Fluid Tank For Integration Into A Structure Of An Unmanned Aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022388658-A1
Application number	US-202017765152-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 30, 2020
Priority date	Sep 30, 2019
Publication date	Dec 8, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A fluid tank for integration into a structure of an unmanned aircraft includes a shell having a first axial wall, an oppositely arranged second axial wall, an upper side, a lower side, and an enclosed interior, at least one receiving chamber in the interior for storing fluid, and a collection chamber, which is arranged on the lower side and which is fluidically connected to the at least one receiving chamber. The collection chamber includes a bottom surface, through which there extends a drain, wherein a covering surface is arranged above the bottom surface and covers at least a portion of the collection chamber. At least one flow opening could be arranged on an upper side of the collection chamber, which flow opening allows gas bubbles to escape in the direction of the upper side of the fluid tank.

First claim

1 . A fluid tank for integration into a structure of an unmanned aircraft, comprising:
a shell having a first axial wall, an oppositely arranged second axial wall, an upper side, a lower side, and an enclosed interior, at least one receiving chamber in the enclosed interior for storing fluid, and a collection chamber arranged on the lower side and which is fluidically connected to the at least one receiving chamber, wherein the collection chamber has a bottom surface, through which there extends a drain, and wherein a covering surface is arranged above the bottom surface and covers at least a portion of the collection chamber.

2 . The fluid tank ( 2 ) as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein at least one flow opening is arranged on an upper side of the collection chamber and allows gas bubbles to escape in the direction of the upper side of the fluid tank.

3 . The fluid tank as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the collection chamber comprises at least one collection chamber wall, which extends from the lower side of the fluid tank to the covering surface and defines the collection chamber, and wherein the at least one collection chamber wall is distanced at least in some regions from an outer collection chamber wall.

4 . The fluid tank as claimed in claim 3 ,
wherein the collection chamber wall encloses a collection chamber gap with the outer collection chamber wall.

5 . The fluid tank as claimed in claim 3 ,
wherein the collection chamber is fluidically connected to the at least one receiving chamber by an opening arranged on the lower side.

6 . The fluid tank as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the covering surface comprises a radially central region having a greater distance from the bottom surface than radially outer regions.

7 . The fluid tank as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the collection chamber is arranged centrally in a longitudinally axial direction between the first axial wall and the second axial wall.

8 . The fluid tank as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one receiving chamber comprises a first receiving chamber adjoining the first axial wall axially, and wherein a second receiving chamber adjoining the second axial wall axially.

9 . The fluid tank as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one receiving chamber comprises a bottom dropping away in a ramp-like manner in a direction of the lower side towards the collection chamber.

10 . The fluid tank as claimed in claim 1 ,
further comprising at least one baffle running transversely to an axial direction of the fluid tank.

11 . The fluid tank as claimed in claim 10 ,
wherein the at least one baffle is arranged vertically above or laterally of the collection chamber.

12 . The fluid tank as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the fluid tank is formed as a water tank.

13 . An unmanned aircraft, comprising at least one wing and at least one fluid tank according to claim 1 integrated into the aircraft.

14 . The aircraft as claimed in claim 13 ,
wherein the fluid tank is configured to be load-bearing.

15 . The aircraft as claimed in claim 13 ,
further comprising at least one regenerative fuel cell, which is fluidically connected to the fluid tank, and an electrolyzer, configured to be brought into fluidic connection to the drain to remove water from the fluid tank and to break down the water into hydrogen and oxygen by way of an electrolysis process.

Assignees

• Airbus Defence & Space Gmbh

Inventors

• Sanz Lopez Borja
• Brand Clemens
• Jost Michael
• Lohmiller Winfried
• Söllinger Georg
• Grebner Dieter
• Motlik Oliver

Classifications

• H01M2250/20

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

• H01M8/18

  Regenerative fuel cells, e.g. redox flow batteries or secondary fuel cells · CPC title

• B64D37/04

  Arrangement thereof in or on aircraft · CPC title

• B64D1/16 Primary

  Dropping or releasing powdered, liquid, or gaseous matter, e.g. for fire-fighting (jettisoning fuel B64D37/26) · CPC title

• B64C2201/128

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic