Airship ballast compensation system and method based on closed-loop utilization of methanol fuel and airship

Abstract

The application relates to a zeppelin ballast compensation system and method based on methanol fuel closed-loop utilization and a zeppelin, the zeppelin ballast compensation system comprising a methanol fuel storage unit for storing methanol fuel; a water storage tank for storing water; a methanol dilution module for inputting the methanol fuel and the water to obtain a methanol solution; an oxygen supply unit for absorbing external air; a reaction unit for inputting the methanol solution and the air to realize controllable chemical reaction of the methanol and the oxygen; and a condensation recovery device for cooling mixed products generated by the reaction unit to obtain liquid and waste gas respectively, wherein the liquid and the waste gas are injected into the water storage tank, and redundant waste gas in the water storage tank is released to the outside. The zeppelin ballast compensation system can fundamentally avoid weight reduction caused by fuel consumption, does not need to actively consume additional energy for ballast compensation, has a simple structure and good economy, and can effectively promote the wide application of the load-carrying zeppelin in the long-distance transportation field.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of aviation transportation technology, and in particular to an airship weight compensation system, method and airship based on closed-loop utilization of methanol fuel. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of the global logistics and transportation industry, the demand for long-distance, low-energy-consumption, and high-capacity transportation methods is becoming increasingly urgent. As a type of lighter-than-air aircraft, heavy-duty airships have outstanding advantages such as large payload capacity, long endurance, low takeoff and landing site requirements, low operating costs, and environmental friendliness. They have broad application prospects in areas such as transporting goods to remote areas, delivering emergency relief supplies, and transferring large equipment.

[0003] Buoyancy balance is a core prerequisite for stable flight of a heavy-duty airship. Essentially, it requires that the buoyancy force acting on the airship and its total weight (including the hull, payload, fuel, etc.) remain dynamically balanced at all times. However, in actual flight, fuel consumption is the core factor causing the continuous weight loss of the airship: the airship obtains the power required for flight by consuming fuel. As fuel is continuously consumed, its total weight gradually decreases, and the difference between buoyancy and weight continuously increases. Without effective weight compensation, the airship will be unable to maintain its predetermined flight altitude, resulting in continuous climbing. This not only affects flight stability and controllability but may also cause structural damage and other safety hazards due to exceeding the safe flight altitude range.

[0004] Currently, methods such as ballast compensation (by adding ballast, absorbing seawater, etc.), buoyancy adjustment (by releasing some of the buoyancy-reducing gas inside the airship to reduce buoyancy), and cargo replacement compensation (by adding or removing ballast components in the ballast chamber) are commonly used to address the problem of the buoyancy exceeding the weight as the total weight of the airship gradually decreases. However, these methods either actively consume energy and waste resources, or have complex structures and limited applicability, thus failing to meet the requirements for efficient, stable, and economical flight of long-distance, high-capacity airships.

[0005] Therefore, this invention is proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of the problems existing in the background technology, this application provides an airship ballast compensation system, method and airship based on closed-loop utilization of methanol fuel. The airship ballast compensation system can fundamentally avoid weight reduction caused by fuel consumption, does not require active consumption of additional energy for ballast compensation, and has a simple structure and good economy, which can effectively promote the widespread application of heavy-duty airships in the field of long-distance transportation.

[0007] According to a first aspect of the present invention, an airship weight compensation system is provided, comprising: a methanol fuel storage unit for storing methanol fuel; a water tank for storing water for diluting the methanol fuel; a methanol dilution module for inputting the methanol fuel and the water and mixing them to obtain a methanol solution; an oxygen supply unit for absorbing outside air; a reaction unit for inputting the methanol solution and the air to realize a controllable chemical reaction between methanol and oxygen, converting chemical energy into electrical energy, wherein the electrical energy is used to convert into mechanical energy for airship propulsion; and a condensation recovery device for cooling the mixed products generated by the reaction unit to obtain liquid and exhaust gas, wherein the liquid and exhaust gas are injected into the water tank, and redundant exhaust gas in the water tank is released to the outside through active and / or passive depressurization.

[0008] By using the airship weight compensation system in this technical solution, electrical energy is generated through the controllable chemical reaction of methanol and oxygen in the air. This electrical energy is then converted into mechanical energy to power the airship. Simultaneously, the products of the chemical reaction are almost fully recovered and utilized in a closed loop. This means that oxygen is inhaled and redundant exhaust gas is expelled, thus avoiding the active emission of excessive reaction products to the outside world. This ensures that the total weight of the airship remains essentially constant throughout the flight, fundamentally eliminating the buoyancy imbalance problem caused by fuel consumption. There is no need to set up additional weight compensation devices or consume energy for attitude adjustment. This achieves the synergistic coupling of methanol fuel energy conversion and weight compensation. While providing power to the airship, it avoids weight reduction caused by fuel consumption or reaction product emissions, thereby improving the long-distance transport capacity, flight stability, and economy of the heavy-duty airship.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present invention, the water storage tank is provided with a drain valve, which is used to discharge a set volume of water to the outside when the buoyancy balance difference of the airship is lower than a preset value.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present invention, the methanol fuel storage unit and / or the water tank and / or the reaction unit are provided with a pressure relief valve, through which redundant exhaust gas in the water tank is released to the outside.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present invention, a filtration device is provided on the liquid delivery pipeline from the water storage tank to the methanol dilution module. The filtration device is used to filter and purify the liquid recovered by the condensation recovery device to obtain a mixture of water and methanol and deliver it to the anode of the methanol dilution module and / or the reaction unit.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present invention, the reaction unit is provided with a cooling device, which is used to cool the reaction unit when the temperature of the reaction unit is too high.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present invention, the airship ballast compensation system further includes a methanol fuel auxiliary tank, which supplies methanol fuel to the reaction unit via a methanol fuel storage unit.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present invention, the airship weight compensation system further includes a control system, the control system comprising: a weight sensor for real-time acquisition of the total weight of the airship during flight; a buoyancy sensor for real-time acquisition of the buoyancy of the airship during flight; and a central controller for controlling the power output of the reaction unit and / or the discharge of a set volume of water from the water storage tank to the outside based on the total weight data and the buoyancy data.

