21, the Y-axis rotary connector 31, and the Z-axis rotary connector 41 are arranged coaxially with the X-axis rotary joint 12, the Y-axis rotary joint 15, and the Z-axis rotary joint 18, respectively. , The X-axis rotary connector 21, the Y-axis rotary connector 31, and the Z-axis rotary connector 41 do not hinder the movement of the universal joint 10. Therefore, the drone 1 can continue to fly for a long time without its attitude being hindered by the power cable 5.

FIG. 7 is a top view showing an example of the drone 1. As shown in FIG. 7, the drone 1 has a drone main body 35 and a gimbal mechanism 36 that rotatably supports the drone main body 35, and the power cable 5 is connected to the gimbal mechanism 36. The drone body 35 includes a plurality of rotor blades 1R (four in the illustrated example) and a plurality of motors (not shown) connected to the rotor blades 1R, respectively.

The drone body 35 is rotatably connected to the gimbal mechanism 36. The gimbal mechanism 36 includes a first support structure 45 connected to the power cable 5, a second support structure 46 connected to the first support structure 45, a first support structure 45, and a second support structure. It includes a first connecting shaft 63 for connecting the 46, and a second connecting shaft 64 for connecting the second support structure 46 and the drone main body 35. The first connecting shaft 63 and the second connecting shaft 64 extend in different directions from each other. In the present embodiment, the first support structure 45 and the second support structure 46 are annular, and the second support structure 46 is arranged inside the first support structure 45. In one embodiment, the first support structure 45 and the second support structure 46 may have a hemispherical, quadrangular, or other shape.

In the present embodiment, the two first connecting shafts 63 are aligned and the two second connecting shafts 64 are aligned, and the first connecting shaft 63 and the second connecting shaft 64 are perpendicular to each other. Each first connecting shaft 63 is fixed to the first support structure 45 and can rotate integrally with the first support structure 45. Each first connecting shaft 63 is rotatably supported by a bearing (not shown) provided in the second support structure 46. Each second connecting shaft 64 is fixed to the second support structure 46 and can rotate integrally with the second support structure 46. Each second connecting shaft 64 is rotatably supported by a bearing (not shown) provided on the drone body 35.

In one embodiment, each first connecting shaft 63 may be fixed to a second support structure 46, and each first connecting shaft 63 is provided by a bearing (not shown) provided in the first support structure 45. It may be rotatably supported. In one embodiment, each second connecting shaft 64 may be fixed to the drone body 35, and each second connecting shaft 64 may be rotatable by a bearing (not shown) provided in the second support structure 46. May be supported.

The first support structure 45 is connected to the second support structure 46 by the first connecting shaft 63. The second support structure 46 is connected to the drone body 35 by the second connecting shaft 64. The second connecting shaft 64 is connected to the drone main body 35, and the first connecting shaft 63 is connected to the drone main body 35 via the second support structure 45 and the second connecting shaft 64. The first support structure 45 and the second support structure 46 are rotatable relative to each other about the first connecting shaft 63, and the second support structure 46 and the drone body 35 are centered on the second connecting shaft 64. It is rotatable relative to each other. The drone body 35 is rotatable about the first connecting shaft 63 and is rotatable about the second connecting shaft 64. Therefore, the drone body 35 can rotate (tilt) in all directions with respect to the first support structure 45. The gimbal mechanism 36 having such a configuration can improve the degree of freedom of the posture of the drone 1 with respect to the power cable 5.

If the gimbal mechanism 36 is greatly tilted with respect to the drone body 35 in a specific operation during takeoff, landing, or flight of the drone 1, the gimbal mechanism 36 may hinder the operation of the drone body 35. For example, if a part of the first support structure 45 is below the landing gear (landing gear) (not shown) of the drone body 35 when the drone 1 lands, the first support structure 45 lands before the landing gear. It will be grounded to the surface. At this time, the first support structure 45, not the landing gear, supports the weight of the drone 1, and there is a risk that the first support structure 45 will be damaged if it is not sufficiently strong. In addition, when the landing gear touches the landing surface, the reaction force from the landing surface causes the first support structure 45 to rotate rapidly, and there is a risk of various accidents such as overturning of the drone 1 and disconnection of the power cable 5. be.

