WO1979000945A1

WO1979000945A1 - Vehicles with fluidodynamic panels

Info

Publication number: WO1979000945A1
Application number: PCT/FR1979/000048
Authority: WO
Inventors: D Teremetz; J Teremetz
Original assignee: D Teremetz; J Teremetz
Priority date: 1979-06-08
Filing date: 1979-06-08
Publication date: 1979-11-15
Also published as: EP0029825A1

Abstract

Vehicle of which the lift, the propulsion and the orientation are provided by pivoting "panels", which are assemblies of fluidodynamic planes in a closed circuit reciprocating linear displacement and limited at the ends thereof by fairings A and propelled by electric motors B.

Description

TITLE

Vehicle with fluidodynamic "panels".

TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention is particularly applicable to maritime transport (hydrofoils, submarines) and to air transport. We describe in the following description, its application to air transport and air transport which, currently provided by helicopters, are free from any terrestrial subjection.

PRIOR ART

Among the existing helicopters, we will refer to the most widespread type, to the one which uses the energy which is supplied to it the least badly, the "mechanical" single-rotor helicopter. The helicopter, as its name implies, "leans" on the air by means of wings in circular motion. If this circular displacement of its plans, of its blades, brought him autonomy. from which it benefits, this circular displacement is unfortunately the main source of the majority of its faults, as we have been able to notice.

Of these defects, the first are perhaps too great energy losses. Indeed :

__ at first glance, we find energy losses due to the improper use of the aerodynamic surface available, the planes in circular displacement not having an efficiency constant throughout their span (their speed varying from a minimum on the side of the end around which they turn, to a maximum on the side of their free end), the planes in circular movement not having a constant efficaci throughout their journey, during the horizontal flight of the helicopter (the aerodynamic surface which they present to the relative wind of the advance being maximum only at two points of this journey, zero at two other points and varying constantly between c extremes over most of this circular path). Then we find then:

_ Losses of energy in phenomena of compressibility which appear, during horizontal flight, at the free ends of blades, in the "advancing" part of their path, and losses of energy in phenomena of stalling which appear, all days at these same ends of the blades, in the "retreating part of their path.

__ Energy losses in the trail of vortices that form at the free ends of the blades.

__ Energy losses in the interference of these vortexes of blade tips on those that follow them.

__ Energy losses in the turbulence trail of the main controls and of the rotor blade hub of the helicopter.

__ Losses of energy in the drag of the cell, due to the variations of attitude of the helicopter, which being unable to maneuver in constant horizontality (its rotor not being independent of its cell), does not remain in its " maximum fineness.

_- Energy losses in the power transmission box, necessary connection between the energy group, the rotor and the anti-torque system of the helicopter. __ Energy losses in the anti-torque system.

The primary consequences of this excessive consumption are, a limited radius of action, difficult profitability ...

The second of the helicopter's faults is perhaps the meager security that its plans in circular movement provide it in the event of an engine failure. Indeed, when the energy group breaks down, the helicopter rotor, released, is put into autorotation and ensures the return to the ground thereof; but, of the surface of this rotor, during this process, only a third is effective, the two thirds remaining, not being even neutral, but harmful (by stalling and by anti-autorotative drag), all n furthermore, not improved by the turbulence coming from the helicopter cell ...

One of the consequences of this poor action of the rotor in autorotation, is the existence of a vertical "dead zone", going up to 100 m of altitude, zone along which, the helicopter breaking down of motor, its rotor does not have time to take a sufficient speed to sustain it (speed necessarily important to compensate for this poor efficiency of planes in circular displacement).

A second "death zone", moreover, must be taken into consideration during the horizontal flight of the helicopter in the vicinity of the ground or the water. In fact, with its engine failing during this horizontal flight, the helicopter could not slow down its speed and could not land unless it strongly tilted its rotor, that is to say (its rotor not being independent of its cell) only by rearing up strongly. This work, along this second "death zone", exposes the helicopter to catch the ground or the water by its rear part ...