[0015] In some embodiments of the present invention, the control system further includes: a temperature sensor for real-time acquisition of the temperature of the reaction unit during airship flight; a pressure sensor for real-time acquisition of the pressure of the reaction unit during airship flight; and the central controller controlling the cooling or depressurization of the reaction unit based on the temperature and pressure data.

[0016] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a method for ballast compensation of an airship is provided, based on the aforementioned airship ballast compensation system, comprising the following steps: S1, setting operating parameters according to the airship's load, preset flight altitude, and range; S2, injecting a preset amount of methanol fuel into the methanol fuel storage unit, and simultaneously injecting initial dilution water into the methanol dilution module to ensure that the initial methanol solution concentration meets the set requirements; S3, fine-tuning the initial load and / or the amount of methanol fuel stored according to the initial buoyancy balance difference to ensure that the airship is in a buoyancy balance state before takeoff; S4, after the airship takes off, the oxygen supply unit starts working, supplying oxygen to the cathode of the reaction unit; Simultaneously, methanol fuel in the methanol fuel storage unit is transported to the methanol dilution module. The methanol fuel is mixed with the initial dilution water in a set ratio to obtain a methanol solution that meets the reaction requirements. The methanol solution is then transported to the anode of the reaction unit. Methanol and oxygen undergo a controlled chemical reaction within the reaction unit, converting chemical energy into electrical energy. Meanwhile, the mixed products generated by the reaction unit are cooled to form liquid and exhaust gas. The liquid and exhaust gas are injected into the water storage tank, and the redundant exhaust gas in the water storage tank is released to the outside through active and / or passive depressurization. S5. During flight, the power output of the reaction unit and / or the water storage tank discharges a set volume of water to the outside based on the buoyancy balance difference.

[0017] According to a third aspect of the present invention, an airship is provided, comprising the aforementioned airship weight compensation system, a main airbag, a secondary airbag, a cabin, a power output unit, and an airship propulsion device. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the airship in this application.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the airship stabilization compensation system of this application.

[0020] The labels in the attached diagram are as follows: 201. Main airbag; 202. Secondary airbag; 203. Cabin; 204. Airship ballast compensation system; 1. Methanol fuel cell; 2. Pressure relief valve; 3. Thermal insulation material; 4. Positive and negative electrodes; 5. Condensation recovery device; 6. Methanol fuel storage unit; 7. Water tank; 8. Drain valve; 9. Compressor; 10. Methanol fuel auxiliary tank. Detailed Implementation

[0021] It should be understood that the described embodiments are merely some, not all, of the embodiments in this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments in this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0022] In the following description, when referring to the accompanying drawings, the same numbers in different drawings denote the same or similar elements unless otherwise indicated. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this application. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this application as detailed in the appended claims.

[0023] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances. Furthermore, in the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "multiple" refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0024] Heavy-duty airships have outstanding advantages such as large carrying capacity, long endurance, low requirements for take-off and landing sites, low operating costs, and environmental friendliness. Currently, there are ballast compensation schemes for heavy-duty airships, including ballast compensation schemes, buoyancy adjustment schemes, and cargo replacement compensation schemes.

[0025] Ballast compensation schemes include carrying ballast (such as ballast water and sandbags) and gradually increasing ballast during fuel consumption, or absorbing seawater from the earth to offset the weight loss caused by fuel consumption. However, ballast itself occupies the effective payload space of the airship, reducing transportation efficiency. Although some improvement schemes collect engine exhaust condensate as ballast water, this requires additional complex condensation recovery devices for engine exhaust, increasing the structural weight and energy consumption of the airship. Furthermore, the amount of engine exhaust condensate collected is greatly affected by factors such as ambient temperature and humidity, resulting in poor stability. On the other hand, the exhaust gas produced when using aviation kerosene as fuel and engines as power plants contains a large amount of sulfides and nitrogen oxides. Using condensation recovery methods would cool the high-temperature exhaust gas into an acidic liquid, increasing storage costs.

[0026] The buoyancy adjustment scheme reduces buoyancy by releasing some of the buoyancy-enhancing gas (such as helium) inside the airship to match the weight after fuel consumption. However, due to the scarcity and high cost of buoyancy-enhancing gases such as helium, releasing large amounts will lead to a sharp increase in operating costs. Moreover, the released gas cannot be recovered, which seriously limits the airship's endurance and economy. At the same time, the amount of buoyancy-enhancing gas released is difficult to control precisely, which can easily lead to over- or under-buoyancy adjustment, affecting flight stability.

[0027] The cargo replacement compensation scheme involves setting up a dedicated ballast chamber in the cargo hold, adding ballast components to the ballast chamber during unloading, and removing the ballast components during loading to maintain the overall weight balance of the airship. However, this scheme requires the design of complex ballast component storage and transfer mechanisms (such as conveyor belts, rails, and drive components), which increases the structural complexity and manufacturing cost of the airship. Furthermore, the addition and removal of ballast components rely on ground support facilities, making autonomous compensation in the air impossible and unsuitable for long-distance continuous transportation scenarios.

