RU200915U1 - HYBRID AIRCRAFT - Google Patents

Abstract

The utility model relates to air vehicles, mainly to airships, ballasting of which is carried out by compressing gases lighter than air, as well as heating and cooling air and gases lighter than air. This separation of ballasting allows the airships to be operated, if necessary, without cargo; to carry out gas distribution during the flight, excluding ballasting by cargo; improve the aerodynamic quality of the wing system by reducing drag. The hybrid airship is a solid rectangular aerodynamic wing with a rigid body, the frame of which is formed by a set of hollow elements that serve as high-pressure containers for light gases. Volumetric shells are placed one above the other inside the rigid wing body over its entire area. The wing surface is equipped with a third soft inflatable shell adjoining along the perimeter in plan to the upper plane of the wing, with the possibility of filling it with heated air from the rotary propulsion system through vertical tubular channels. The third soft shell repeats the configuration of the aerodynamic shape of the upper plane of the wing, with the possibility of changing the relative thickness of its general profile. Capoted engines of the propulsion system are mounted with the possibility of changing the direction of thrust by turning around a horizontal transverse axis. 3 ill.

Description

The utility model relates to air vehicles, mainly airships, during the movement of which the aerostatic component of the lift is controlled by compressing gases lighter than air, as well as heating and cooling air and gases lighter than air.

At present, one of the main problems in the development of transport aeronautics in the world is the relatively low speed of movement compared to other types of air transport and the complexity of regulating the aerostatic lift, especially during landing and takeoff.

Due to the relatively large specific volume of airship hulls, their speed and, accordingly, the power of propulsion systems, in comparison with modern air transport with speeds of 600-900 km / h, with approximately comparable power plant powers, carrying capacity and flight range cannot to exceed 180-200 km / h, otherwise, with a further increase in the specific power of the power plant, the profitability of their use drops sharply. To prove this statement, below is a "Comparative calculation of the efficiency of air transport and the declared hybrid airship", while in the descriptions of existing patents of inventions and utility models, calculations of the optimal speed are not provided, which is cost-effective in three main parameters: carrying capacity, flight range and power of the propulsion system.

Another disadvantage that hinders the spread of this type of transport is, due to the peculiarity of using gases lighter than air as a vertical lifting force, the need to balance it by reducing or increasing the volumes of gases, as well as heating or cooling them, or by using ballast, anchor devices, or the use of propulsion systems (complexes) with vertical thrust.

From the prior art, aircraft and aerostatic vehicles are known, where the lifting force, in addition to that created by light gases in the wing or toroidal shell, is also created by propulsion systems with vertical thrust (RU 2385257 C1, publ. 03/27/2010, RU 2092381 C1, publ. 10.10 .1997). However, in this case, the known propulsion systems either must be used only during takeoff and landing, and in flight are ballast, or they create additional lifting force during the flight in addition to thrust, which complicates the overall design and increases fuel consumption.

There are also projects for using the so-called "thermal control" with hot air as a lifting force control, in which an airship of a conventional spindle-shaped shape is able to move apart along a horizontal section and an additional shell is inflated with hot gas in this space (RU 107765 U1, publ. 03.24.2011, RU 2249536 C1, publ. 10.04.2005). At the same time, the drag of the apparatus increases during the flight, which requires additional power of the power plant and fuel, and the design of the apparatus itself becomes much more complicated.

A useful model of a hybrid airship is known (RU 65466 U1, publ. 08/10/2007), in which, in addition to creating and regulating the lifting force of the vertical thrust propulsion systems in the wing shells, it is created by several soft shells installed as the cargo being transported becomes heavier. along the central longitudinal axis of the apparatus. The well-known hybrid airship can be taken as the closest analogue of the claimed utility model (prototype) in terms of the greatest number of identical essential features.

The disadvantage of the prototype is that the horizontal flight and vertical lift of the airship are provided by different engines, which complicates the design of the propulsion system, and due to the placement of vertical thrust engines in the central part of the wing, the aerodynamic properties of the wing deteriorate, while the drag increases. In addition, as fuel is consumed during the flight, it becomes necessary to ballast the airship, which will require the presence of high-pressure containers, their correct placement in the airship to ensure flight aerodynamics, which also complicates the design of the prototype.

