RAPID AIR BALLAST SYSTEM FOR AN AIRSHIP

Abstract

A Rapid Air Ballast System that generates ballast for an airship relatively quickly by compressing air at low pressures into a ballonet inside a large volume tank. The air pressure inside the ballonet being roughly equal to the lifting gas pressure outside the ballonet but inside the tank. The system comprising a controllable air compression device to achieve the desired air pressure and valves in the system to direct the flow of air into or out of the system. This is particularly useful for quickly and efficiently controlling aerostatic lift for an airship, especially while performing on-loading and off-loading of payload operations.

Claims

1. A Rapid Air Ballast System that generates ballast for an airship relatively quickly by adding air at low pressures into a ballonet inside a large volume tank. The system comprising a controllable air compression device to achieve the desired air pressure and piping and valves in the system to direct the flow of air into or out of the system.

2. The Rapid Air Ballast System according to claim 1, wherein the tank is a lightweight material capable of containing the desired pressure.

3. Wherein the tank material is selected from the group selected from aluminum, titanium, carbon fiber, or other lightweight metal, material, or composite.

4. The Rapid Air Ballast System according to claim 1, wherein the ballonet separates the compressed air inside the ballonet from the lifting gas in the tank outside of the ballonet.

5. The Rapid Air Ballast System according to claim 1, wherein the ballonet is tethered or suspended in such a way as to prevent entanglement of the ballonet.

6. The Rapid Air Ballast System according to claim 1, wherein the tank is the body of the airship.

7. The Rapid Air Ballast System according to claim 1, wherein the tank is only a portion of an airship and a fabric envelope containing lifting gas provides additional buoyancy.

8. The Rapid Air Ballast System according to claim 1, wherein the tank has operation systems attached to it sufficient for an operational airship.

9. Wherein the operation systems are selected from the group selected from engines, propellers, wings, fins, elevator, rudders, cargo bay, doors, ramps, hoists, winches, gondola, maintenance facilities, and crew and passenger quarters.

10. The Rapid Air Ballast System according to claim 1, wherein the tank has areas for securing it (e.g., affixing tie-down tethers to a runway, anchored to the ground, ocean floor, moored to a mast) to maintain its general vicinity.

11. The Rapid Air Ballast System according to claim 1, wherein the controllable air compression device is a standalone air blower or air compressor.

12. The Rapid Air Ballast System according to claim 1, wherein the controllable air compression device is part of an engine.

13. The Rapid Air Ballast System according to claim 1, wherein there are pipes and valves that control the direction of air flow into and out of the ballonet.

14. The Rapid Air Ballast System according to claim 1, wherein the airship has the ability to attach itself to other airships in a train-like formation.

15. The Rapid Air Ballast System according to claim 1, wherein airships attached in a train-like formation have one continuous runway or cargo area from which to conduct aircraft operations.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The present invention can be put into practice in various ways, but embodiments will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0019] FIG. 1 shows an illustrative embodiment of the Rapid Air Ballast System where the tank constitutes the lower section of an airship which also comprises a fabric envelope on the upper section of an airship.

[0020] FIG. 2 shows an illustrative embodiment of the interior of the tank comprising the Rapid Air Ballast System showing possible arrangement of ballonets and tethering to prevent ballonets becoming entangled.

[0021] FIG. 3 shows an illustrative embodiment of the interior of the tank comprising the Rapid Air Ballast System showing possible arrangement of ballonets in the inflated position.

[0022] FIG. 4 shows a matrix of operations for the Rapid Air Ballast System inflating and deflating the ballonet to control buoyancy.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] Aside from the preferred embodiment or embodiments disclosed below, this invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Thus, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. If only one embodiment is described herein, any claims herein are not to be limited to that embodiment. Moreover, any such claims are not to be read restrictively unless there is clear and convincing evidence manifesting a certain exclusion, restriction, or disclaimer.

[0024] Although specific features of the invention are shown in some drawings and not in others, this is for convenience only as each feature may be combined with any or all of the other features in accordance with the invention. The words “including”, “comprising”, “having”, and “with” as used herein are to be interpreted broadly and comprehensively and are not limited to any physical interconnection. Moreover, any embodiments disclosed in the subject application are not to be taken as the only possible embodiments. Other embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art.

[0025] One or more embodiments of a system wherein air is added into ballonets that are inside a large volume tank of lifting gas, the compression of air being accomplished by a standalone air blower, air compressor, CO.sub.2 cartridges, or as part of the engine of a turbofan, or otherwise, in order to quickly and efficiently put air into the ballonet.

[0026] FIG. 1 is depicting one possible configuration of an illustrative embodiment of the Rapid Air Ballast System comprising 1. a large pressure tank with 2. ballonets inside that are capable of holding compressed air and keeping the air inside the ballonet separate from the lifting gas outside the ballonet and 3. an air compressor device capable of providing power to achieve the desired air pressure inside the tank and delivering the air into the tank via 4. hoses, pipes, or other plumbing apparatus and having 5. a valve that controls the airflow into and out of the ballonet. This depiction shows the Rapid Air Ballast System as the lower section of an airship which also comprises 6. a fabric envelope on the upper section of an airship.

[0027] FIG. 2 is depicting one possible configuration of an illustrative embodiment of the Rapid Air Ballast System comprising 1. a large pressure tank with 2. ballonets 7. tethered to the tank in such a way as to prevent entanglement of the ballonet with itself or surrounding features. The 8. lifting gas inside the tank being the same pressure as the 9. compressed air inside the ballonet.

[0028] FIG. 3 is depicting one possible configuration of an illustrative embodiment of the Rapid Air Ballast System comprising 1. a large pressure tank with 2. Ballonets that are shown in the inflated position.

[0029] FIG. 4 shows a matrix of operations for the Rapid Air Ballast System inflating and deflating the ballonet to control buoyancy. Upon command to adjust the buoyancy, which may be given by a manned-operator or autonomously through a computer operated system, an electronic control system will start the air compressor and open the intake valve, if required, to begin to compress air into the ballonet. Whereby, said compressed air pressure being heavier than the lifting gas causes the overall system to be heavier. Or if command is for an increase in buoyancy the operator system directs the electronic control system to release the valve in a controlled manner that allows the air pressure in the ballonet to decrease to a desired level. Whereby, said decreased pressure removes the weight of the compressed air causing the overall system to be lighter.