[0028] Therefore, this invention proposes an airship weight compensation system, method, and airship based on closed-loop utilization of methanol fuel. The core objective is to achieve synergistic coupling between fuel energy conversion and weight compensation, providing power to the airship while avoiding weight reduction due to fuel consumption or reaction product emissions. No additional energy is required for weight adjustment, thereby improving the long-distance transport capacity, flight stability, and economy of the heavy-duty airship.

[0029] This application discloses an airship ballast compensation system based on closed-loop utilization of methanol fuel. For example... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the airship ballast compensation system 204 includes a methanol fuel storage unit 6, a water tank 7, a methanol dilution module, an oxygen supply unit, a reaction unit, and a condensation recovery device 5.

[0030] The methanol fuel storage unit 6 is used to store methanol fuel; the water tank 7 is used to store water for diluting methanol fuel; the methanol dilution module is used to input methanol fuel and water and mix them to dilute the methanol fuel and obtain a methanol solution; and the oxygen supply unit is used to absorb outside air.

[0031] The reaction unit is used to input methanol solution and air to realize the controllable chemical reaction between methanol and oxygen, converting chemical energy into electrical energy, which is then used to convert the electrical energy into mechanical energy to drive the airship; the condensation and recovery device 5 is used to cool the mixed products generated by the reaction unit, obtaining liquid and waste gas respectively. The liquid and waste gas are injected into the water storage tank 7, and the redundant waste gas in the water storage tank 7 is released to the outside through active and / or passive depressurization.

[0032] By using the airship weight compensation system 204 in this technical solution, electrical energy is generated through a controllable chemical reaction between methanol and oxygen in the air. This electrical energy is then converted into mechanical energy to power the airship. Simultaneously, the products of the chemical reaction are almost fully recovered and utilized in a closed loop. This means that oxygen is inhaled and excess exhaust gas (mainly CO2) is expelled, thus avoiding the active emission of excessive reaction products to the outside world. This ensures that the total weight of the airship remains basically constant throughout the flight, fundamentally eliminating the buoyancy imbalance problem caused by fuel consumption. There is no need to set up additional weight compensation devices or consume energy for attitude adjustment. This achieves the synergistic coupling of methanol fuel energy conversion and weight compensation. While providing power to the airship, it avoids weight reduction caused by fuel consumption or reaction product emissions, thereby improving the long-distance transport capacity, flight stability, and economy of the heavy-duty airship.

[0033] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 2 As shown, the reaction unit is selected as methanol fuel cell 1; further, methanol fuel cell 1 is direct methanol fuel cell 1 (DMFC).

[0034] In some embodiments of the present invention, the mixed products generated by the direct methanol fuel cell 1 include water, carbon dioxide, and unreacted methanol vapor, etc.

[0035] In this invention, the electrochemical reaction between methanol and oxygen is as follows: Anode reaction: CH3OH + H2O → 6H + +6e - +CO2↑; Cathode reaction: 3 / 2O2 + 6H + +6e - →3H2O; Overall reaction: CH3OH + 3 / 2O2 → CO2↑ + 2H2O + electrical energy.

[0036] Specifically, the core products of the chemical reaction between methanol (CH3OH) and oxygen (O2) are water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2). This invention uses a dedicated reaction unit and a water storage tank 7 to recover the water and a portion of the dissolved carbon dioxide produced in the reaction and reuse them in the fuel cycle. On the one hand, the recovered water can be used as a dilution medium for methanol fuel, solving the problem of low reaction efficiency caused by excessively high methanol fuel concentration. On the other hand, the mass of the recovered water can offset the mass of methanol consumed, ensuring that the weight of the airship's ballast compensation system 204 remains unchanged even in the event of carbon dioxide (CO2) leakage. Throughout the process, the airship obtains oxygen from the outside and emits a small amount of carbon dioxide, thus ensuring that the total weight does not change significantly.

[0037] In some embodiments of the present invention, the methanol fuel cell 1 preferably employs a passive water recovery membrane electrode assembly (MEA) to reduce water migration loss and improve water recovery efficiency.

[0038] In some embodiments of the present invention, the methanol fuel cell 1 has a recycling unit, which serves as an auxiliary module of the methanol fuel cell 1. The recycling unit is used to recover and reuse reaction products (water, unreacted methanol), recover waste heat, and separate by-products (CO2), thereby solving key problems such as methanol permeation, water supply and demand imbalance, and fuel waste, and improving system efficiency and range.

[0039] In some embodiments of the present invention, the methanol dilution module is part of the recycling unit. The methanol dilution module is used for buffer storage of methanol, replenishment of fresh methanol, and adjustment of the solution concentration to the desired concentration using reused reaction products.

[0040] In some embodiments of the present invention, the initial concentration of methanol fuel is preferably 30% to 50% (containing 30 to 50 mL of methanol per 100 mL of solution), that is, in the methanol dilution module, after the methanol fuel and water are uniformly mixed at the beginning, the methanol concentration is 30% to 50%.

[0041] In some embodiments of the present invention, the operating temperature of the reaction unit is preferably 60~80°C, and the reaction ratio of oxygen to methanol is set according to a stoichiometric ratio of 1.5:1.

[0042] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 2 As shown, the water tank 7 is equipped with a drain valve 8, which is used to discharge a set volume of water to the outside when the buoyancy balance difference of the airship is lower than the preset value.