In order to prevent such an accident, the drone 1 of the present embodiment includes a first lock mechanism 71 and a second lock mechanism 72 that limit the relative rotation of the gimbal mechanism with respect to the drone body 35. The first locking mechanism 71 limits the relative rotation of the first supporting structure 45 with respect to the second supporting structure 46, and the second locking mechanism 72 limits the relative rotation of the second supporting structure 46 with respect to the drone body 35. It is configured to limit rotation. Only one of the first lock mechanism 71 and the second lock mechanism 72 may be provided.

The first lock mechanism 71 is fixed to the second support structure 46. By holding (locking) the first connecting shaft 63, the first locking mechanism 71 limits the relative rotation of the first connecting shaft 63 and the first support structure 45 with respect to the second support structure 46. It is configured. The second lock mechanism 72 is fixed to the drone body 35. The second lock mechanism 72 may be arranged in the drone body 35. The second locking mechanism 72 is configured to limit the relative rotation of the second connecting shaft 64 and the second support structure 46 with respect to the drone body 35 by holding (locking) the second connecting shaft 64. There is.

The first lock mechanism 71 and the second lock mechanism 72 are not normally operated, but are operated automatically or by remote control of the operator to limit (prevent) the rotation of the gimbal mechanism 36 or stop the rotation. be able to. For example, when the drone 1 takes off or lands, the first support structure 45 and the second support structure 46 are locked so as to be parallel to the drone body 35, whereby the landing gear is locked to the first support structure 45 and the first support structure 45. 2 It is possible to make it possible to touch the ground and take off without being disturbed by the support structure 46.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a wiring structure for transmitting electric power from the power cable 5 to the drone 1 shown in FIG. 7. In FIG. 8, the gimbal mechanism 36 is schematically drawn. As shown in FIG. 8, the drone 1 includes a power line extending from the power cable 5 through the gimbal mechanism 36 to the drone body 35. More specifically, the power line includes a first positive power line 75 electrically connected to the positive wire 5a of the power cable 5 and a first negative power electrically connected to the negative wire 5b of the power cable 5. Line 76, a second positive positive power line 78 and a second negative negative power line 79 electrically connected to a first positive positive power line 75 and a first negative negative power line 76, and a second positive positive power line 78 and a second negative electrode, respectively. A third positive power line 83 and a third negative power line 84, which are electrically connected to the power line 79, are provided.

The second positive electrode power line 78 and the second negative electrode power line 79 are electrically connected to the first positive electrode power line 75 and the first negative electrode power line 76 via two first rotating connectors 80a and 80b, respectively. That is, the second positive electrode power line 78 is connected to the first positive electrode power line 75 via the one first rotating connector 80a, and the second negative electrode power line 79 is connected to the first positive electrode power line 79 via the other first rotating connector 80b. It is connected to the negative electrode power line 76.

The two first rotary connectors 80a and 80b are respectively arranged in the two first connecting shafts 63 of the gimbal mechanism 36, and are arranged coaxially with these two first connecting shafts 63. On the other hand, the first rotary connector 80a includes a first static terminal 81a connected to the first positive electrode power line 75 and a first rotary terminal 82a in contact with the first static terminal 81a. The other first rotary connector 80b includes a first static terminal 81b connected to the first negative electrode power line 76 and a first rotary terminal 82b in contact with the first static terminal 81b. In the present embodiment, the first rotating terminals 82a and 82b have a ring shape, and the first stationary terminals 81a and 81b are composed of metal brushes that come into contact with the first rotating terminals 82a and 82b. The two first rotating terminals 82a and 82b are connected to the second positive electrode power line 78 and the second negative electrode power line 79, respectively. A slip ring can be used for the first rotary connectors 80a and 80b.

When the first rotating terminal 82a is rotating about its axis, the first stationary terminal 81a remains relatively stationary with respect to the first rotating terminal 82a and is in contact with the first rotating terminal 82a. Maintained. Therefore, the first rotary connector 80a can maintain the electrical connection between the first positive electrode power line 75 and the second positive electrode power line 78 while the second positive electrode power line 78 rotates together with the first rotary terminal 82a. .. Similarly, when the first rotating terminal 82b is rotating about its axis, the first stationary terminal 81b remains relatively stationary with respect to the first rotating terminal 82b and comes into contact with the first rotating terminal 82b. It is maintained in the same state. Therefore, the first rotating connector 80b can maintain the electrical connection between the first negative electrode power line 76 and the second negative electrode power line 79 while the second negative electrode power line 79 rotates together with the first rotating terminal 82b. ..

