Oil supply system of hybrid unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

The invention discloses an oil supply system of a hybrid unmanned aerial vehicle, which comprises an oil storage device, a first electromagnetic valve, a first fuel pump, a second fuel pump and an engine, the engine comprises an engine body and a first cooling channel arranged on the engine body, the first electromagnetic valve is connected to the first cooling channel, and the second electromagnetic valve is connected to the second cooling channel. The first cooling channel is connected to an oil supply nozzle on an engine body, the original first cooling channel which utilizes water circulation cooling on the engine is connected to the first electromagnetic valve, low-temperature fuel oil is utilized to cool a motor, and meanwhile, the fuel oil is preheated to improve the combustion efficiency of the fuel oil after the fuel oil enters the engine. A water circulation cooling matching structure is omitted, so that the overall weight of the unmanned aerial vehicle is reduced; the motor controller, the motor body and the engine are cooled through the fuel oil system, a traditional water-cooling heat dissipation system is simplified, and the effective load of the aircraft is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a fuel supply system for a hybrid unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Background Art

[0002] At present, for industrial UAVs, UAV technology has developed rapidly in recent years. In particular, industrial UAVs have been widely applied in various scenarios such as agricultural and forestry plant protection and industrial inspection. Pure electric UAVs currently account for 90% of the market share. However, pure electric aircraft have problems such as low payload, short endurance, low safety, and low battery cycle life due to the low energy density of the battery.

[0003] In a hybrid UAV, the basic engine, motor, and electronic control need to be cooled by coolant to prevent the risk of overheating of the basic power, motor, and electronic control. In a conventional UAV system, generally, an air-cooled power heat dissipation method or a water-cooled heat dissipation method is adopted. For an air-cooled heat dissipation system, the heat dissipation effect is poor, the risk of power overheating is high, and the power is easily limited (caused by temperature rise). For a coolant heat dissipation system, this system needs to add heat sinks, water kettles, cooling water, pipelines, cooling water pumps, etc.

[0004] At the same time, for low-altitude UAVs, the operation scenarios are complex, their flight altitude is low, which reduces the reaction time after flight failure. Especially for operation UAVs, the failure of the aircraft not only causes damage to the aircraft itself but also causes losses to the ground. For a hybrid power system UAV, its power system contains fuel, and fuel belongs to a liquid flammable substance, and the fuel system has control components such as fuel pumps. Therefore, in order to improve the safety of the hybrid flight system, more attention should be paid to the safety design of the fuel system.

[0005] In current hybrid UAVs, the fuel system is simple, only a simple fuel storage device and a single pump design. When a failure occurs in the fuel system, it cannot ensure the normal fuel supply of the system, or there is no fuel discharge device during falling, resulting in ground fires, etc. Or there is no partition device inside the fuel storage device, resulting in large-amplitude shaking of the liquid during the flight of the aircraft, resulting in poor stability of the aircraft. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a fuel supply system for a hybrid UAV, which greatly reduces the self-weight of the UAV, thereby improving the effective payload of the UAV.

[0007] To solve the above technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions: A fuel supply system for a hybrid UAV, which includes:

[0008] A fuel storage device for storing fuel;

[0009] A first solenoid valve connected to the fuel storage device;

[0010] A first fuel pump and a second fuel pump, both of which are connected in parallel between the fuel storage device and the first solenoid valve, and are both used to pump out the fuel in the fuel storage device;

[0011] An engine, which includes an engine body and a first cooling channel provided on the engine body. The first solenoid valve is connected to the first cooling channel, and the first cooling channel is connected to a fuel supply nozzle on the engine body. The original first cooling channel that uses water circulation cooling on the engine is connected to the first solenoid valve, using low-temperature fuel to cool the motor, and at the same time preheating the fuel to improve the combustion efficiency of the fuel after entering the engine, and canceling the supporting structure of water circulation cooling, reducing the overall weight of the drone;

[0012] A temperature control module, which is used to monitor the fuel temperature in the system.