[0043] In this embodiment, since some of the carbon dioxide in the reaction products of methanol and oxygen dissolves in water, and as the flight time increases, the difference between the mass of input oxygen and the mass of output carbon dioxide may continue to increase, that is, the methanol reaction process is a case of increasing weight. As a result, the weight increase of the liquid in the water tank 7 exceeds the weight of methanol consumed in the methanol fuel storage unit 6 by too much. Therefore, when the airship gains too much weight due to the recovered water, and the buoyancy balance difference is lower than the preset value, a set volume of water can be discharged to the outside through the drain valve 8, thereby keeping the buoyancy balance difference of the airship within the preset range.

[0044] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 2 As shown, a pressure relief valve 2 is provided on the methanol fuel storage unit 6 and / or the water tank 7 and / or the reaction unit.

[0045] It should be understood that in this invention, only the methanol fuel storage unit 6 may be equipped with a pressure relief valve 2; only the water storage tank 7 may be equipped with a pressure relief valve 2; only the reaction unit may be equipped with a pressure relief valve 2; or any two of them may be equipped with a pressure relief valve 2; or all three may be equipped with a pressure relief valve 2.

[0046] Preferably, the methanol fuel storage unit 6, the water tank 7, and the reaction unit are each equipped with a pressure relief valve 2.

[0047] When the pressure in the reaction unit is too high, gas is released through the pressure relief valve 2 on the reaction unit, allowing for fine-tuning of the pressure within the reaction unit. Simultaneously, the gas released from the reaction unit consists of trace amounts of unreacted impurities, the emission volume of which is negligible and does not affect the overall weight balance. Redundant exhaust gas in the water storage tank 7 is released to the outside through its pressure relief valve 2, with the pressure relief method being both active and / or passive. Additionally, when the temperature of the water storage tank 7 increases, pressure can also be released through the pressure relief valve 2. When the temperature of the methanol fuel storage unit 6 increases, pressure can be released through its pressure relief valve 2, reducing the pressure in the methanol fuel storage unit 6.

[0048] In some embodiments of the present invention, the condensation recovery device 5 and the water storage tank 7 together serve as a product recovery unit. In addition, the product recovery unit also includes a filtration device, which is installed on the liquid delivery pipeline from the water storage tank 7 to the methanol dilution module. The filtration device is used to filter and purify the liquid recovered by the condensation recovery device 5 to obtain a mixture of water and methanol and deliver it to the anode of the methanol dilution module and / or the reaction unit.

[0049] In this embodiment, the water storage tank 7 recovers the liquid condensed from the mixed products generated by the reaction unit. The liquid is filtered by a filtration device to remove trace impurities and obtain a pure water-methanol mixture. This low-concentration waste liquid is then transported to the methanol dilution module to dilute methanol fuel, or it is transported to the anode of the reaction unit to improve both the power generation of the anode and the utilization rate of methanol.

[0050] In some embodiments of the present invention, the filtration device may employ activated carbon filtration or membrane separation technology to remove trace impurities from the liquid after condensation of the mixed product, thereby obtaining a relatively pure water-methanol mixture for reuse.

[0051] In some embodiments of the present invention, the mixed products generated by the reaction unit can be transported to the product recovery unit via pipeline.

[0052] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 2 As shown, the condensation recovery device 5 can use a condenser tube. The operating environment of heavy-duty airships is generally above 2 kilometers and the temperature is below 10℃. Air cooling is sufficient to condense the mixture of methanol, carbon dioxide and water vapor produced. That is, the mixed product is cooled to 0~10℃ under the action of air cooling, so that the water and methanol vapor in it are condensed into liquid, while the carbon dioxide remains in gaseous state, and then input into the water storage tank 7 for separation.

[0053] In some embodiments of the present invention, the water storage tank 7 is equipped with a liquid level sensor and a water tank pressure sensor to monitor the amount of recovered products in real time, ensure that the recovery rate matches the reaction product generation rate, and avoid the accumulation of products in the system, which would lead to excessive pressure.

[0054] In some embodiments of the present invention, the reaction unit is provided with a cooling device, which is used to cool the reaction unit when the temperature of the reaction unit is too high.

[0055] In some embodiments of the present invention, the cooling device includes, but is not limited to, a water-cooled or air-cooled system.

[0056] In some embodiments of the present invention, the oxygen supply unit includes an air filter and a compressor. The air filter and the compressor work together to extract high-pressure air from the outside air, filter it, and deliver it to the reaction unit to participate in the chemical reaction, while avoiding the reaction rate being affected by the low concentration of air at high altitudes.

[0057] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 1 As shown, the airship ballast compensation system 204 also includes a methanol fuel auxiliary tank 10, which supplies methanol fuel to the reaction unit via a methanol fuel storage unit 6. The methanol fuel auxiliary tank 10 is a large auxiliary tank, while the methanol fuel storage unit 6 is an intermediate tank; that is, the capacity of the methanol fuel auxiliary tank 10 is greater than that of the methanol fuel storage unit 6.

[0058] In this embodiment, by setting up a methanol fuel auxiliary tank 10, which serves as a large auxiliary tank to supply methanol fuel to the relatively small methanol fuel storage unit 6, instead of using a large auxiliary tank to directly supply fuel to the methanol fuel cell 1, the channel can be cut off in time in case of leakage or safety issues in the fuel delivery channel, ensuring flight safety and providing a safety redundancy design for the airship.

