RU2257311C2 - Non-ballast airship of transformable aerodynamic configuration and module articulation rod construction - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: lighter-than-air flying vehicles.

SUBSTANCE: proposed airship has three-dimensional truss 1 made from composite material, insulated corrugated envelopes 2, diagonal wires 5, main reservoirs 6 with compressed helium, bypass electric valves mounted in gas ducts and control jets 7, pumps 8 for fast transfer of helium from envelopes 2 to auxiliary reservoirs 9, turbo-jet engines 10, fuel tanks 11, storage batteries 12 and pilot cabin 13. Truss 1 is assembled from articulation pyramidal modules. Envelopes 2 are secured to upper rods of truss 1 at overlap for expansion or compression along longitudinal wires 3. Framework 4 is assembled from articulation rod modules secured in upper articulations of truss 1 by means of threaded joints. Control jets 7 are secured in upper articulations of truss 1 and framework 4 by means of threaded joints. Cargo 14 is secured to lower articulations of truss 1.

EFFECT: reduced weight; low technological and operational expenses; enhanced maneuverability.

2 cl, 7 dwg

Description

The invention relates to aircraft lighter than air. The following should be mentioned as analogues of the invention: RU 2001113005, 2003.06.10. Ballistic-free airship contains insulated containers with lifting gas located on opposite sides of the transverse plane passing through the center of gravity of the hollow support beam of the box section, the dimensions of which are determined on the basis of the established standardized series of its sizes for devices of the required capacities and purposes. Each tank contains equipment for autonomous control of the lifting force. They are assembled from easily removable standardized modules in the form of cylindrical thin-walled metal containers connected on the same axis with a small gap between them using a metal tape and countersunk screws. Inside each tank, the main and emergency air cylindrical pillows are mounted, connected to the atmosphere inside the support beam through pneumatic lines and electro-pneumatic valves. The remaining space inside the tank is occupied by balls filled with helium. Pillows and balls are placed in the grid, which holds them in case of destruction of the metal module and transfers the lifting force of the balls to the support beam, to which the grid is attached. At the ends of the support beam, conical-shaped modules of the front (pulling) and rear (pushing) power units with pneumatic drives are attached to deflect the thrust vector of the screws of these units within the selected solid angle, which ensures the required maneuverability of the device. The pilot’s cockpit with instruments and control and monitoring systems is fastened to the lower shelf of the support beam in front, and the technical module with the control air compressor and the backup motor generator, as well as the pneumatic actuator for controlling the steering tank, which is fixed together with the pneumatic actuator on the rear wall of the technical module, is fastened in front. Between the last and the cockpit, functional modules are mounted to the support beam, which determine the chosen purpose of the airship, as well as its landing supports.

An essential feature of the claimed invention, which coincides with the analogue, is the use of isolated containers with autonomous lifting force control.

Among the reasons that impede the receipt of the technical result of the analogue, one can name the following: firstly, the performance of the analogue capacity does not seem optimal in terms of design, assembly / disassembly technology, operation and storage, and most importantly their weight. The use of cylindrical thin-walled containers of metal, air cushions, helium balloons and nets increases the total weight of the container. The balls themselves do not completely fill the internal volume of the container and form voids between themselves, which leads to an increase in size and, consequently, the weight of the container.

Secondly, the stiffness of the support beam of the box section will decrease with increasing size. The use of frames and stringers will lead to a significant increase in the weight of the beam.

Thirdly, the location of power units at the ends of the support beam will lead to a decrease in the maneuverability of the airship, and deviations of the thrust vector of the propellers of these units will not always be able to compensate for the influence of the side wind when the airship is very windy. Conical modules for mounting the front and rear power units, as well as pneumatic drives for deflecting the thrust vector of the screws, only increase the weight of the airship.

Fourth, the efficiency of the front power unit will be significantly reduced due to the resistance to air flow from its propeller of the support beam, the front capacity, the functional module that determines the chosen purpose of the airship, and the landing support, the dimensions and weight of which will increase with increasing diameter of the screw and dimensions function module. At the same time, the strength of the support will fall, which can lead to an increase in the number of accidents when landing an airship.

Fifthly, the search for a manufacturer willing to accept the development, production and maintenance of a limited number of large power units is problematic. The capacity of existing power units may not be enough to transport bulky and heavy loads. Changing the layout for existing power units will lead to an increase in the weight of the airship.

RU 2001104560, 2003.04.10. A method of controlling the lifting force of an airship by pumping or pumping air, characterized in that the same mass of carrier gas is pumped from the main gas reservoir to control the lifting force, compressing it in an internal smaller volume of the gas reservoir to reduce the lifting force, or the carrier gas is recompressed back from the internal gas tanks to the main gas tank to increase the lift of the airship, aerostat.

An essential feature of the claimed invention, which coincides with the analogue, is a method of controlling the lift of the airship by pumping carrier gas from the shells to auxiliary tanks and vice versa.