The third positive electrode power line 83 and the third negative electrode power line 84 are electrically connected to the second positive electrode power line 78 and the second negative electrode power line 79, respectively, via two second rotating connectors 90a and 90b. That is, the third positive electrode power line 83 is connected to the second positive electrode power line 78 via the one second rotating connector 90a, and the third negative electrode power line 84 is connected to the second positive electrode power line 84 via the other second rotating connector 90b. It is connected to the negative electrode power line 79.

The two second rotary connectors 90a and 90b are arranged in the two second connecting shafts 64 of the gimbal mechanism 36, respectively, and are arranged coaxially with the two second connecting shafts 64. On the other hand, the second rotary connector 90a includes a second static terminal 91a connected to the second positive electrode power line 78 and a second rotary terminal 92a in contact with the second static terminal 91a. The other second rotary connector 90b includes a second static terminal 91b connected to the second negative electrode power line 79 and a second rotary terminal 92b in contact with the second static terminal 91b. In the present embodiment, the second rotating terminals 92a and 92b have a ring shape, and the second stationary terminals 91a and 91b are composed of metal brushes that come into contact with the second rotating terminals 92a and 92b. The two second rotating terminals 92a and 92b are connected to the third positive electrode power line 83 and the third negative electrode power line 84, respectively. A slip ring can be used for the second rotary connectors 90a and 90b.

When the second rotating terminal 92a is rotating about its axis, the second stationary terminal 91a remains relatively stationary with respect to the second rotating terminal 92a and is in contact with the second rotating terminal 92a. Maintained. Therefore, the second rotating connector 90a can maintain the electrical connection between the second positive electrode power line 78 and the third positive electrode power line 83 while the third positive electrode power line 83 rotates together with the second rotating terminal 92a. .. Similarly, when the second rotating terminal 92b is rotating about its axis, the second stationary terminal 91b remains relatively stationary with respect to the second rotating terminal 92b and comes into contact with the second rotating terminal 92b. It is maintained in the same state. Therefore, the second rotating connector 50b can maintain the electrical connection between the second negative electrode power line 79 and the third negative electrode power line 84 while the third negative electrode power line 84 rotates together with the second rotating terminal 92b. ..

In this way, the positive wire 5a and the negative wire 5b of the power cable 5 are connected to the first positive positive power line 75 and the first negative negative power line 76, respectively, and the first positive positive power line 75 and the first negative negative power line 76 are connected to each other. The second positive electrode power line 78 and the second negative electrode power line 79 are connected to the second positive electrode power line 78 and the second negative electrode power line 79 via the two first rotary connectors 80a and 80b, respectively, and the second positive electrode power line 78 and the second negative electrode power line 79 are two second. The third positive positive power line 83 and the third negative negative power line 84 are connected to each other via the rotary connectors 90a and 90b, and the third positive positive power line 83 and the third negative negative power line 84 are connected to the drone main body 35.

According to the present embodiment, the first rotary connectors 80a and 80b and the second rotary connectors 90a and 90b enable power transmission in the gimbal mechanism 36 without interfering with the operation of the gimbal mechanism 36. Since power is supplied to the drone body 35 from the battery 54 arranged in the machine room 20 via the machine room cable 2, the universal joint 10, the power cable 5, and the gimbal mechanism 36, the drone 1 mounts the battery. It is not necessary to do so, and the drone 1 itself can be made compact.

As shown in FIG. 7, the power cable 5 may be connected to the first support structure 45 via the third rotation connector 95. The third rotary connector 95 is fixed to the first support structure 45 of the gimbal mechanism 36. The third rotary connector 95 is a device capable of transmitting electric power while allowing the first support structure 45 to rotate with respect to the power cable 5. A slip ring can be used for such a third rotation connector 95.

As shown in FIG. 8, the first positive power line 75 and the first negative power line 76 are electrically connected to the positive wire 5a and the negative wire 5b of the power cable 5 via the third rotation connector 95, respectively. .. The third rotary connector 95 has two third static terminals 96 connected to the positive electrode wire 5a and the negative electrode wire 5b of the power cable 5, respectively, and two third static terminals 96 that are in contact with each of the two third static terminals 96. It is equipped with a rotating terminal 97. In the present embodiment, the third rotating terminal 97 has a ring shape, and the third stationary terminal 96 is composed of a metal brush in contact with the third rotating terminal 97, respectively. The two third rotation terminals 97 are connected to the first positive electrode power line 75 and the first negative electrode power line 76, respectively.

