Airship and long-term floating capacity maintenance method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12116102-B2
Application number	US-202217827950-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 30, 2022
Priority date	Jun 8, 2021
Publication date	Oct 15, 2024
Grant date	Oct 15, 2024

Abstract

An airship and its long-term floating capacity maintenance method are disclosed. The airship includes an airship capsule and a pod at bottom. A renewable fuel cell and a water tank communicated with each other are arranged in the pod. The water tank is provided with a water inlet connected with a filling aircraft outside the airship. The airship capsule is provided with a solar cell. The interior of the airship capsule is provided with a hydrogen storage bag. The solar cell is electrically connected with the renewable fuel cell. The renewable fuel cell can use electric energy provided by the solar cell to electrolyze water provided by the filling aircraft into hydrogen and supplement the hydrogen to the hydrogen storage bag. The airship can supplement hydrogen to the airship capsule by electrolyzing water to reduce the phenomenon of insufficient gas in the airship capsule.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An airship, comprising an airship capsule and a pod at a bottom of the airship capsule, wherein a renewable fuel cell and a water tank communicating with each other are arranged in the pod, the water tank is provided with a water inlet connected with a filling aircraft outside the airship, the airship capsule is provided with a solar cell, an interior of the airship capsule is provided with positions for an oxygen storage bag and a hydrogen storage bag, the interior of the airship capsule is provided with the hydrogen storage bag, the hydrogen storage bag is provided with a hydrogen supply valve and a hydrogen discharge valve, the hydrogen supply valve is connected with the renewable fuel cell, and the hydrogen discharge valve is connected with the airship capsule, and the solar cell is electrically connected with the renewable fuel cell, and the renewable fuel cell can use electric energy provided by the solar cell to electrolyze water provided by the filling aircraft into hydrogen and supplement the hydrogen to the hydrogen storage bag;
the interior of the airship capsule is further provided with an oxygen storage bag connected with the renewable fuel cell, and an oxygen generated by the renewable fuel cell electrolyzing the water is supplemented to the oxygen storage bag: the oxygen storage bag is provided with an oxygen supply valve and an oxygen discharge valve, the oxygen supply valve is connected with the renewable fuel cell, and the oxygen discharge valve is connected with an external atmosphere.

2. The airship of claim 1 , wherein a bidirectional pipe is arranged between the hydrogen storage bag and the renewable fuel cell, and the hydrogen in the hydrogen storage bag can return to the renewable fuel cell through the bidirectional pipe.

3. The airship of claim 1 , wherein a bidirectional pipe is arranged between the oxygen storage bag and the renewable fuel cell, and the oxygen in the oxygen storage bag can return to the renewable fuel cell through the bidirectional pipe.

4. The airship of claim 1 , wherein the airship further comprises a converter arranged in the pod, and the solar cell is electrically connected with the renewable fuel cell through the converter.

5. The airship of claim 4 , wherein the airship further comprises an electric device arranged in the pod, the solar cell is electrically connected with the electric device through the converter, and the renewable fuel cell is electrically connected with the electric device.

6. An airship long-term floating capacity maintenance method, comprising:
controlling the airship to electrically connect a solar cell with a renewable fuel cell of the airship when there is sunlight,
controlling water in a water tank of the airship to flow into the renewable fuel cell, and electrolyzing, by the renewable fuel cell, the water to generate oxygen and hydrogen using solar energy, and passing the oxygen and the hydrogen into an oxygen storage bag and a hydrogen storage bag disposed in a airship capsule of the airship respectively;
controlling the airship to connect the renewable fuel cell with a electric device of the airship in an absence of sunlight; generating, by the renewable fuel cell, electricity utilizing a reaction between the oxygen in the oxygen storage bag and the hydrogen in the hydrogen storage bag, and supplying power to the electric device;
obtaining a real-time pressure difference in the airship capsule of the airship during a long-term flight: controlling the hydrogen storage bag to pass hydrogen into the airship capsule according to a fact that the real-time pressure difference is less than a preset pressure difference until the real-time pressure difference is not less than the preset pressure difference;
opening an oxygen discharge valve on the oxygen storage bag when air pressure of the oxygen storage bag exceeding a pressure limit, discharging oxygen to the external atmosphere through the oxygen discharge valve from the oxygen storage bag.

Assignees

• Univ Beihang

Inventors

• Sun Kangwen
• Ji Xinzhe
• Liang Haoquan
• Guo Xiao

Classifications

• H01M2250/402

  Combination of fuel cell with other electric generators · CPC title

• H01M2250/20

  Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title

• H01M8/0656

  by electrochemical means (H01M8/065 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M8/04201

  Reactant storage and supply, e.g. means for feeding, pipes · CPC title

• B64B1/64

  Gas valve operating mechanisms · CPC title