The third of the helicopter's faults is characterized by the vibrations inflicted by its planes in circular motion, vibrations due to asymmetrical thrusts, vertical flaps, horizontal flaps, compressibility and stall phenomena, as well as phenomena of bending and twisting of these overhanging planes. Vibrations also due, during the horizontal flight of the helicopter, to the fact that the relative wind speed varies from the front to the rear of the rotor and that the blades of the latter, which cannot change their incidence, exhibit then drag differences.

All these vibrations, sources of discomfort obviously, are mainly causes of fatigue and premature wear and tear for the diffέ— helicopter parts rents.

Furthermore, these vibrations can also be the cause of a phenomenon known as "ground resonance", when the helicopter is about to take off, or when it has just landed. This phenomenon can go as far as to destroy the device ...

The fourth of the helicopter's faults is characterized by an absence of static stability and by dynamic stability which is delicate and constraining to ensure. These defects are mainly due to the fact that the helicopter has only one rotor, rotor striking asymmetrical thrusts, torque effects, gyroscopic effects.

The consequence of this instability, which still grows lors- ^'that the helicopter in ground effect, when its speed increases and when its load is not properly centered, apart from the discomfort it may provide to passengers, that is 'it requires the installation of a stabilizing system and a piloting assistance system, complex systems which at best only alleviate this instability. A particular phenomenon of instability is to be reported elsewhere. This phenomenon, called "vortex state", occurs during the slow vertical descent of the helicopter, and is due to the fact that the rotor of this one descends in the own vortices of extremities of its blades and in the turbulence of his cell. This phenomenon can go so far as to cause loss of control of the apparatus.

The fifth of the helicopter's faults is the limitation of its speed.

This defect is always due to the planes in circular displacement. Indeed, well before and without the entire surface of these planes ever being able to be brought to its maximum speed, the free ends of these planes reach this speed, close to that of sound and there meet the compressibility phenomena already mentioned, which destroy their efficiency, this in the "advanced" part of their journey. In the "retreating" part, these are phenomena of dropout which contribute to this destruction of efficiency.

The primary consequence of this limited speed is that hey. the beetle comes to compete with certain land transport ...

The sixth of the helicopter's faults is the noise it inflicts on its passengers and its environment.

Apart from the noises of its energy group and in addition to the mechanical noises of its power transmission box and its anti-torque system, there are aerodynamic noises due to the excessive speed of the blade ends ("rotational" noises "), those due to the effect of separation of the vortices from the ends of these blades (" vortex "noises) and those due to the interference of vortices at the ends of the blades on those which follow them (" slap "noises) ).

All these noises obviously, make the helicopter unbearable, undesirable in the vicinity of any agglomeration, whereas it is precisely at the approach and the penetration of these agglomerations that the helicopter would have been the most useful, the only useful. ..

And finally, consequence of the majority of all these faults, the last defect of the helicopter, unless it is the first, is its too high cost (cost of manufacturing, cost of energy consumed, cost of l maintenance, insurance costs, depreciation over too short a period of time, ...).

A large expansion of the helicopter in the civilian sector could have remedied this latter defect to a certain extent ... but the faults from which it arises close the helicopter to this civil sector ...

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION AND BEST WAY OF CARRYING OUT IT

The invention, the aerodynamic planes of which are not in circular displacement, but in rectilinear displacement (drawing 6), will not know the defects inherent in the helicopter. Still referring to the mechanical single-rotor helicopter, we will confront the invention with the defects of this helicopter. Energy losses therefore:

__ The invention will not present any energy losses due to improper use of the aerodynamic surface available, its planes in rectilinear displacement having a constant efficiency over their entire span and a constant efficiency throughout their journey, compared to the relative wind of progress.

The theory ("ideal" rotor / real rotor) makes it possible to estimate the lean energy of planes in rectilinear displacement (to which the "ideal" rotor can be compared) on the planes in circular displacement (real rotor), at least 10% .

In addition, the planes of the "panels" scroll in one direction, then in the opposite direction (drawing 6). These overlapping senses mean that the "panels" of the invention are not comparable to the simple rotor of the equivalent helicopter, but to a doublet of counter-rotating rotors of the same diameter as this simple rotor. Experience has shown that this doublet has a fictitious effective surface, 30% greater than the surface it actually occupies. With a surface area therefore equal, the "panels" of the invention (which we can say that the planes are contradictory) will have an effective area of 30% greater than that of the simple rotor of the equivalent helicopter.