The task of the utility model is to create a design of the airship that would make it possible to ballast it by reducing the volume of light gases, which create a lifting force that compensates for the fuel supply as it is consumed, by compressive compression and pumping a rigid body shell into the tanks, and compensating the weight of the cargo produce a separate soft shell, by filling it with hot air from propulsion systems.

This separation of ballasting allows the airships to be operated, if necessary, without cargo; to carry out gas distribution during the flight, excluding ballasting by cargo; optimize the control of aerostatic lift by increasing or decreasing the flight speed; improve the aerodynamic quality of the wing system by reducing the frontal resistance, which in general will improve the efficiency of airship operation as a specific type of air transport.

The task can be realized, and its technical result can be achieved by means of a specific technical solution of the claimed hybrid airship containing a propulsion system, a wing surface equipped with control elements with the main gas volumetric shells, a pilot cabin, an overhead cargo cabin, characterized in that

- the propulsion system includes under the wing in pairs and symmetrically to each other with respect to both its vertical longitudinal plane and the vertical transverse plane passing through the aerodynamic focus of the airship, hood engines with twin counter-rotating propellers mounted with the possibility of changing the thrust direction by turning around horizontal transverse axis (which makes it possible to more efficiently supply warm air to the upper soft shell, use both lifting and traction motors to create an air cushion under the body of the vehicle when starting from water or land, or when flying in screen mode, as well as producing heating the gases of the shells of the rigid body through its lower surface when stationary or in flight mode);

- the wing surface is made in the form of a solid rectangular aerodynamic wing with a rigid body based on a frame formed by a transverse and longitudinal set, partially including hollow elements (which makes it possible to dispense with the use of high-pressure containers for light gases as a separate part of the airship equipment, and instead of the latter use hollow elements of the frame set, mainly of tubular or oval section);

- the rectangular wing is bounded at the edges by volumetric end washers adjoining its lower plane at an angle within 1.5-5 degrees and representing the lower inflatable supporting surface of the airship, located below the propulsion system and equipped with side trims (boules) passing into aft horizontal stabilizers with winglets (end plates) and aft vertical stabilizers (which allows landing both on the ground and on water, as well as flying in ekranoplan mode, while the apparatus with boules is more resistant to lateral wind loads) ;

- the main volumetric shells, upper and lower, are placed one above the other inside the rigid wing body over its entire area with the possibility of constant filling the lower one with light gas, and the upper one with light gas with the possibility of replacing it with air (which makes it possible to compensate for the decrease in fuel weight as its expenditure in flight, excluding ballasting with special cargo);

- the upper shell of the rigid body is made with the possibility of compressing light gas, for example, by means of a compressor installation as fuel is consumed during flight and the supply of compressed light gas to the hollow elements of the rigid body frame set, with simultaneous intake of outside air into the upper shell with a volume corresponding to the volume of the removed compressed light gas (which eliminates the need for weight ballasting, especially in long-distance flight);

- the wing surface is equipped with a third soft inflatable shell adjoining along the perimeter in plan to the upper plane of the wing with the possibility of filling it with hot air from the rotary propulsion system through vertical tubular channels located in the shells of the rigid wing body, and the third soft shell repeats the general configuration of the aerodynamic the shape of the upper plane of the wing with the ability to change the relative thickness of the profile "C" both in the direction of increasing the total thickness of the profile, and in the direction of decreasing it, up to adherence to the rigid body (which allows, as the airship rises and accelerates, to release air from the upper soft shell by decreasing drag with an increase in the aerodynamic quality of the wing system and with a corresponding decrease in aerostatic lift, increase the flight speed of the hybrid airship);

- the volumes of all three shells are made with the possibility of creating an aerostatic lifting force equal, respectively, to the lower one in the rigid body - to the dry weight of the airship with the crew and equipment (which allows storage and repair of the airship without additional anchoring devices and winches with manual movement); the upper one in the rigid case - the weight of the fuel required for the maximum flight range without refueling on the ground (which eliminates additional balancing in flight); soft inflatable - the maximum possible weight of the transported cargo (which allows using the aerodynamic properties of the wing to reduce the total aerostatic lift during flight, as the speed increases, while carrying out vertical movements).