When the third rotating terminal 97 rotates about its axis, the third stationary terminal 96 remains relatively stationary with respect to the third rotating terminal 97 and is in contact with the third rotating terminal 97. Maintained. Therefore, in the third rotating connector 95, the first positive positive power line 75 and the first negative negative power line 76 rotate together with the third rotating terminal 97, and the positive electric wire 5a of the power cable 5 and the first positive positive power line 75 are connected to electricity. It is possible to maintain a target connection and an electrical connection between the negative wire 5b of the power cable 5 and the first negative power line 76. According to the present embodiment, the twisting of the power cable 5 with respect to the gimbal mechanism 36 is prevented, and the degree of freedom in the posture of the drone 1 is further increased.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the hydrogen transfer device 100 that has flown above the small-scale storage facility 300 lands on the small-scale storage facility 300. As shown in FIG. 9, the hydrogen transfer device 100 that has flown above the small-scale storage facility 300 stands by above the small-scale storage facility 300. At this time, the drone 1 operates so as to pull up the towed portion 101 in the vertical direction so that the towed portion 101 does not fall to the ground. More specifically, the drone 1 moves to a position where the power cable 5 connected to the drone 1 extends in the vertical direction, and supports the traction portion 101 via the power cable 5. As a result, the vertical position of the traction portion 101 as seen from the ground is maintained. Next, the control unit 53 arranged in the machine room 20 controls the operation of the drone 1 so that the traction unit 101 slowly descends to the ground. As described above, the hydrogen is filled in the gas bag 8 so that the buoyancy of the hydrogen is equal to or slightly smaller than the total weight of the traction portion 101, so that the operation of each drone 1 can be controlled by the traction portion 101. Slowly lowering the traction section 101 to the ground (ie, the small storage facility 300) simply by controlling the posture (ie, the tilt of the traction section 101) and the horizontal position of the traction section 101. Can be done.

After the hydrogen transfer device 100 descends to the small-scale storage facility 300, hydrogen is released from the gas bag 8 and stored in the small-scale storage facility 300. As a result, the transfer of hydrogen from the large-scale storage facility 200 to the small-scale storage facility 300 is completed. The hydrogen-released gas bag 8 is folded and returned to the large storage facility 200 by means of delivery (eg, trucks, freight trains, ships, etc.). The drone 1, machine room 20, base 9, and connectors 38, 39 may be returned to the large storage facility 200 by means of delivery, or the drone 1 may be flown and automatically returned to the large storage facility 200. You may.

When the hydrogen transfer device 100 has a plurality of gas bags 8, as shown in FIG. 10, hydrogen filled in a part of the gas bags (for example, the gas bag 8b) is stored in the small-scale storage facility 300. Then, the hydrogen transfer device 100 having the remaining gas bags (for example, gas bags 8a, 8c) may be moved to another small-scale storage facility 300'. In this case, a part of the base ballast 51 and / or the machine room ballast 65 corresponding to the buoyancy of the hydrogen filled in the gas bag 8b is removed from the hydrogen transfer device 100. The removed base ballast 51 and / or machine room ballast 65, along with the gas bag 8b, is returned to the large storage facility 200 by delivery.

According to the hydrogen transfer device 100 according to the present embodiment, the drone 1 which is an unmanned mobile body fills the gas bag 8 in the large-scale storage facility 200 with the hydrogen filled in the gas bag 8 along the small-scale storage facility 300 or the small-scale storage facility 300 or Automatically transport to medium-sized storage facility. The hydrogen transfer device 100 can fly along the flight path stored in the storage unit of the control unit 53 mounted in the machine room 20. Therefore, it is not necessary to secure personnel involved in the transportation (for example, a trailer driver), and hydrogen can be transported in the shortest distance from the large-scale storage facility 200 to the small-scale storage facility 300. As a result, hydrogen can be transported at low cost.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the movement route of the hydrogen transfer device 100 can be set to avoid densely populated areas such as mountainous areas 400 (and / or at sea). Further, hydrogen is filled in the gas bag 8 so that the buoyancy of the hydrogen is the same as or slightly smaller than the total weight of the traction portion 101. Therefore, even if a failure occurs in the drone 1 or the storage capacity of the battery 54 drops to the extent that the flight of the drone 1 cannot be maintained, the hydrogen transfer device 100 slowly falls to the ground, so that the hydrogen transfer device 100 The risk of human damage caused by the fall of the car can be minimized.

