Fuel Cell Flight Vehicle Motor Sharing for Pump Weight Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flight vehicles using fuel cells as a power source face challenges in reducing the weight of driving devices for pumps and compressors due to their importance in maintaining lightness, which is crucial for flight efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The flight vehicle integrates a common motor to drive both the propeller and the cooling water pump, and separate motors or inverters for the air compressor and hydrogen pump, reducing the need for additional driving devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate driving devices are used for each pump and compressor, then each component can be independently controlled, but the total weight of the flight vehicle increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple driving functions into a single motor unit that can drive both the cooling water pump and the air compressor through shared mechanical components (such as a common drive shaft or belt system), thereby reducing the total number of motors and inverters while maintaining independent operational control through electronic regulation
Solution Approach 2:
The motor unit is designed with multi-functionality to perform both cooling water circulation and air supply tasks, allowing a single driving device to replace multiple dedicated devices while maintaining the ability to independently control each function through variable speed control and electronic regulation
2Weight of moving object
If the number of driving devices is reduced, then the weight of the flight vehicle decreases, but the complexity of the drive system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a common drive shaft or belt system as an intermediary mechanical component that couples the single motor to multiple driven components (pump and compressor), simplifying the overall system architecture while enabling independent control through variable speed regulation and electronic management
3Weight of moving object
If a common motor drives both propeller and cooling water pump, then driving device weight is reduced, but the motor must handle variable load conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The motor system is designed with dynamic control capabilities, using variable speed drives and electronic regulation to adapt to varying load conditions during flight operations, allowing the motor to efficiently adjust its output to match the instantaneous demands of both propeller propulsion and cooling water circulation
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback control mechanisms that monitor the operational status of both the propeller and cooling water pump, allowing the motor control system to automatically adjust power distribution and speed parameters to optimize performance under varying flight conditions and maintain stable operation
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 configuration reduces the weight of the flight vehicle by minimizing the number of driving devices, ensuring efficient fluid circulation and power supply without the need for redundant components.
Implementation Method 1
a motor to drive a propeller... the pump being driven by the motor
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is a flight vehicle having a weight reduced by reducing the number of driving devices. The flight vehicle including a fuel cell, and a motor to drive a propeller, the flight vehicle includes: a pump by which cooling water for cooling the fuel cell is circulated, the pump being driven by the motor to drive a propeller.