Comparative analysis of the essential features of the claimed utility model in comparison with its analogues indicates that the prior art as of the date of filing the application does not know and does not explicitly follow a device of the same purpose as the declared utility model, in which the entire set of items given in paragraphs would be applied. the formula and the essential features disclosed in the description.

At the same time, the proposed set of essential features ensures the emergence of new properties in the claimed utility model, which make it possible to implement the set task, which means its compliance with the "novelty" criterion.

In general, the design of the claimed utility model is easy to manufacture, therefore its production does not present any technical difficulties, which indicates that the utility model also complies with the criterion "industrial applicability".

The claimed utility model is illustrated with drawings, which schematically show:

- in Fig. 1 - design of a hybrid airship, front view;

- in Fig. 2 is a side view;

- in Fig. 3 - top view;

The claimed utility model of a hybrid airship (Figs. 1-3) is a solid rectangular wing 12 of aerodynamic shape with a rigid body 3, having a horizontal 5 and vertical with an inclination 11 tail, which compensate for the center of gravity and aerodynamic focus in the first third of its chord length. The rigid body 3 is a frame formed by a transverse and longitudinal set (not conventionally shown in the figures), including hollow elements, mainly of tubular or oval cross-section, which, in addition to providing the overall rigidity of the frame, serve as high-pressure containers for light gases. The aerodynamic wing 12 contains longitudinal stiffening elements 15 that compensate for loads from the weight of the transported cargo and fuel reserves. A pilot's cabin 8 is mounted in the bow of the wing 12.

The main volumetric shells, the lower 4, adapted for constant filling with a light gas (a gas lighter than air, mainly helium), and the upper 16, adapted for filling with a light gas with the possibility of replacing it with air, are placed one above the other inside the rigid body 3 of the wing 12 throughout its area.

The upper shell 16 of the rigid body 3 of the wing 12 is made with the possibility of compressing light gas, for example, by a compressor unit (not conventionally shown in the figures), as fuel is consumed during flight, and the supply of compressed light gas to the hollow elements of the rigid body frame set (in the figures conventionally not shown), performing the functions of high-pressure tanks, with simultaneous injection of outside air into the upper shell 16 with a volume corresponding to the volume of the remote compressed light gas.

The wing surface is equipped with a third soft inflatable shell 7 made of an elastic, heat-resistant material at the points of contact with hot air, adjacent along the perimeter in plan to the upper plane of the wing 12, with the possibility of filling it with air heated to a temperature of 100-140 degrees Celsius, from the rotary motor- propulsion unit through vertical tubular channels 10 located in the shells of the rigid body 3 of the wing 12. The third soft shell 16 by means of devices of a special supply system, when filled with outboard air, repeats the configuration of the aerodynamic shape of the upper plane of the wing 12, with the possibility of changing the relative thickness of the overall profile " C "both in the direction of increasing the overall thickness of the profile, and in the direction of decreasing, up to adjoining the rigid body 3. In this case, the above-mentioned variable configuration of the soft shell 16 is formed by a system of retractable tape slings (not shown in the figures), covering the perimeter in terms of a rigid body 3 wings 12.

The aerodynamic shape of the wing 12 is designed for a profile with a relative thickness "C" equal to 0.04-0.05 on a wing with a rigid body 3 during unladen flight, with an increase in "C" to 0.16-0.2 during cargo transportation. At the same time, due to the increase in aerodynamic quality at a speed of approximately 50 m / s (180 km / h), according to preliminary calculations, it is sufficient to fill two shells of a rigid body with a light gas with a total "C" equal to 0.08.

The volumes of all three shells 4.16 and 7 are made with the possibility of creating an aerostatic lifting force equal, respectively, to the lower 4 in the rigid body - the dry weight of the airship with crew and equipment (which allows storage and repair of the airship without additional anchors and winches with manual movement ); top 16 in a rigid case - the weight of the fuel required for maximum flight range without refueling on the ground (which allows to exclude additional balancing in flight); soft inflatable 7 - the maximum possible weight of the transported cargo (which allows using the aerodynamic properties of the wing to reduce the total aerostatic lift during flight, as the speed increases, while carrying out vertical movements).