[0013] In another embodiment, the first solenoid valve is provided with an oil drain port. When the drone needs to make an emergency landing due to a malfunction, the first fuel pump and / or the second fuel pump can be used to accelerate the emptying of the fuel in the fuel storage device as soon as possible, or the first solenoid valve can be used to switch so that the first fuel pump is responsible for discharging the fuel in the fuel storage device, and the second fuel pump is responsible for discharging the fuel in the cooling passage.

[0014] In another embodiment, the system further includes a motor, which includes a motor body, a motor controller for controlling the motor body, and a second cooling channel provided on the motor body. The second cooling channel is located between the first solenoid valve and the first cooling channel, connecting the original second cooling channel on the motor to the first solenoid valve. When the system supplies fuel to the engine, low-temperature fuel is used to cool the motor, and at the same time the fuel is preheated to improve the combustion efficiency of the fuel after entering the engine.

[0015] In another embodiment, the system further includes a third cooling channel provided on the motor controller. The third cooling channel is located between the first solenoid valve and the second cooling channel. The third cooling channel provided on the motor controller or the original cooling channel on the motor controller is connected to the first solenoid valve as the third cooling channel. When the system supplies fuel to the engine, low-temperature fuel is used to cool the motor, and at the same time the fuel is preheated to improve the combustion efficiency of the fuel after entering the engine.

[0016] In another embodiment, the system further includes a second solenoid valve provided between the first cooling channel and the fuel storage device. The second solenoid valve is electrically connected to the temperature control module, and the second solenoid valve is used to control the amount of fuel sent back from the first cooling channel to the fuel storage device.

[0017] In another implementation, the system further includes a radiator disposed between the second solenoid valve and the oil storage device, and the radiator can assist in controlling the temperature of the fuel in the system.

[0018] In another implementation, the engine includes an engine controller electrically connected to the engine body and the first temperature detector. The first temperature detector detects the temperature signal of the fuel in the first cooling channel and transmits the temperature signal of the fuel in the first cooling channel to the engine controller, and the engine controller transmits the temperature signal of the fuel in the first cooling channel to the temperature control module; the first temperature detector can assist in controlling the temperature of the fuel in the system.

[0019] In another implementation, the system includes a second temperature detector disposed on the second cooling channel and a third temperature detector disposed on the third cooling channel; the second temperature detector detects the temperature signal of the fuel in the second cooling channel and transmits the temperature signal of the fuel in the second cooling channel to the motor controller, and the motor controller transmits the temperature signal of the fuel in the second cooling channel to the temperature control module; or the second temperature detector detects the temperature signal of the fuel in the second cooling channel and directly transmits the temperature signal of the fuel in the second cooling channel to the temperature control module; the third temperature detector detects the temperature signal of the fuel in the third cooling channel and transmits the temperature signal of the fuel in the third cooling channel to the motor controller, and the motor controller transmits the temperature signal of the fuel in the third cooling channel to the temperature control module; or the third temperature detector detects the temperature signal of the fuel in the third cooling channel and directly transmits the temperature signal of the fuel in the third cooling channel to the temperature control module.

[0020] In another implementation, the system further includes an aircraft controller, a first aircraft low-voltage power supply module connected to the first fuel pump and the second fuel pump, and a second aircraft low-voltage power supply module connected to the first fuel pump and the second fuel pump. The aircraft controller is electrically connected to the first solenoid valve, the first fuel pump, the second fuel pump, the first aircraft low-voltage power supply module, the second aircraft low-voltage power supply module, and the temperature control module respectively.

[0021] In another implementation, a partition plate for reducing fuel sloshing is provided in the oil storage device.