Furthermore, the "panels" have fairings (drawing 6: A and drawing 7: A) which limit the planes at their ends and form between them a divergent, a diffuser, which widens the fluid vein produced by these plans (drawing 7). This enlargement will increase the "bearing surface" of the device on the air and will thereby decrease the energy required for this "bearing".

These fairing planes of the invention will be comparable to the fairing helix known from the prior art. The energy gain from a faired propeller to a non-faired propeller is more than 50%.

_ The invention will not present energy losses in compressibility phenomena, nor in dropout phenomena. Indeed, his plans in alternative rectilinear displacement turn on themselves by passing from the "advancing" path to the path "backward" (drawing 6) and may have an asymmetrical profile, different from one part to another of their path.

Thus, "supercritical" profile in the "advancing" part, this profile will considerably delay the appearance of compressibility phenomena, and "strong curvature" profile in the "retreating" part, this profile will considerably delay the appearance of stall phenomena .

_ The invention will present only a minimal loss of energy in the drag of its planes, these being left free to pivot each around the spar which supports them, spar which will be in their "center of thrust". The position of C8 center will obviously be that which corresponds to the incidence of the maximum "fineness" of these asymmetrical planes, ^" which will thus always and always exert their thrust in this maximum" finesse ", whatever the variations of the wind. relative that they will suffer.

_ The invention will not present any energy losses in the trail of vortices forming at the ends of its planes, these moving between the two fairings already mentioned (drawings 6 and 7), which limit them at their ends and thereby preventing the formation of marginal vortices.

___ The invention will obviously not present any energy losses in an interference of the vortices of ends of its planes on those which follow them, these vortices not forming.

_ The invention will present little energy loss in the drag of the arms — support of its "panels", these arms being profiled (drawings 1,2,3,4,5).

_ The invention will not present energy losses in an interference of the flow of its "panels" on its cell, these being arranged on either side of it (drawings 1,2,3,4 , 5). _ The invention will not present any energy losses in the turbulence trail of its cell in horizontal flight, the latter remaining permanently horizontal in its maximum "fineness", thanks to the number and independence of its "panels ".

_ If, on the other hand, we do not fail to animate the plans of the invention with electric motors (drawing 6: B), motors which will obviously have no other junctions with the generator (s) which power (turbo-alternators, fuel cells, solar motors, ...) as electric cables and electronic relays, the invention will not present energy losses in a power transmission box.

___ If in addition, the electric motors (variable reluctance, linear in closed circuit, ...) which will animate the plans, cancel two by two any torque effect in the "panels" by their position (drawing 6: B) , the invention will not present energy losses in an anti-torque system.

__ If still, we endow the invention, in place of mechanical friction of its various moving parts (electric motors included), of slides and magnetic bearings, the invention will again present no energy losses, these slides and these magnetic bearings absorb no energy (and also avoid any wear to the parts concerned).

Security :

In the event of a breakdown of the generator set (s) which the invention will not have failed to endow, the accumulators, which will also not have failed to endow the invention, will take over and supply the motors which provide the scrolling plans and those which ensure the orientation of the "panels", for a return to the ground without problems.

If the batteries too were to fail, cables and pulleys would take over in a manual orientation of the "panels", and the motors which animate the plans being released, the plans will start in auto-scrolling.

This auto-scrolling will be of maximum efficiency, since these plans work on their entire span and permanently in their maximum "fineness", since they do not lose energy in the trail of marginal eddies, since they do not undergo the turbulences of the cell and since the diffusers, the divergences which the fairings form between them, becoming convergent in opposite directions, allow these planes to "lean" on an air surface greater than the surface that they occupy.

The effectiveness of this auto-scroll will significantly reduce the first reported "death zone", if it does not cancel it ...

Furthermore, with regard to the second "dead zone", the invention, of which only the "panels" would be rearing up, in the event of failure of the generator set (s) and of the accumulators, would not risk catching the ground or water from the back of his cell which remains horizontal.

