Airship Docking Station Airflow Envelope Stabilization

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Airships face challenges in landing and docking due to gusting winds and turbulence, leading to potential damage to the airship, its payload, and risk of injury to ground personnel, especially requiring a large number of personnel to stabilize the airship during these conditions.

Innovation Solution

A docking station with sources of high-speed airflow is used to create a laminar airflow envelope around the airship, stabilizing it during landing and reducing the need for a large ground crew, utilizing industrial fans, ducted fans, or the Coanda Effect to manage airflow and secure the airship.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If airship docking is performed using traditional ground crew stabilization methods, then the airship can be secured during landing, but the process requires 10-15 personnel and exposes both personnel and equipment to danger during gusty winds and turbulence

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveairship docking safetyVSAvoidground crew size

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary airflow envelope system between the turbulent external environment and the airship docking process. This mediator (controlled airflow) shields the airship and ground personnel from gusting winds, enabling safer docking with reduced crew while maintaining reliability through active environmental control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If airship docking is performed during turbulent conditions without airflow stabilization, then fewer resources are needed, but the risk of damage to airship skin and payload equipment increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedocking efficiencyVSAvoidwind-induced damage risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies preliminary anti-action by generating controlled airflow envelopes before the airship completes its docking maneuver. This pre-established protective airflow field counteracts turbulent winds in advance, preventing damage to the airship skin and payload equipment while maintaining docking efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

3Ease of operation

If traditional docking procedures are used during gusting winds, then the process can be completed with existing equipment, but ground personnel face increased risk of injury when catching guide ropes on buffeting airships

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedocking procedure simplicityVSAvoidpersonnel injury risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful effect of strong winds into a beneficial controlled airflow resource. By using fans and ducting to generate directed airflow envelopes, the system transforms what would be dangerous turbulent conditions into a protective force that stabilizes the airship and protects personnel, while maintaining operational simplicity through automated airflow control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution effectively stabilizes airships during turbulent conditions, reducing the risk of damage and injury, enabling safer and more efficient automated or semi-automated landing with fewer personnel, while maintaining consistent wind conditions near the docking station.

Implementation Method 1

The sources of airflow are arranged to produce an envelope of laminar airflow over the surface of the airship to stabilize the airship

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLaminar flow: Laminar Flow

Implementation Method 2

utilizing industrial fans, ducted fans, or the Coanda Effect to manage airflow and secure the airship

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCoanda Effect: Coanda Effect

Data Source

PatentUS9096332B2Airship docking station

Publication Date: 2015.08.04 RAYTHEON CO

AI summary

An airship docking station includes one or more sources of relatively high speed airflow to facilitate landing an airship in turbulent or gusting air conditions. The sources of airflow are arranged to produce an envelope of airflow over the surface of the airship to stabilize the airship as it lands and is moved into a docked position where it can be secured. The docking station allows an airship to land with reduced or eliminated risk of damage to the airship, payload or ground personnel injury compared to current methods in use. The docking station and method thus ensure more consistent wind conditions adjacent the docking station. Protection from buffeting by gusting winds also facilitates automated or semi-automated airship landing with fewer or no ground personnel.