As you take off in a vertical or inclined position and speed up to cruising, you can bleed air from the soft shell 7 until it adjoins the upper plane of the wing surface. In this case, due to the vertical component of the aerodynamic forces acting on the wing 12, the airship will be able to continue its horizontal flight. This method of movement can significantly reduce the drag of the airship and increase its aerodynamic quality. After reaching the final destination of the flight, as the speed decreases and hovers over the landing site, the compressed light gas fills the shell 16 of the rigid body 3, compensating for the vertical component of the aerodynamic lift. If its volume is not enough, hot air is supplied to the soft shell 7. During loading, the soft shell 7 is filled with hot air until the airship is lifted off the surface.

When flying over relatively flat surfaces or water areas, one of the flight options may be flying over them at low altitudes using the ground effect, which also increases the aerodynamic quality of the vehicle.

Therefore, the rectangular wing is limited at the edges by volumetric vertical end washers 2, adjacent to its lower plane at an angle within 1.5 -5 degrees and representing the lower inflatable supporting surface of the airship, located below the propulsion system, in the case of landing on water, and equipped with side triangular in cross-section pads 11 (boules), to compensate for wind loads in flight, turning into aft horizontal stabilizers 13 of a truncated triangular shape with ailerons for turning the airship in flight and winglets 1 (end washers) and aft vertical stabilizers. The wing in the aft part is equipped with a folding flap (not conventionally shown in the figures), designed to create an air cushion when starting from the water with a small takeoff run.

The propulsion system includes under the wing in pairs and symmetrically to each other relative to both its vertical longitudinal plane and the vertical transverse plane passing through the aerodynamic focus of the airship, bonded engines 6 with twin counter-rotating propellers, for example, turboprop fans mounted with the ability to change direction traction by turning around a horizontal transverse axis.

Engines 6 can be used in three versions: rotary with horizontal axes of rotation on the outer parts of the screw nozzles-hoods, with attachments of rotary nozzles, with special horizontal stabilizers that deflect the jet of reactive gases to the lower plane of the wing surface. In addition to using these engines for pumping hot air into a soft shell, they are used as lifting at the start, as traction during flight, as well as to create an air cushion when starting from water or a flat earth surface.

The hybrid airship is equipped along the central longitudinal axis with a suspended cargo platform 9 with an area that is a multiple of the area of the sea cargo container, the lower part of which is flush with the lower wing surface. It can descend to a height below the airship hovering above the surface, while the cargo platform 9 must be equipped with an anchoring device.

Cargo operations can be carried out both with a full landing of the airship, which rests on the end washers 2 and retractable supports mounted in the device 14 for turning the hood engines 6, and from a height of up to several tens of meters, lowering and raising the cargo platform 9 with cable or other lifting devices that are made in conditions of landing on rough terrain.

The working cycle of a hybrid airship as a cargo ship consists of the following operations:

1. Upon arrival at the place of loading, the airship lowers the cargo platform 9, onto which the loading is performed. At the beginning of this operation, the canopy engines 6 are rotated to a vertical position and the soft shell 7 is filled with hot air from the engines until the total lifting force is equal to the takeoff weight (the weight of the cargo and the weight of the empty airship). After that, the engines 6 turn to a horizontal position and raise the airship to a horizontal flight height, adjustable by the rotary wing flaps and the aft horizontal tail flaps 13. As the altitude climbs and the flight speed increases, which increases the vertical lift of the airship wing, the air in the upper soft shell 7 cools down, it is pulled down to the rigid body, and then to the shell 16, which significantly reduces the airship drag and increases the horizontal speed. To adjust the takeoff weight when switching to cruising (operating) flight speed, it is possible to bleed off excess warm air through a special valve supply system (not shown in the figures).

2. For a certain time before arriving at the destination, first part of the engines 6, and then all, turn to a vertical position and begin to pump hot air into the shells 16 and 7. At the same time, the speed of the airship decreases, respectively, its own lifting force, as an apparatus is lighter than air, increases until it reaches take-off weight. The airship hovers over the place of unloading and lowers the load on platform 9, which simultaneously serves as an anchor device. During unloading, part of the warm air can be vented if the airship flies further empty.

Preliminary calculation of two variants of a hybrid airship.

Option A.

