System and methods for buoyancy management in an airship
AssigneeLockheed Martin Corporation
InventorDouglas H. Greiner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An airship comprising a hull configured to be inflated with a first gas; a ballonet in the hull, the ballonet configured to be inflated with a second gas that is heavier than the first gas; a fan configured to draw the second gas into the ballonet; an inflatable landing system; a duct configured in the ballonet to allow access to components in the airship; and a valve coupled to the ballonet. The valve provides a pathway for air to flow between the ballonet and a plenum chamber, the plenum chamber is formed by the airship, a landing surface, and the inflatable landing system when the inflatable landing system is in contact with the landing surface.
Claims25
An airship comprising:
- a hull configured to be inflated with a lighter-than-air gas;
- a ballonet disposed within the hull;
- an air cushion landing system (ACLS) configured to form a
- a plenum chamber when the ACLS is in contact with a landing surface;
- and
- a valve coupled between the plenum chamber and the ballonet, the valve configured to selectively allow air to flow between the ballonet and the plenum chamber, the valve configured to allow air to flow from the plenum chamber to the ballonet while the ACLS is in contact with the landing surface and the airship has a downward velocity.
A method of operating an airship, the method comprising the steps of:
- inflating an air cushion landing system (ACLS) that is coupled to a hull of the airship, the ACLS having a nominal height;
- determining with a processor an altitude of the airship;
- detecting with a sensor contact between the ACLS and a landing surface, thereby creating a plenum chamber between the ACLS and the landing surface;
- and
- opening a valve disposed between the plenum chamber and a ballonet disposed within the hull upon at least one of determining that the altitude of the airship is less than the nominal height of the ACLS and detecting contact between the ACLS and the landing surface, thereby allowing air to flow from the plenum chamber to the ballonet as the airship further descends.
A system for controlling the operating mode of an airship, comprising:
- a sensor system configured to determine the altitude of the airship;
- and
- a computer processor configured to execute logic instructions to:
- determine the altitude of the airship based on information from the sensor system;
- determine an operating mode of the airship;
- determine whether to increase, decrease or maintain the altitude and airspeed of the airship based on the operating mode;
- generate signals to open or close a valve and operate a fan to control gas pressure within a hull and a ballonet enclosed in the hull of the airship based on the desired airspeed, altitude, and operating mode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.