[0022] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: 1. By using the fuel system to cool the motor controller, the motor body, and the engine, the traditional water-cooling system is simplified, and the effective payload of the aircraft is increased; 2. In this system, while the fuel cools the motor controller, the motor, and the engine, it also increases the calorific value of the fuel and improves the combustion efficiency; 3. The fuel supply system is designed with dual-channel redundancy, increasing the safety redundancy in case of a single component failure; 4. The fuel pump actively discharges oil, improving the oil discharge rate. For aircraft flying at low altitudes, it effectively solves the problem of insufficient oil discharge time due to the flight altitude; 5. For the low-voltage power supply of the oil pump, in cooperation with the dual-power supply system of the unmanned aircraft, redundant power supply is formed, improving the control stability of the oil pump; 6. The oil storage device is provided with an intermediate isolation device, improving the stability of the liquid oil during flight, and thus reducing the problem of flight instability caused by the sloshing of the oil product. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Figure 1 is a block diagram of the principle of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 is a schematic structural diagram of the oil storage device in the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the oil storage device in the present invention;

[0026] Figure 4 is a schematic structural diagram of the oil storage device in the present invention when the damping plate is not flipped;

[0027] Figure 5 is a schematic structural diagram of the oil storage device in the present invention when the lower ends of the damping plates are flipped away from each other

[0028] Figure 6 is a schematic structural diagram of the oil storage device in the present invention when the lower ends of the damping plates are flipped towards each other. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0029] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings:

[0030] As Figure 1 shown, the fuel supply system of the hybrid unmanned aircraft includes: an oil storage device 1, a first solenoid valve 41, a second solenoid valve 42, a first fuel pump 31 and a second fuel pump 32 connected to the oil storage device 1, an engine, a temperature control module 01 for monitoring the internal fuel temperature of the system, a motor, a radiator 2, an aircraft controller 02, a first aircraft low-voltage power supply module 91 connected to the first fuel pump 31 and the second fuel pump 32, and a second aircraft low-voltage power supply module 92 connected to the first fuel pump 31 and the second fuel pump 32.

[0031] The aircraft controller 02 is electrically connected to the first solenoid valve 41, the first fuel pump 31, the second fuel pump 32, the first aircraft low-voltage power supply module 91, the second aircraft low-voltage power supply module 92, and the temperature control module 01 respectively; the fuel storage device 1 is used for storing fuel, such as Figures 2-3 As shown, the fuel storage device 1 is provided with an oil return port at its upper part, the oil return port 11 is connected to the radiator 2, and the fuel storage device 1 is provided with an oil outlet at its lower part, the oil outlet 12 is connected to the first fuel pump 31 and the second fuel pump 32, such as Figures 4-6 As shown, a number of hollow partition plates 13 for reducing the amplitude of fuel sloshing and a number of damping plates 14 rotatably connected to the inside of the fuel storage device 1 through a rotating shaft 16 fixed to the inner side wall of the fuel storage device 1 are arranged inside the fuel storage device 1. The damping plates 14 and the partition plates 13 are arranged at intervals. Among them, the damping plates 14 are grouped in pairs, and a number of partition plates 13 are provided between the grouped damping plates 14 and there is no damping plate 14. A linkage mechanism 15 for reversing the rotation of the two is provided between the grouped damping plates 14. There are two linkage mechanisms 15 between the grouped damping plates 14 and they are symmetrically arranged. Each linkage mechanism includes a number of guide rings 16 arranged in the fuel storage device 1 and a push rod 17 made of memory metal. The guide rings 16 are arranged in a U shape. One end of the push rod 17 is fixed to the left side of the lower end of one of the damping plates 14, and the other end passes through the guide ring 16 and the other damping plate 14 and is connected to the right side of the lower end of the other damping plate 14. The guide ring 16 makes the push rod 17 extend along the U shape. When the lower end of one of the damping plates 14 is pushed forward by the thrust of fuel surge and flips forward, one end of the push rod 17 moves forward with the lower end of the damping plate 14, and the other end of the push rod 17 pushes the lower end of the other damping plate 14 to flip backward under the guiding action of the guide ring 16. If the surge direction is opposite, the flipping directions of the damping plates 14 are opposite. The damping plates 14 are provided with fuel channels 18, and the inner diameter of the fuel channels 18 decreases from both ends to the middle. The combined use of the fixed partition plates 13 and the damping plates 14 reduces the amplitude of fuel surge. The fixed partition plates 13 will still conduct the sloshing to the whole drone when impacted by fuel surge. And due to the reverse rotation of the grouped damping plates 14, the kinetic energy of the surge is consumed by using the kinetic energy of the surge itself, which can more quickly reduce the sloshing of the fuel. The setting of the inner diameter of the fuel channels 18 from large to small and then to large can further help reduce the sloshing of the fuel; the first fuel pump 31 and the second fuel pump 32 are connected in parallel between the fuel storage device 1 and the first solenoid valve 41, and are both used for pumping out the fuel in the fuel storage device 1. The fuel supply system has a dual-channel redundancy design, which increases the safety redundancy in case of a single component failure.