Designed to supply remote settlements, small mines, trading posts, extinguish minor fires, rescue operations, transport oversized cargo (24 × 6 × 3) m weighing up to 30 tons at a distance of 3000.0 km

1. The length of the apparatus is 120.0 m.

2. The width of the main wing is 80.0 m.

3. Width with horizontal stabilizers - 140.0 m.

4. Overall height - 20.0 m.

5.Maximum thickness of rigid main wing - 8.6 m

6. The maximum thickness of a wing fully filled with helium and air is 19.0 m

7. The lifting force of the shell with helium is 32500.0 kg.

8. The lifting force of the lower shell with air (at T = 100.0 deg.) - 11500.0 kg.

9. The lifting force of the upper shell with air is 18800.0 kg.

10. Maximum allowable air temperature (during takeoff) - 120.0 degrees.

11. Power plant capacity - 4 × 2550.0 kW

12. Cruising speed - 180.0 km / h,

13. Flight altitude - 12.0-1500.0 m.

14. Dry weight of the airship fully equipped for the flight (with fuel). - 32000.0 kg.

15. Weight of transported cargo - 31000.0 kg.

16. Flight range - 3000.0 km.

17. Autonomy. - 36.0 hours

The calculation of the airship drag at a flight speed of 50 m / s is made according to the formula F = Cx × PV / 2 × S

F = 0.008 × 1.29 × 2500/2 × 8 × 100 = 10250.0 kgf.

The airship lifting force is calculated according to the formula

F = Su × PV / 2 × S

F = 0.2 × 1.29 × 2500/2 × 120 × 100 = 3127000.0 kg.

The calculation of the lift force of the airship, as a wing system, was made on the basis of a typical formula and a Cx / Cy diagram with a relative wing thickening c = 0.08 and an angle of attack of 1.5 degrees and does not take into account its low aspect ratio, which most likely reduces its accuracy The required accuracy should be determined based on model tests in a wind tunnel. However, the calculation allows, taking into account the tenfold excess of the preset weight characteristic of the transported cargo, to vary the power of the power plant, cruising speed and, accordingly, the flight range, taking into account the possibility of reducing the "c" characteristic to 0.04-0.03 with a corresponding decrease in the airship drag. The author believes that a twofold decrease in the power of the propeller-driven installation is possible with an increase in speed up to 200-240 km / h. It is possible to vary the lift of the airship, as a wing system, by reducing the angle of attack, down to a minus value, which will not affect flight safety.

Option B.

Designed for supplying large settlements, large enterprises, construction sites, mines, mining enterprises, gas and oil fields, extinguishing large fires, rescue operations, moving and mounting bulky cargo (120 × 12 × 9) weighing up to 200.0 tons at a distance of up to 6000 0, km.

1. The length of the apparatus is 240.0 m.

2. Width of the main wing - 180.0 m

3. Width with horizontal aft stabilizers - 360.0 m

4. Overall height - 36.0 m

5. Maximum thickness of the rigid main wing - 16.0 m

6. The maximum thickness of a wing fully filled with helium and compressed air is 32.0 m

7. The lifting force of the shell with helium - 205000.0 kg

8. The lifting force of the bottom shell with hot air - 77000.0 kg (t - 100 deg.)

9. The lifting force of the upper shell with hot air is 124000.0 kg.

10. The maximum allowable hot air temperature - 120.0 degrees, air during takeoff.

11. Power of the power plant. - 6x 7750.0kw.

12. Cruising speed - 180.0 km / h

13. Flight altitude - 24-1500 m.

14. The dry weight of a fully equipped airship is 200,000 kg.

15 The maximum weight of the transported cargo is 200,000.0 kg.

16. Flight range - 6000.0 km.

17. Autonomy - 48.0 hours

Calculation of the airship drag at a speed of 180.0 km / h

F = 0.01 × 1.29 × 1250 × 16 × 180 = 46440 kg.

Calculation of the airship lift at a speed of 180.0 km / h.

F = 0.1 × 1.29 × 1250 × 240 × 180 = 6966000.0 kg.

Similarly to option A, the calculation should be adjusted according to the results

model testing. At the same time, the proposed design of the apparatus and the movement scheme, according to the author, are deliberately workable. In principle, it is possible, in the course of flight, taking into account the decrease in the relative thickness "c" to 0.025-0.03, to reduce its drag by almost three times. This will approximately increase the speed to 200-240 km / h and reduce the power of the power plant by 30-40 percent.

Comparative calculation of the efficiency of transportation by air transport and the declared hybrid airship.

