Tethered Airship Gas Replenishment via Balloon Shuttle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Tethered airships face challenges in maintaining lifting gas due to leakage, requiring either minimal hull design or on-board gas reservoirs, which can be heavy and limit endurance.
Innovation Solution
A tethered airship system with a 'balloon shuttle' that travels along a tether to externally replenish lifting gas between an upper and lower airship, using a reservoir on the lower airship and pump/valve assemblies for efficient transfer, minimizing the need for on-board gas storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If an on-board reservoir of lifting gas is carried to replenish leakage, then the airship can maintain buoyancy for long-endurance operation, but the weight of the hull and overall size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting gas reservoir is extracted from the upper airship and placed on a separate lower airship. The balloon shuttle travels between the two airships, receiving lifting gas from the lower airship's reservoir and delivering it to the upper airship as needed, thereby eliminating the need for the upper airship to carry its own heavy gas storage
Solution Approach 2:
The balloon shuttle acts as an intermediary vehicle that transfers lifting gas from the lower airship to the upper airship. It travels along the tether, docks with the upper airship, and facilitates gas transfer through pump/valve assemblies, enabling indirect replenishment without direct connection between storage and usage points
2Duration of action of moving object
If a large on-board reservoir is used to compensate for gas leakage over long durations, then endurance is extended, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gas storage and transfer system is segmented into separate functional components: a lower airship with reservoir, a balloon shuttle with docking and pump/valve assemblies, and an upper airship with receiving capability. This modular segmentation distributes complexity across multiple simple units rather than concentrating it in one complex on-board system
Solution Approach 2:
The balloon shuttle operates autonomously to service the upper airship's lifting gas needs. It self-propels along the tether using buoyancy control, automatically docks with the upper airship when gas replenishment is needed, and facilitates transfer without requiring complex control systems on the upper airship itself
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
This solution allows for long-endurance missions by compensating for gas leakage without the weight of on-board gas storage, enabling the upper airship to maintain buoyancy and extend operational duration.
Implementation Method 1
The balloon shuttle is inflated with lifting gas supplied by the lower airship. When inflated with the lifting gas, the balloon shuttle is positively buoyant with sufficient buoyancy to reach the upper airship at the upper airship's current operating altitude.
Implementation Method 2
The lower airship includes a reservoir of lifting gas and a pump/valve assembly to transfer the lifting gas to the balloon shuttle. The upper airship includes a pump/valve assembly to receive the lifting gas from the balloon shuttle.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for lifting gas replenishment in a tethered airship system includes an upper airship with a first end of a tether attached to the upper airship. A balloon is configured to travel up the tether toward the upper airship carrying a payload of lifting gas. A method for gas replenishment of an airship is also provided.