[0032] The engine includes an engine body 61, a first cooling channel 51, a first temperature detector 71, an engine controller 62, and a fourth temperature detector 74 disposed on the pipeline before the first cooling channel 51 enters the engine body 61. The first solenoid valve 41 is connected to the first cooling channel 51, and the first cooling channel 51 is connected to the fuel injection nozzle on the engine body. The original first cooling channel 51 that uses water circulation cooling on the engine is connected to the first solenoid valve 41 to cool the motor with low-temperature fuel, while preheating the fuel to improve the combustion efficiency of the fuel after entering the engine, and canceling the supporting structure of water circulation cooling, reducing the overall weight of the drone. The engine controller 62 is electrically connected to the engine body 61 and the first temperature detector 71. The first temperature detector 71 detects the temperature signal of the fuel in the first cooling channel 51 and transmits the temperature signal of the fuel in the first cooling channel 51 to the engine controller 62, and the engine controller 62 transmits the temperature signal of the fuel in the first cooling channel 51 to the temperature control module 01. The first temperature detector 71 can assist in controlling the temperature of the fuel in the system.

[0033] The motor includes a motor body, a motor controller 81 for controlling the motor body, a second cooling channel 52 disposed on the motor body, a second temperature detector 72 disposed on the second cooling channel 52, a third cooling channel 53 disposed on the motor controller 81, and a third temperature detector 73 disposed on the third cooling channel 53 for detection. The second cooling channel 52 is located between the first solenoid valve 41 and the first cooling channel 51. The original second cooling channel 52 on the motor is connected to the first solenoid valve 41. When the system supplies fuel to the engine, the motor is cooled with low-temperature fuel, while the fuel is preheated to improve the combustion efficiency of the fuel after entering the engine. The third cooling channel 53 is located between the first solenoid valve 41 and the second cooling channel 52. The third cooling channel 53 provided on the motor controller 81 or the original cooling channel on the motor controller 81 is used as the third cooling channel 53 and is connected to the first solenoid valve 41. When the system supplies fuel to the engine, the motor is cooled with low-temperature fuel, while the fuel is preheated to improve the combustion efficiency of the fuel after entering the engine. The second temperature detector 72 detects the temperature signal of the fuel in the second cooling channel 52 and transmits the temperature signal of the fuel in the second cooling channel 52 to the motor controller 81, and the motor controller 81 transmits the temperature signal of the fuel in the second cooling channel 52 to the temperature control module 01. The second temperature detector 72 can assist in controlling the temperature of the fuel in the system. The third temperature detector 73 detects the temperature signal of the fuel in the third cooling channel 53 and transmits the temperature signal of the fuel in the third cooling channel 53 to the motor controller 81, and the motor controller 81 transmits the temperature signal of the fuel in the third cooling channel 53 to the temperature control module 01. The third temperature detector 73 can assist in controlling the temperature of the fuel in the system.

[0034] An oil drain port is provided on the first solenoid valve 41. When the UAV needs to make an emergency landing due to a fault, the first fuel pump 31 and / or the second fuel pump 32 can be used to accelerate the emptying of the fuel in the fuel storage device 1 as soon as possible. It is also possible to use the first solenoid valve 41 to switch so that the first fuel pump 31 is responsible for discharging the fuel in the fuel storage device 1, and the second fuel pump 32 is responsible for discharging the fuel in the cooling passage.