RU 99105218, 2001.02.10. Ballastless airship containing a main chamber of constant volume filled with carrier gas, an additional chamber of variable volume communicating with it, connected with its upper part to the lower part of the main chamber, a device for changing the volume of the additional chamber and, thereby, the gas pressure in both chambers, a nacelle, attached to the bottom of the additional camera, and devices for horizontal movement of the airship, characterized in that the additional camera is made with horizontally corrugated walls, and the device for changing the volume of the additional chamber consists of winches installed in the nacelle with cables wound on drums, while the free ends of the cables are attached to the upper part of the additional chamber.

An essential feature of the claimed invention, which coincides with the attribute of the analogue, is the implementation of the corrugated shells identical to the shape of the additional chamber.

Among the reasons that impede the technical result of the analogue are the following: firstly, the lack of a rigid connection between the primary and secondary cameras will lead to the pendulum oscillation of the latter, which will complicate the control of the airship.

Secondly, the presence of only one device for horizontal movement of the airship in this arrangement will significantly reduce the maneuverability of the latter. In addition, this arrangement will upset the balancing of the airship, which again will complicate its management and reduce flight safety.

Thirdly, if one of the winches fails, there will be a skew of the additional chamber and the gondola. If the winches use a manual drive, the number of crew members must be no less than the number of winches. In addition, winches with a manual drive are larger in size and weight of winches with an electric drive, which require a source of electricity - a battery and / or generator built into the device for horizontal movement of the airship.

Fourth, with the growth of the size of the main camera, problems arise in the storage and transportation of the unassembled airship.

To solve problems aimed at reducing the airship weight, technological and operating costs, increasing the maneuverability and safety of its flights, expanding the range of weights and dimensions of transported goods, the principle of modular assembly of the airship and unification of its individual components was applied.

Figure 1-2 presents a front view and a top view of one of the design options of the airship. Spatial truss 1 made of composite material is assembled from the same hinged-rod pyramidal modules with square bases (figure 3). Isolated corrugated shells 2 with the possibility of transformation along the longitudinal braces 3 (Fig. 4) are attached to the upper rods of the farm 1 with overlap when pumping or pumping helium. Shell 2 is made of fabric-film material with low gas permeability. They are covered by frames 4 made of composite material, which are also assembled from hinged-rod modules and secured with threaded joints in the upper hinges of the truss 1. To increase the rigidity of the frames 4 and hold the shells 2 inside them, diagonal braces are stretched on the sides and bases of the frames 4 5. Braces 3 and 5 are attached to the upper hinges of the truss 1 and frames 4.

The main tanks 6 with compressed helium reinforced with composite material are installed inside the farm 1 to compensate for its leakage. In the upper hinges of the farm 1 and frames 4 are fixed threaded joints gas-jet rudders 7, designed for precise maneuvering with an airship. Gas turbine pumps 8 are installed in the lower hinges of farm 1 for pumping helium from the shells 2 into auxiliary tanks 9 reinforced with composite material, to the rudders 7 and for emergency discharge of helium from the shells 2. The vertical rods of the frames 4 are also designed for pumping helium 8 to the rudders 7, fixed in the upper hinges of the frames 4, and for pumping helium pumps 8 to the rudders 7, fixed in the upper hinges of the farm 1, gas pipelines are introduced. In gas pipelines and rudders 7 are installed bypass solenoid valves.

Below in the fore and aft parts of the farm 1, at least four turbojet engines 10 are mounted in hinges in pairs by turbines towards each other. Inside each engine 10, on the same axis as the turbine shaft, electric generators are built-in - the main sources of electricity.

In addition, inside the farm 1, fuel tanks 11, backup electric batteries 12 and the cockpit 13 are mounted in hinges. In the central part of the farm 1, a load 14 is attached to the lower hinges.

Figure 3 presents a top view of the pyramidal module with a square base. The rods 15 with the earrings 20 at the ends are fixed on the axes 21 in the side forks 19 of the upper hinges 17. Similarly, the rods 16 are fixed in the upper forks of the lower hinge 18 and in the lower forks of the upper hinges 17. The side forks 19 also have holes 24 (type A) for fixing diagonal braces 5, stretched on the sides of the frames 4, and to fix the longitudinal braces 3 and diagonal braces 5, stretched on the bases of the frames 4, the hinges 17 have brackets 22 with holes. The vertical rods of the frames 4 and the upper hinges 17 of the module are fastened with threaded joints 23.

To reduce the weight of the structure of the frames 4 and shells 2, they are fixed in such a way that they cover at least four pyramidal modules of the truss 1, forming a larger square in cross section (FIGS. 2 and 4).

Figure 5 presents a top view of the farm, assembled from pyramidal modules 25 and 26, having in the base a square and a quarter circle, respectively.

Figure 6 presents a top view of a farm assembled from pyramidal modules 27 having a regular hexagon in the base. During further assembly of the airship, the frames 4 and shell 2 are fixed so that they cover at least two adjacent pyramidal modules of the truss, forming equilateral triangles in cross section.

Figure 7 presents a top view of a farm assembled from pyramidal modules 25 and 27 having a square and a regular hexagon in the base, respectively. The upper hinges of the modules 25 and 27 are connected by additional rods 28, and the lower hinges are connected by rods 29.