[0059] Furthermore, the methanol fuel storage unit 6 has sufficient capacity to ensure that the methanol reserves in the methanol fuel storage unit 6 can guarantee the safe landing of the airship.

[0060] In addition, methanol has a lower volumetric energy than aviation kerosene. By setting up a methanol fuel auxiliary tank 10, this invention can increase methanol reserves and effectively ensure the long-distance transportation capability of heavy-duty airships.

[0061] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 1 As shown, the methanol fuel auxiliary tank 10 is placed in the auxiliary gasbag 202 of the airship, which is safer than being externally mounted on the cabin 203 of the airship.

[0062] Furthermore, the auxiliary airbag 202 can be ventilated by the compressor 9 and is protected by the airbag body, so it is less exposed to changing airflow and vibration impacts compared to external attachments.

[0063] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 1 As shown, the compressor 9 used by the auxiliary airbag 202 can be the same as the compressor of the oxygen supply unit. That is, the auxiliary airbag 202 and the methanol fuel cell 1 are connected in parallel to the outlet of the compressor 9 through branches and valves, so as to realize independent gas supply to the auxiliary airbag 202 and the methanol fuel cell 1, as well as control of the timing and amount of gas supply.

[0064] In some embodiments of the present invention, the fuel stored in the methanol fuel auxiliary tank 10 and the methanol fuel storage unit 6 is high-concentration methanol fuel (concentration ≥ 99%).

[0065] In some embodiments of the present invention, the high-concentration methanol in the methanol fuel storage unit 6 can be transported to the methanol dilution module of the recycling unit via a transfer pump, and the diluted methanol solution can be transported to the anode of the reaction unit via a transfer pump.

[0066] In some embodiments of the present invention, the methanol fuel storage unit 6 is equipped with a liquid level sensor and a fuel pressure sensor to monitor the fuel storage amount and storage pressure in real time, ensuring a stable fuel supply.

[0067] In some embodiments of the present invention, the airship weight compensation system 204 further includes a control system, which includes a weight sensor, a buoyancy sensor and a central controller.

[0068] The weight sensor is used to collect the total weight of the airship in real time during flight; the buoyancy sensor is used to collect the buoyancy of the airship in real time during flight; and the central controller is used to control the power output of the reaction unit and / or the water tank 7 to discharge a set volume of water to the outside based on the total weight data and buoyancy data.

[0069] In some embodiments of the present invention, the central controller compares and analyzes the total weight and buoyancy data collected in real time to calculate the buoyancy balance difference. Since the present invention realizes closed-loop utilization of fuel and does not actively emit products, the total weight of the airship remains basically constant, and the buoyancy balance difference should be controlled within a preset threshold, such as ±50kg.

[0070] If the buoyancy-weight imbalance exceeds a preset threshold, the central controller adjusts the airship's propulsion by fine-tuning the power output of the reaction unit, such as changing the supply of fuel and oxygen, thereby fine-tuning the flight attitude and altitude without additional ballast jettisoning or releasing buoyancy gas. If the difference is too large, a small amount of water can be discharged through the water tank 7 to reduce the airship's weight. Thus, in this invention, by dynamically adjusting the fuel supply, oxygen supply, and product recovery rate through parameter changes, the stable operation of the system and the buoyancy-weight balance of the airship can be effectively ensured.

[0071] In some embodiments of the present invention, the control system further includes a temperature sensor and a pressure sensor. The temperature sensor is used to collect the temperature of the reaction unit in real time during the airship's flight; the pressure sensor is used to collect the pressure of the reaction unit in real time during the airship's flight; the central controller controls the cooling or depressurization of the reaction unit based on the temperature and pressure data, specifically by activating a cooling device to cool the reaction unit and by depressurizing the reaction unit through a pressure relief valve 2.

[0072] In some embodiments of the present invention, the volume of methanol supplied to the methanol fuel storage unit 6 can also be modified in real time based on data provided by the central controller for the methanol fuel auxiliary tank 10.

[0073] In some embodiments of the present invention, the drain valve 8 may be an electrically controlled valve.

[0074] Since the methanol reaction process increases weight, and considering the possibility of gas leakage, the weight of the airship remains roughly constant over a certain period of time. This invention further controls the weight sensor, buoyancy sensor, and central controller of the system. The data detected by the weight sensor and buoyancy sensor are used as inputs, and the central controller can continuously adjust the weight of the water discharged by the drain valve 8, thereby maintaining the weight of the airship's weight compensation system 204 within a very small fluctuation range.

[0075] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 2As shown, the methanol fuel storage unit 6 is located on one side of the reaction unit. The methanol fuel storage unit 6 adopts a U-shaped design, that is, the methanol fuel storage unit is designed with a bottom that is open and two sides raised to ensure the weight balance on both sides. The middle part of the U-shape can be used to place the water tank 7.

[0076] In some embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 2 As shown, a heat insulation material 3 is provided between the reaction unit and the methanol fuel storage unit 6 and the water tank 7 to prevent the waste heat generated by the methanol fuel cell 1 from being conducted to the methanol fuel storage unit 6 and the water tank 7, thereby causing both to heat up and the methanol to evaporate more quickly.

[0077] In some embodiments of the present invention, the water storage tank 7 and the methanol fuel cell 1 are connected by a transport pipeline (through a filtration device), which is buried in the heat insulation material 3, thereby allowing the low-concentration waste liquid in the water storage tank 7 to be reintroduced into the anode of the reaction unit, which can both improve the power generation of the anode and improve the utilization rate of methanol.

[0078] In some embodiments of the present invention, the electrical energy produced by the reaction unit can be converted into mechanical energy by the power output unit to drive the airship propulsion device.