The calculation is made for Option A with the AN-12 aircraft with approximately the same take-off weight, while the weight of the transported cargo for the An-12 is one and a half times lower than -20 tons (with a flight range of 3000 km)

For option B, the AN-124 aircraft is compared with a maximum take-off weight of 405 tons, with a carrying capacity of 120 tons (150), while the maximum weight of the cargo of the same take-off weight carried by the airship is 40 percent higher.

A comparative calculation for the maximum possible flight range is made for the transportation of a certain amount of cargo to one point in terms of fuel consumption, as the most significant component of total costs, as well as in the time required for transportation.

The author does not have data on the costs of transportation to remote points that do not have airports in comparison with other modes of transport, but he believes that a comparative calculation with helicopter transport is possible. At the same time, for airships, it is assumed that the latest generation of NKVDs are used, similar to the D-27 or modified NK-93 with a specific fuel consumption of 0.125 kg / kW. hour

Option A.

Conclusion: In terms of fuel costs, transportation by airships, option A, for a distance of up to 3000 km is comparable to airplanes with twice the transportation time. At the same time, there is no need for airports and flight safety is higher.

Option B.

Due to the impossibility of transporting a maximum load of 200 tons at a distance of 6,000 km for an airship of option B without refueling, it was accepted to carry 100 tons of cargo at 6,000.0 km. both vehicles.

Conclusions: In terms of fuel consumption, the cost of operating airships is about 15% lower. It takes three times more time. However, variant B airships do not require airfields, they are capable of carrying heavier and larger cargo than the largest serial transport aircraft today, and, among other things, there is the possibility of direct installation of these cargoes with their help.

The declared design of the utility model of a hybrid airship is very promising in the modern conditions of the development of air transport in the Russian Federation and can be effectively used in various sectors of the economy, for example, in the implementation of cargo transportation in connection with the development of the Russian zone of the Arctic Ocean shelf; servicing the border zone in the Far North, the Kuril Islands and the Far East coast; as part of the development of domestic and interstate logistic postal services, etc.

Claims (6)

A hybrid airship containing a propulsion system, a wing surface equipped with control elements with the main gas volumetric shells, a pilot cabin, a suspended cargo platform, characterized in that - the propulsion system includes, placed under the wing in pairs symmetrically to each other with respect to both its vertical longitudinal plane and the vertical transverse plane passing through the aerodynamic focus of the airship, bonded engines with twin counter-rotating propellers mounted with the possibility of changing the thrust direction by turning them around horizontal transverse axis, - the wing surface is made in the form of a solid rectangular aerodynamic wing with a rigid body based on a frame formed by a transverse and longitudinal set, partially including hollow elements, while the rectangular aerodynamic wing is bounded along the edges by volumetric vertical end washers adjacent to its lower plane at an angle of within 1.5-5 degrees and representing the lower inflatable supporting surface of the airship, located below the propulsion system, it is equipped with side triangular in cross-section pads - boules, turning into aft horizontal stabilizers with winglets - end washers and aft vertical stabilizers, - the main volumetric shells, upper and lower, are placed one above the other inside the rigid wing body over its entire area with the possibility of constant filling the lower one with light gas, and the upper one with light gas with the possibility of replacing it with air, while the upper shell of the rigid wing body is made with the possibility of compressing light gas, for example, by a compressor unit as fuel is consumed during the flight, and supplying compressed light gas into the hollow elements of the rigid body frame set, with simultaneous intake of outside air into the upper shell with a volume corresponding to the volume of the removed compressed light gas, - the wing surface is equipped with a third soft inflatable shell adjoining the upper plane of the wing along the perimeter in plan with the possibility of filling it with hot air from the rotary propulsion system through vertical tubular channels located in the shells of the rigid wing body, while the third soft shell repeats the general configuration aerodynamic shape of the upper plane of the wing with the possibility of changing the relative thickness of the general profile "C" towards both increasing the overall thickness of the profile and decreasing it, up to adherence to the rigid body, - in this case, the volumes of all three shells are made with the possibility of creating their aerostatic lifting force, equal, respectively, to the lower one in the rigid body - the dry weight of the airship with the crew and equipment; the top in the hard case - the weight of the fuel required for the maximum flight range without refueling on the ground; soft inflatable - the maximum possible weight of the transported cargo.

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