The combination of the pyramidal modules of the farm 1, having a square, a regular hexagon and a quarter circle, as well as the heights of the vertical rods of the frames 4 and shells 2, will make it possible to build airships of optimal aerodynamic shape and significantly reduce the accumulation of rainwater and snow on shells 2.

Due to the transformation of the shells 2 (when helium is pumped into them from containers 6, 9 and when helium is pumped out of them by pumps 8), the volume of each shell 2 is regulated along the longitudinal braces 3, thereby changing the total lift of the airship. At the same time, the spent fuel and helium replace the ballast.

Above the frameworks and shells of the first level, frameworks and shells of the second level can be built up, forming a longitudinal vertical stabilizer. In this case, the shells of the first and second levels are interconnected by corrugated sleeves made of shell material, and the shells of the second level overlap attached to the upper rods of the frames of the first level with the possibility of transformation along the longitudinal braces of the frames of the second level.

The dimensions and weight of the airship together with the load 14 determine the number and power of turbojet engines 10, which are also unified. The proposed arrangement of engines 10 makes it easy to control the airship: acceleration and maintenance of a given speed is carried out using a pair of tail engines 10, and braking and stopping of the airship is carried out using a pair of nose engines 10. The turn of the airship is carried out by reducing the thrust of one of the tail engines 10, and if necessary - short-term inclusion of the bow engine 10, located relative to the longitudinal centerline of the airship from the same side as the tail engine 10, the traction of which is lower ayut. The choice of turbojet engines 10 is justified by the fact that they are lighter, more compact and more economical than engines with propellers. The use of thrust vector deflection system in engines 10 will significantly increase the airship maneuverability.

For transportation of small loads can be used containers dispersed in such a way as to evenly distribute the load on the farm 1. The most loaded hinges and rods are made of aluminum and titanium. The shapes and sizes of hinges and rods are unified.

The simplicity of assembly and disassembly of the airship easily solves the problems of its storage and transportation. He does not need a boathouse for maintenance and storage, occupying a large plot of land. Assembly and disassembly of the airship is carried out on the table of the ground take-off and landing complex (NVPK). With the help of the locks holding the lower hinges of the farm 1, the airship is fixed on the NVPK table. The locks release the hinges at the time of starting.

Cargo 14 is delivered to the NVPK table by the transport platform, in the lodges of which cargo 14 is laid. Until the start-up operations are completed, it unloads the farm 1. These operations include refueling the tanks 11, charging the batteries 12, filling the shells 2 and the main containers 6 with helium, and others.

Before starting, the platform’s hydraulic lifts (or NVPK hydraulic supports) release the load 14 from the lodgements. When placing the cargo 14 inside the farm 1, in whole or in part, some rods are installed after the transport platform takes its place on the NVPK table.

During landing, the airship is moored by tugboats moving along monorails converging in the form of rays to the NVPK table.

The creation of an NPPK network in various regions of the country and the world will allow delivering heavy loads of large sizes with less risk and economic costs.

Claims (2)

1. Ballistic-free airship of a modular hinged-rod construction, including a spatial truss made of composite material, insulated corrugated shells of fabric-film material with low gas permeability, covering shells of a skeleton made of composite material, on the sides and bases of which diagonal braces are stretched to increase rigidity and hold inside them shells, main and auxiliary tanks with compressed helium reinforced with composite material, bypass solenoid valves, Installed in gas pipelines and gas-jet rudders, gas-turbine pumps for pumping helium from shells to auxiliary tanks, for steering precisely maneuvering with an airship and for emergency discharge of helium from shells, at least four turbojet engines installed in pairs by turbines towards each other from below in the bow and stern of the farm , fuel tanks, electric generators, located in each engine on the same axis as the turbine shaft, backup electric batteries and the cockpit, characterized in that the farm a wound of articulated rod pyramidal modules having a square, regular hexagon or quarter circle base, shells whose cross sections are identical to the base shapes of the pyramidal modules or their combinations, are overlapped to the upper truss rods with the possibility of expansion or contraction along the longitudinal braces, between the upper diagonal braces are tensioned by the hinges of the truss and the frames, the frames are assembled from pivot-rod modules, fixed by threaded joints in the upper hinges of the truss, the steering wheels are fixed They are provided with threaded connections in the upper hinges of the truss and frames, the vertical rods of which are designed for pumping helium pumps to the rudders fixed in the upper hinges of the frames, and for pumping helium from shells to the rudders fixed in the upper hinges of the farm, gas pipelines are introduced, while the lower hinges trusses are designed for securing cargo. 2. Ballistic-free airship according to claim 1, characterized in that it is equipped with frames and shells of the second level, which are superstructured over the frames and shells of the first level, forming a longitudinal vertical stabilizer, while the shells of the first and second levels are interconnected by corrugated sleeves of shell material and the shells of the second level are overlapped to the upper rods of the frames of the first level with the possibility of expansion or contraction along the longitudinal braces of the frames of the second level.

Images