[0079] In some embodiments of the present invention, the power output unit includes an inverter and a motor, etc.

[0080] In some embodiments of the present invention, positive and negative electrodes 4 are provided on the surface of the methanol fuel cell 1 for electrical connection with the power output unit.

[0081] In some embodiments of the present invention, when material transportation is required, each unit / module can be connected through pipelines and transported by pumping or natural gravity.

[0082] In some embodiments of the present invention, when data feedback and active control are required, each unit / module can be electrically connected to realize the feedback of sensor-collected data and parameter setting and adjustment, etc.

[0083] This embodiment also proposes an airship, which includes the airship weight compensation system 204 described above, as well as a main airbag 201, a secondary airbag 202, a cabin 203, a power output unit, and an airship propulsion device.

[0084] The main gasbag 201 stores a large amount of helium as a lift source. When the airship lands, the auxiliary gasbag 202 works with the compressor 9 and the methanol fuel auxiliary tank 10 to reduce buoyancy (the auxiliary gasbag 202 expands to compress the main gasbag 201). At the same time, when the airship is in flight, the compressor 9 also supplies high-pressure air to the methanol fuel cell 1 to ensure the normal operation of the airship ballast compensation system 204. The cabin 203 has a cargo hold and a cockpit for carrying cargo and piloting, and most of the units of the airship ballast compensation system 204 are fixed at the bottom of the cabin 203. The power output unit is electrically connected to the reaction unit, and the airship propulsion device is mechanically connected to the power output unit. The power output unit uses the electricity produced by the reaction unit to drive the airship propulsion device, enabling the airship to run.

[0085] This embodiment also proposes an airship weight compensation method, which is based on the aforementioned airship weight compensation system and includes the following steps: S1. Set the operating parameters according to the airship's load, preset flight altitude, and range.

[0086] S2. Inject a preset amount of methanol fuel into the methanol fuel storage unit, and at the same time inject initial dilution water into the methanol dilution module to ensure that the initial methanol solution concentration meets the set requirements.

[0087] S3. Fine-tune the initial load and / or methanol fuel storage based on the initial buoyancy balance difference to ensure that the airship is in buoyancy balance before takeoff.

[0088] S4. After the airship takes off, the oxygen supply unit starts working, supplying oxygen to the cathode of the reaction unit; at the same time, the methanol fuel in the methanol fuel storage unit is transported to the methanol dilution module, where the methanol fuel is mixed with the initial dilution water in a set ratio to obtain a methanol solution that meets the reaction requirements. The methanol solution is then transported to the anode of the reaction unit; methanol and oxygen undergo a controllable chemical reaction in the reaction unit, converting chemical energy into electrical energy. Meanwhile, the mixed products generated by the reaction unit are cooled to form liquid and exhaust gas, which are injected into the water storage tank. The redundant exhaust gas in the water storage tank is released to the outside through active and / or passive depressurization.

[0089] S5. During flight, adjust the power output of the reaction unit and / or discharge a set volume of water from the water tank to the outside based on the buoyancy balance difference.

[0090] The airship weight compensation method will be further explained below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0091] Example 1 1) System initialization and parameter setting 1.1) Before flight, conduct a comprehensive inspection of the entire airship weight compensation system to ensure that all units, such as the methanol fuel storage unit, reaction unit, and product recovery unit, are properly connected and leak-free.

[0092] 1.2) Based on the airship's load, preset flight altitude and range, the control system sets various operating parameters, including: the initial concentration of methanol fuel (preferably 30%-50%), the operating temperature of the reaction unit (preferably 60-80℃ for methanol fuel cells), the reaction ratio of oxygen to methanol (set according to a stoichiometric ratio of 1.5:1), and the product recovery rate threshold.

[0093] 1.3) Inject a preset amount of high-concentration methanol (concentration ≥ 99%) into the methanol fuel storage unit, and at the same time inject initial dilution water into the methanol dilution module of the recycling unit to ensure that the initial fuel solution concentration meets the set requirements.

[0094] 1.4) The initial total weight and initial buoyancy of the airship are collected by weight sensors and buoyancy sensors. The control system calculates the initial buoyancy balance difference. If there is a difference, it is fine-tuned by adjusting the initial load or fuel storage to ensure that the airship is in a buoyancy balance state before takeoff.

[0095] 2) Fuel supply and chemical reaction initiation 2.1) After the airship takes off, the control system issues a start command and the oxygen supply unit starts working: after the air is filtered to remove impurities by the air filter, it is compressed by the compressor to the preset pressure (0.2-0.5MPa), and the high-pressure air is delivered to the cathode (fuel cell) of the reaction unit through the pipeline.

[0096] 2.2) The high-concentration methanol in the methanol fuel storage unit is transported by a transfer pump to the methanol dilution module of the recycling unit, where it is mixed with the initial dilution water pre-stored in the product recovery unit in a set ratio to generate a methanol solution (concentration 30%-50%) that meets the reaction requirements.

[0097] 2.3) The diluted methanol solution is pumped to the anode (fuel cell) of the reaction unit, where it undergoes a controlled chemical reaction with oxygen within the unit: In a methanol fuel cell, an electrochemical reaction occurs: Anode reaction: CH3OH + H2O → 6H + +6e - +CO2↑; Cathode reaction: 3 / 2O2 + 6H + +6e - →3H2O; Overall reaction: CH3OH + 3 / 2O2 → CO2↑ + 2H2O + electrical energy.