A final point should be noted with regard to the security of the invention in the extreme case where its "panels" are no longer even usable in auto-scrolling: the fact that these "panels" are not located above the cell, but on either side of it, the top of this cell is clear, and it is possible to place in this top parachutes which could bring to the ground, passengers, loads and vehicle, intact.

Vibrations:

The invention, the planes of which in rectilinear displacement exhibit neither asymmetrical thrusts, nor vertical or horizontal beats, nor compressibility or detachment phenomena, nor bending or torsion phenomena (the planes, maintained at their ends, n not being cantilevered), the invention will not be subject to therefore, neither the effects nor the consequences of the vibrations for which these faults are responsible (the vibrations due to variations in relative wind speed from the front to the rear of the "panels" during horizontal flight, being neither , not known to the invention, its planes being at all times in the incidence of their maximum "finesse" in this relative wind, whatever the variations thereof).

Stability:

The invention having its "panels" located on either side of its cell, therefore having its center of gravity located between SBS "pan neaux" and its "panels" making a dihedral between them, thus seeing the directions of their forces converge above its center of gravity, the invention has static stability.

Starting from this static stability, taking into account the number and the independence of its "panels" between them and with respect to its cell and taking into account the dihedral which they make between them, the invention, which moreover does not know no torque effect, will have a dynamic stability that is easier to ensure in all circumstances, whether cs laterally or longitudinally. Furthermore, in slow vertical descent, the invention will not experience loss of control "by vortex state", since its "panels" do not produce marginal eddies, since they do not undergo the turbulence of the cell and since 'they make a dihedral and therefore partly blow, their flow out of the a of their descent (drawing 8).

If we do not fail to "electrify" the invention, the stability and maneuverability of it and this "electrification" of its "panels" and its plans will allow "1" electronisation "of its commands and will from its steering, a very relaxing "fingertip" steering. In addition, the invention therefore being "electrified", its constant attitude may be horizontal whatever its changes and whatever the turbulence it may encounter. In Indeed, the number and independence of its "panels" and the "electrification" of these and the plans inside them, will allow the installation of an automatic electronic horizontality control. permanent, easier to carry out and more efficient.

Speed limitation:

The invention, thanks to the reversal of its plans inside its "panels", therefore thanks to the "supercritical" profile and the "highly curved" profile of its plans, which considerably delay the appearance of compressibility phenomena and stall, will see the limits of its travel speed considerably increased compared to those of the helicopter.

Noises:

Since the plans of the invention do not know either compressibility phenomena, dropout phenomena or formation of vortices at their ends, the invention will not experience aerodynamic noise for which these phenomena are responsible. If one does not fail to "electrify" the invention, the latter having neither power transmission box, nor anti-torque system, will not know the noises for which these mechanisms are responsible.

If in addition, the moving parts of the invention are "suspended" on slides and magnetic bearings, no mechanical noise will be to be feared from these movements (No noise being feared by electric motors either. they are devoid of any contact (variable reluctance motors, linear motors in a closed circuit, etc.), motors which, by the same token, will also not experience any wear).

The only noises that will therefore remain to be reduced will be those of the turbo-generator (s) (as long as this type of group is used— eg electrogenic) and the aerodynamic noises still unknown, "panels" and plans of the invention, if there is noise ...

The noises from turbo-alternators can be attenuated all the more easily so that one can not hesitate to start somehow the energy saving achieved by the invention.

Manufacturing:

Given the relative simplicity of the problems which the parts which constitute the invention will have to respond to, we will not fail to make the greatest possible appeal to plastics, reinforced (composite) or not, and to the cost-effective and reliable methods of putting them in work (molding, labor reduced to a minimum, ...)

For the development of magnetic alloys which will go into the manufacture of slides and magnetic bearings like electric motors, we will not fail to call on the qualities of rare earths such as the Samarium, magnetic qualities which will allow to minimize, the weight and volume of these slides, bearings and motors.