11 (a) is a schematic view showing a hydrogen transfer device 100 according to another embodiment, and FIG. 11 (b) schematically shows a machine room 20 of the hydrogen transfer device 100 shown in FIG. 11 (a). It is a plan view which shows. Since the configuration of the present embodiment, which is not particularly described, is the same as that of the above-described embodiment, the duplicated description thereof will be omitted. In FIG. 11B, the gas bag 8 is drawn by a virtual line (two-dot chain line).

In the hydrogen transfer device 100 shown in FIG. 11A, the machine room 20 is directly connected to the gas bag 8. More specifically, the hydrogen transfer device 100 does not have the base 9, and the machine room 20 is gas via a machine room connector (for example, a wire) 39 extending from the upper surface of the machine room 20. It is connected to the lower surface of the bag 8. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the towing portion 101 towed by the drone 1 is composed of a gas bag 8, a machine room connector 39, and a machine room 20.

Although not shown, the machine room 20 may be directly connected to the lower surface (or upper surface) of the gas bag 8. In this case, the machine room connector 39 is further omitted, and the traction portion 101 is composed of only the gas bag 8 and the machine room 20.

The machine room 20 houses the control unit 53, the battery 54, the transmission / reception unit 55, and the machine room ballast 65 described above. An arm 67 extends from the side surface of the machine room 20, and a power cable 5 for supplying electric power to the drone 1 is connected to the tip of the arm 67. In the illustrated example, the power cable 5 is connected to the arm 67 via the universal joint 10 described above, and the machine room cable 2 extending from the battery 54 arranged in the machine room 20 is connected to the universal joint 10. .. The configuration of the drone 1 has the same configuration as the drone 1 described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8.

The hydrogen-filled gas bag 8 preferably has a structure that generates lift in the gas bag 8 when the traction portion 101 is towed by the drone 1. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 11A, the cross section of the gas bag 8 has a substantially teardrop shape similar to the airfoil of an airplane described with reference to FIG. 3B. More specifically, the hydrogen-filled gas bag 8 has a leading edge portion having a rounded cross-sectional shape and a trailing edge portion having a sharply pointed cross-sectional shape, and a predetermined intermediate portion from the leading edge portion. The cross-sectional area to the point gradually increases, and the cross-sectional area from the predetermined intermediate point to the trailing edge gradually decreases. At the midpoint, the width of the gas bag 8 in the vertical direction becomes maximum. Lift is generated when the drone 1 pulls the towing portion 101 in the gas bag 8 having such an airfoil-shaped cross-sectional shape. As a result, the traction force borne by each drone 1 for flying the traction portion 101 can be reduced.

Also in this embodiment, the machine room 20 may have a substantially teardrop shape similar to the airfoil of an airplane described with reference to FIG. 3 (b), with reference to FIG. May have the wing portion 20e described above. As a result, the traction force borne by each drone 1 for flying the traction portion 101 can be reduced.

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing how the hydrogen transfer device 100 shown in FIG. 11A lands on the small-scale storage facility 300. As shown in FIG. 12, the hydrogen transfer device 100 that has flown above the small-scale storage facility 300 stands by above the small-scale storage facility 300. At this time, the drone 1 operates so as to pull up the towed portion 101 in the vertical direction so that the towed portion 101 does not fall to the ground. More specifically, the drone 1 moves to a position where the power cable 5 connected to the drone 1 extends in the vertical direction, and supports the traction portion 101 via the power cable 5. As a result, the vertical position of the traction portion 101 as seen from the ground is maintained. At this time, in order to prevent the power cable 5 from colliding with the gas bag 8, the arm 67 extending from the side surface of the machine room 20 has an outer edge (two-dot chain line) of the gas bag 8 filled with hydrogen (the virtual line (two-dot chain line) of FIG. 11B). )) Protruding outward.