[0098] 2.4) During the reaction, the control system monitors the temperature and internal pressure of the reaction unit in real time through temperature and pressure sensors. If the temperature is too high, the cooling device (such as water cooling or air cooling system) is activated to cool down; if the pressure is too high, the pressure relief valve is used for fine adjustment (the pressure relief gas is a trace amount of impurity gas that has not participated in the reaction, the amount of which is negligible and does not affect the total weight balance).

[0099] 3) Partial recovery of reaction products 3.1) The mixed products generated by the reaction unit (including liquid water, carbon dioxide gas, unreacted methanol vapor and trace impurities) are transported to the product recovery unit through pipelines.

[0100] 3.2) The mixed products first enter the condensation and recovery unit, where they are cooled to 0-10°C by air cooling, causing the water and methanol vapor to condense into liquid, while the carbon dioxide remains in a gaseous state.

[0101] 3.3) The condensed gas-liquid mixture enters the water storage tank, and the redundant gaseous part (carbon dioxide) is separated by active / passive pressure relief.

[0102] 3.4) The liquid portion (water and methanol) enters the filtration device, where trace impurities are removed by activated carbon filtration or membrane separation technology to obtain a pure water-methanol mixture.

[0103] 3.5) The liquid level sensor and water tank pressure sensor of the product recovery unit monitor the amount of recovered product in real time to ensure that the recovery rate matches the reaction product generation rate and avoid the product from accumulating in the system and causing excessive pressure.

[0104] 4) Real-time monitoring and fine-tuning of buoyancy balance 4.1) During flight, the weight sensor collects the total weight of the airship in real time (including the total weight of the hull, payload, fuel, system units and recovered products), and the buoyancy sensor collects the buoyancy of the airship in real time (calculated based on parameters such as flight altitude and atmospheric density).

[0105] 4.2) The control system will compare and analyze the total weight and buoyancy data collected in real time to calculate the buoyancy balance difference. Since the present invention realizes closed-loop utilization of fuel and does not actively emit products, the total weight of the airship remains basically constant, and the buoyancy balance difference should be controlled within a preset threshold (such as ±50kg).

[0106] 4.3) If the buoyancy-weight balance difference exceeds the preset threshold, the control system adjusts the propulsion of the airship by fine-tuning the power output of the reaction unit (changing the supply of fuel and oxygen), thereby fine-tuning the flight attitude and altitude without additional jettisoning of ballast or release of buoyancy gas; if the difference is too large, a small amount of water can be discharged out through the ballast tank to reduce the weight of the airship.

[0107] 5) System shutdown and maintenance 5.1) After the airship reaches its destination, the control system issues a shutdown command, first stopping the supply of fuel and oxygen, and the reaction unit gradually stops working.

[0108] 5.2) The product recovery unit continues to operate for a period of time to recover all the residual products in the reaction unit.

[0109] 5.3) Clean and inspect each unit of the system, remove impurities from the filter, check the pipe connections, and prepare for the next flight.

[0110] The present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. Fundamentally solves the weight compensation problem caused by fuel consumption without requiring additional energy expenditure: This invention recovers and utilizes most of the products (water, carbon dioxide, and unreacted methanol) from the reaction of methanol and oxygen in a closed loop, without actively releasing excess substances into the environment. This ensures that the total weight of the airship remains essentially constant throughout the entire flight, completely eliminating the weight reduction problem caused by traditional fuel consumption. Compared to existing technologies that require actively jettisoning ballast, releasing buoyancy gases, or consuming energy to adjust attitude, this invention eliminates the need for additional weight compensation devices and buoyancy balance adjustments, fundamentally improving the energy utilization efficiency of heavy-duty airships.

[0111] 2. Enhanced Long-Distance Transportation Capacity and Endurance: Firstly, methanol fuel has a high energy density (4.4 kWh / L) and can be stored in a high-concentration liquid state at room temperature, facilitating large-scale storage and transportation. Compared to new energy sources like hydrogen fuel cells, it offers better endurance. Secondly, unlike hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells, the efficiency of methanol fuel cells does not decrease with decreasing concentration. Experiments show that using the technical solution of this invention, the endurance of heavy-duty airships can be increased by more than 30%, and the effective transportation distance can be increased by more than 40%.

[0112] 3. Simplified system structure, reduced manufacturing costs and maintenance difficulty: Existing ballast compensation schemes require additional complex devices such as ballast storage and release mechanisms and cargo replacement mechanisms, resulting in cumbersome structures, high manufacturing costs, and significant maintenance difficulties. This invention integrates functions such as fuel supply, energy conversion, product recovery, and recycling into one unit, eliminating the need for additional ballast compensation devices. The system structure is simpler and more compact. Furthermore, the operating status of each unit is centrally monitored and adjusted through the control system, achieving a high degree of automation and reducing manual maintenance costs and operational difficulty.

[0113] 4. Enhanced Flight Stability and Safety: Existing technologies struggle to precisely control compensation methods such as ballast jettisoning and buoyancy gas release, leading to fluctuations in buoyancy balance and impacting flight stability. Cargo replacement and other solutions rely on ground support and cannot achieve autonomous in-flight compensation. This invention, by real-time monitoring of buoyancy balance parameters and leveraging the constant weight characteristic of closed-loop fuel utilization, requires only minor adjustments to the reaction power to maintain buoyancy balance. Its high precision and rapid response significantly improve the airship's flight stability. Simultaneously, it avoids safety hazards such as excessively rapid ascent and loss of control caused by buoyancy imbalance, thus enhancing flight safety.