Interview :

The invention knowing no other wear than that of its generator (s) and that of its accumulators, the invention will experience no other maintenance than that of this or these generator sets and that of these accumulators, the rest of its cell and its "panels" which are subject to maintenance "as is ^" .

Comfort:

We will not fail to leave some flexibility to the support arms of the "panels" so that they can play a role of turbulence dampers. Cost :

Not only the invention, not knowing the defects of the helicopter, will not know the cost of these defects; but still this absence of the listed defects will open to the invention the whole civil, private and public sector ...

Steering:

It will be understood, as those skilled in the art, that each "panel" of the invention independently exerting a force, variable in direction (by variation of its orientation) and in intensity (by variation of the speed of travel of its plans), these are the different possible combinations of the variations of the forces of its "panels" between them which will allow the invention to carry out all the movements and displacements desired.

It should be noted however that, if all these movements and displacements of the invention are carried out horizontally. the most perfect, a movement, a movement can not be done in this horizontality, because the "panels" can only be oriented longitudinally; this movement, the lateral displacement of the invention, can only take place with its cell being inclined laterally in the direction towards which it will move laterally.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Drawing 1 represents a "aviette" version of the invention (aircraft capable of being driven solely by human muscular force).

Drawing 2 shows an "aerial crane" version of the invention, the large "panels" of which have their blows far away (by their dihedral and their spacing) from the working area and from the objects transported. Drawing 3 shows a "private" version of the invention.

Drawing 4 represents a "public transport" version of the invention.

The drawing 5 represents a "utility" version of the invention, the configuration of the cell and the positioning of the "panels" will allow "full-foot" access from the place where this utility will be recommended, whether this place is vertically, horizontally or on an inclined plane.

In addition to all kinds of work and transport, such a utility will allow the easiest and fastest rescues in certain fires of tower buildings, in the mountains, ...

Drawing 6 represents one of the "panels" of the invention seen three-quarters before, showing: the alternating rectilinear displacement in a closed circuit of its planes, the different profiles ("supercritical" and "with strong curvature") that the planes have, during their "forward" and during their "backward" journeys, the fairings A which limit the plana at their ends and modify the fluid vein which these produce, as well as the positioning of two of the four electric motors ques B which animate the planes, compared to the axes of rotation of the pulleys which they drive and compared to the axis of pivoting of the "panel" (positioning which allows these motors to cancel two by two, any torque effect during their operation).

Drawing 7 shows a cross section of one of the "pan neaux" of the invention, showing the divergent, the diffuser that the fairings A between them and the widening of the fluid vein (dashed) due to this diffuser, vein fluid which, without it, would be contracted (dotted lines).

Drawing 8 represents a cross section of the invention, showing the flows of two of its "panels", blown off the axis descent of these.

POSSIBILITIES OF INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS

In addition to its application to air transport, the invention is capable of applications to maritime transport, such as hydrofoils of all types and of all dimensions (their "panels" obviously working in water, while their cell will move in the air above water), or submarines (their "panels" being arranged on either side of their airframe), or even "hydrofoil sailboats" moving thanks to aerial "panels" which , activated by the wind, would animate aquatic "panels" (again, of course, the cell would move in the air above the water).

Claims

Vehicle moving either in a fluid (aircraft, submarine, ...), or above a fluid (hydrofoil, ...), characterized in that it has fluidodynamic "panels" , sets of fluidodynamic planes in alternating rectilinear displacement in a closed circuit, which provide its lift, its propulsion and its orientation, either in the fluid where they work, or above the fluid in which they work.

Vehicle as according to the first claim, characterized in that its "panels" are arranged on either side of the vertical plane of symmetry of its cell.

Vehicle as according to the first claim, characterized in that its "panels" form a dihedral between them.

Vehicle as according to the first claim, characterized in that its "panels" are orientable independently of each other.

Vehicle as in the first claim, characterized in that the force exerted by each of its "panels" is variable independently from one "panel" to another.

Vehicle as according to the first claim, characterized in that fairings limit the planes of each of its "panels" at their ends and modify the fluid stream that these planes produce.

Vehicle as according to the first claim, characterized in that the planes of its "panels" work continuously in the incidence of their maximum "fineness".