Next, the control unit 53 arranged in the machine room 20 controls the operation of the drone 1 so that the traction unit 101 slowly descends to the ground. As described above, the hydrogen is filled in the gas bag 8 so that the buoyancy of the hydrogen is equal to or slightly smaller than the total weight of the traction portion 101, so that the drone 1 is placed in the horizontal direction of the traction portion 101. The traction section 101 can be slowly lowered to the ground (ie, the small storage facility 300) simply by controlling the posture to be maintained.

After the hydrogen transfer device 100 descends to the small-scale storage facility 300, the hydrogen filled in the gas bag 8 is released and stored in the small-scale storage facility 300. As a result, the transfer of hydrogen from the large-scale storage facility 200 to the small-scale storage facility 300 is completed. The hydrogen-released gas bag 8 is folded and returned to the large storage facility 200 by means of delivery (eg, trucks, freight trains, ships, etc.). The drone 1, the machine room 20, and the machine room connector 39 may be returned to the large-scale storage facility 200 by means of transportation, or the drone 1 may be flown and automatically returned to the large-scale storage facility 200. ..

The above-described embodiments have been described for the purpose of allowing a person having ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention belongs to carry out the present invention. Various modifications of the above embodiment can be naturally made by those skilled in the art, and the technical idea of the present invention can be applied to other embodiments. Accordingly, the invention is not limited to the described embodiments, but is to be construed in the broadest range according to the technical ideas defined by the claims.

1 Drone 2 Machine room cable 5 Power cable 8 Gas bag 9 Base 10 Universal joint 20 Machine room 35 Drone body 36 Gimbal mechanism 38 Bag connector 39 Machine room connector 45 Machine room connector 45 1st support structure 46 2nd support structure 53 Control unit 54 Battery 55 Transmission / reception part 63 1st connection shaft 64 2nd connection shaft 100 Hydrogen transfer device 101 Tow part 200 Large-scale storage facility 300 Small-scale storage facility

Claims (10)

With at least one gas bag filled with hydrogen,
With at least one drone,
A machine room in which a battery that supplies electric power to the drone and a control unit that controls the operation of the drone are arranged.
A power cable that extends from the machine room to the drone to power the drone.
The drone is connected to a traction portion including at least the gas bag and the machine room via the power cable.
The control unit is characterized in that the operation of the drone is controlled so that the traction unit moves along a predetermined flight path from a large-scale storage facility for hydrogen to a small-scale storage facility or a medium-scale storage facility. Hydrogen transfer device. The hydrogen according to claim 1, wherein the capacity of the gas bag is set so that the buoyancy of the hydrogen filled in the gas bag is set to be the same as or slightly smaller than the total weight of the traction portion. Transport device. The hydrogen transfer device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the machine room has a shape in which lift is generated in the machine room when the traction portion is towed by the drone. The hydrogen transfer device according to claim 3, wherein the machine room has a cross-sectional shape that is substantially a teardrop shape. The invention according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the gas bag has a shape in which lift is generated in the gas bag when the towing portion is towed by the drone. Hydrogen transfer device. The hydrogen transfer device according to claim 5, wherein the gas bag has a cross-sectional shape that is substantially in the shape of a teardrop. Arms extending from both sides of the machine room and
A universal joint connected to the tip of the arm and connected to the power cable,
Further comprising a machine room cable extending from the battery through the arm to the universal joint.
The hydrogen according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the universal joint has a rotary connector inside which is electrically connected to both the power cable and the machine room cable. Transport device. The drone
With the drone body,
A gimbal mechanism having a connecting shaft connected to the drone body and rotatably supporting the drone body around the connecting shaft, and a gimbal mechanism connected to the power cable.
A power line extending from the power cable through the gimbal mechanism to the drone,
The hydrogen transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a rotary connector electrically connected to the power line and arranged coaxially with the connecting shaft. A method for transporting hydrogen, which comprises transporting hydrogen from a large-scale storage facility to a small-scale storage facility or a medium-scale storage facility by flying the hydrogen transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 8. The hydrogen transfer device has a plurality of gas bags filled with hydrogen, and has a plurality of gas bags.
Hydrogen filled in some of the gas bags among the plurality of gas bags is transported from the large-scale storage facility to the small-scale storage facility or the medium-scale storage facility.
The hydrogen transfer method according to claim 9, wherein the hydrogen filled in the remaining gas bag is transferred to another small-scale storage facility or a medium-scale storage facility.

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