[0114] 5. Economic efficiency and environmental friendliness: On the one hand, methanol fuel preparation technology is mature and relatively low-cost, and it can be synthesized and regenerated from carbon dioxide and hydrogen sources, further reducing fuel costs. Simultaneously, the simplified system structure and improved energy utilization efficiency also reduce the airship's operating costs. On the other hand, this invention enables the recovery and utilization of reaction products, avoiding the impact of ballast disposal on the ground environment, thus meeting environmental protection requirements. Furthermore, compared to scarce resources such as helium, methanol fuel is easy to obtain and replenish, further enhancing the economic efficiency and feasibility of the technical solution.

[0115] 6. Wide applicability and promising prospects for promotion: The technical solution of this invention is not only applicable to large heavy-duty airships, but also to different types of airships such as small and medium-sized cargo airships and high-altitude long-endurance airships; at the same time, the concentration of methanol fuel cells can be adjusted according to actual needs to adapt to different power output requirements. In addition, the closed-loop fuel utilization concept of this invention can also provide a reference for the energy supply and weight balance problems of other aircraft (such as long-endurance UAVs), and has broad application prospects and promotional value.

[0116] In summary, this invention, through its innovative "closed-loop utilization of methanol fuel and dynamic weight conservation" design, completely solves many of the shortcomings of existing weight compensation technologies for heavy-duty airships, significantly improving the energy utilization efficiency, long-distance transport capacity, flight stability, and economy of heavy-duty airships. It also has advantages such as simple structure, environmental friendliness, and wide applicability, which is of great significance for promoting the widespread application of heavy-duty airships in logistics transportation, emergency rescue, and other fields.

[0117] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A ballast compensation system for airships based on closed-loop utilization of methanol fuel, characterized in that, include: Methanol fuel storage unit, used to store methanol fuel; A water storage tank is used to store water for diluting the methanol fuel; A methanol dilution module is used to input the methanol fuel and the water and mix them to obtain a methanol solution; Oxygen supply unit, used to absorb outside air; The reaction unit is used to input the methanol solution and the air to realize a controllable chemical reaction between methanol and oxygen, converting chemical energy into electrical energy, which is then used to convert the electrical energy into mechanical energy to drive the airship. A condensation recovery device is used to cool the mixed products generated by the reaction unit to obtain liquid and waste gas respectively. The liquid and waste gas are injected into the water storage tank. The redundant waste gas in the water storage tank is released to the outside through active and / or passive depressurization.

2. The airship weight compensation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water tank is equipped with a drain valve, which is used to discharge a set volume of water to the outside when the buoyancy balance difference of the airship is lower than a preset value.

3. The airship weight compensation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The methanol fuel storage unit and / or the water tank and / or the reaction unit are equipped with pressure relief valves, through which redundant exhaust gas in the water tank is released to the outside.

4. The airship weight compensation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water storage tank is equipped with a filtration device on the liquid delivery pipeline to the methanol dilution module. The filtration device is used to filter and purify the liquid recovered by the condensation recovery device to obtain a mixture of water and methanol, which is then delivered to the anode of the methanol dilution module and / or the reaction unit.

5. The airship weight compensation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The reaction unit is equipped with a cooling device, which is used to cool the reaction unit when the temperature is too high.

6. The airship weight compensation system according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a methanol fuel auxiliary tank, which supplies methanol fuel to the reaction unit via a methanol fuel storage unit.

7. The airship weight compensation system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, It also includes a control system, which includes: Weight sensors are used to collect the total weight of the airship in real time during its flight. A buoyancy sensor is used to collect the buoyancy of an airship in real time during its flight. The central controller, based on the total weight data and buoyancy data, controls the power output of the reaction unit and / or the discharge of a set volume of water from the water storage tank to the outside.

8. The airship weight compensation system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The control system further includes: Temperature sensors are used to collect the temperature of the reaction unit in real time during the airship's flight; Pressure sensors are used to collect the pressure of the reaction unit in real time during the airship's flight; The central controller controls the cooling or depressurization of the reaction unit based on the temperature and pressure data.

9. A method for compensating the weight of an airship, based on the airship weight compensation system as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Set the operating parameters according to the airship's load, preset flight altitude, and range; S2. Inject a preset amount of methanol fuel into the methanol fuel storage unit, and at the same time inject initial dilution water into the methanol dilution module to ensure that the initial methanol solution concentration meets the set requirements. S3. Fine-tune the initial load and / or methanol fuel storage based on the initial buoyancy balance difference to ensure that the airship is in buoyancy balance before takeoff. S4. After the airship takes off, the oxygen supply unit starts working, supplying oxygen to the cathode of the reaction unit; at the same time, the methanol fuel in the methanol fuel storage unit is transported to the methanol dilution module, where the methanol fuel is mixed with the initial dilution water in a set ratio to obtain a methanol solution that meets the reaction requirements. The methanol solution is then transported to the anode of the reaction unit; methanol and oxygen undergo a controllable chemical reaction in the reaction unit, converting chemical energy into electrical energy. Meanwhile, the mixed products generated by the reaction unit are cooled to form liquid and exhaust gas, which are then injected into a water storage tank. Redundant exhaust gas in the water storage tank is released to the outside through active and / or passive depressurization. S5. During flight, adjust the power output of the reaction unit and / or discharge a set volume of water from the water tank to the outside based on the buoyancy balance difference.

10. An airship, characterized in that, It includes the airship weight compensation system as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, as well as the main airbag, auxiliary airbag, cabin, power output unit, and airship propulsion device.

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