[0035] The second solenoid valve 42 is provided between the first cooling passage 51 and the fuel storage device 1. The second solenoid valve 42 is electrically connected to the temperature control module 01. The radiator 2 is provided between the second solenoid valve 42 and the fuel storage device 1. The second solenoid valve 42 is used to control the amount of fuel sent back from the first cooling passage 51 to the fuel storage device 1. Combining with the radiator 2 can assist in controlling the temperature of the fuel in the system.

[0036] The above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical concept and features of the present invention, and the purpose is to enable those who are familiar with this technology to understand the content of the present invention and implement it accordingly, and cannot be used to limit the protection scope of the present invention. Any equivalent changes or modifications made according to the spirit of the present invention should be covered within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An oil supply system for a hybrid unmanned aerial vehicle, characterized in that, It includes: An oil storage device for storing fuel; A first solenoid valve connected to the oil storage device; A first fuel pump and a second fuel pump, which are connected in parallel between the oil storage device and the first solenoid valve and are both used to pump out the fuel in the oil storage device; An engine, which includes an engine body and a first cooling channel provided on the engine body. The first solenoid valve is connected to the first cooling channel, and the first cooling channel is connected to a fuel supply nozzle on the engine body; A temperature control module for monitoring the fuel temperature in the system.

2. The fuel supply system of the hybrid unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first solenoid valve is provided with an oil drain port.

3. The fuel supply system of the hybrid unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: The system further includes a motor, which includes a motor body, a motor controller for controlling the motor body, and a second cooling channel provided on the motor body. The second cooling channel is located between the first solenoid valve and the first cooling channel.

4. The fuel supply system of the hybrid unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 3, characterized in that: The motor further includes a third cooling channel provided on the motor controller. The third cooling channel is located between the first solenoid valve and the second cooling channel.

5. The fuel supply system of the hybrid unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The system further includes a second solenoid valve provided between the first cooling channel and the oil storage device. The second solenoid valve is electrically connected to the temperature control module.

6. The fuel supply system of the hybrid unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that: The system further includes a radiator provided between the second solenoid valve and the oil storage device.

7. The fuel supply system of the hybrid unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: The engine includes an engine controller electrically connected to the engine body and a first temperature detector. The first temperature detector detects the temperature signal of the fuel in the first cooling channel and transmits the temperature signal of the fuel in the first cooling channel to the engine controller, and the engine controller transmits the temperature signal of the fuel in the first cooling channel to the temperature control module.

8. The fuel supply system of the hybrid unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 4, wherein: The system includes a second temperature detector provided on the second cooling channel and a third temperature detector provided on the third cooling channel. The second temperature detector detects the temperature signal of the fuel in the second cooling channel and transmits the temperature signal of the fuel in the second cooling channel to the motor controller, and the motor controller transmits the temperature signal of the fuel in the second cooling channel to the temperature control module; or the second temperature detector detects the temperature signal of the fuel in the second cooling channel and directly transmits the temperature signal of the fuel in the second cooling channel to the temperature control module; the third temperature detector detects the temperature signal of the fuel in the third cooling channel and transmits the temperature signal of the fuel in the third cooling channel to the motor controller, and the motor controller transmits the temperature signal of the fuel in the third cooling channel to the temperature control module; or the third temperature detector detects the temperature signal of the fuel in the third cooling channel and directly transmits the temperature signal of the fuel in the third cooling channel to the temperature control module.

9. The fuel supply system of the hybrid unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: The system further includes an aircraft controller, a first aircraft low-voltage power supply module connected to the first fuel pump and the second fuel pump, a second aircraft low-voltage power supply module connected to the first fuel pump and the second fuel pump. The aircraft controller is electrically connected to the first solenoid valve, the first fuel pump, the second fuel pump, the first aircraft low-voltage power supply module, the second aircraft low-voltage power supply module, and the temperature control module respectively.

10. The fuel supply system of the hybrid unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that: A partition plate for reducing fuel sloshing is provided in the oil storage device.

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