IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0600258
(2003-06-20)
|
등록번호 |
US-7281681
(2007-10-16)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- MacCready,Paul B.
- Hibbs,Bart D.
- Curtin,Robert F.
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
The Law Office of John A. Griecci
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
8 인용 특허 :
29 |
초록
▼
Disclosed is an aircraft, configured to have a wide range of flight speeds, consuming low levels of power for an extended period of time, while supporting a communications platform with an unobstructed downward-looking view. The aircraft includes an extendable slat at the leading edge of the wing, a
Disclosed is an aircraft, configured to have a wide range of flight speeds, consuming low levels of power for an extended period of time, while supporting a communications platform with an unobstructed downward-looking view. The aircraft includes an extendable slat at the leading edge of the wing, and a reflexed trailing edge. The aircraft comprises a flying wing extending laterally between two ends and a center point. The wing is swept and has a relatively constant chord. The aircraft also includes a power module configured to provide power via a fuel cell. The fuel cell stores liquid hydrogen as fuel, but uses gaseous hydrogen in the fuel cell. A fuel tank heater is used to control the boil-rate of the fuel in the fuel tank. The fuel cell compresses ambient air for an oxidizer, and operates with the fuel and oxidizer at pressures below one atmosphere. The aircraft of the invention includes a support structure including a plurality of supports, where the supports form a tetrahedron that affixes to the wing.
대표청구항
▼
We claim: 1. An aircraft, comprising: a fuel source configured to provide a fuel; an oxidizer source configured to provide an oxidizer; a fuel cell configured to react the fuel with the oxidizer to operate at a given power-generation rate; and a controller configured to regulate the reaction pressu
We claim: 1. An aircraft, comprising: a fuel source configured to provide a fuel; an oxidizer source configured to provide an oxidizer; a fuel cell configured to react the fuel with the oxidizer to operate at a given power-generation rate; and a controller configured to regulate the reaction pressure of a reactant of the group consisting of the fuel and the oxidizer; wherein the controller is configured to regulate the reaction pressure to be less than one atmosphere with the aircraft at a cruise altitude and the fuel cell operating at the given power-generation rate. 2. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the cruise altitude is in the range of 55,000 to 70,000 feet. 3. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the reaction pressure of the reactant is not greater than 11 psia. 4. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the reaction pressure of the fuel is not greater than 11 psia, and wherein the reaction pressure of the oxidizer is not greater than 11 psia. 5. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the reaction pressure of the reactant is not greater than 10 psia. 6. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the reaction pressure of the fuel is not greater than 10 psia, and wherein the reaction pressure of the oxidizer is not greater than 10 psia. 7. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the reaction pressure of the reactant is not greater than 6 psia. 8. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the reaction pressure of the reactant is approximately 6 psia and the cruise altitude is in the range of 55,000 to 70,000 feet. 9. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to regulate the reaction pressure of the reactant in response to the power requirements of the aircraft. 10. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the oxidizer source comprises an inlet for ambient air and a compression mechanism configured to compress the ambient air. 11. The aircraft of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to regulate the reaction pressure of the oxidizer by regulating the amount by which the compression mechanism compresses the ambient air. 12. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the fuel source comprises a hydrogen tank containing liquid hydrogen, and a heat source for controllably boiling the liquid hydrogen. 13. The aircraft of claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to regulate the reaction pressure of the fuel by regulating the rate at which the heater boils the liquid hydrogen. 14. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to regulate the reaction pressure of the fuel to be no greater than a predetermined increment above the reaction pressure of the oxidizer. 15. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein: the oxidizer source comprises an inlet for ambient air and a compression mechanism configured to compress the ambient air; the fuel source comprises a hydrogen tank containing liquid hydrogen, and a heat source for controllably boiling the liquid hydrogen; and the controller is further configured to regulate the reaction pressure of the oxidizer by regulating the amount by which the compression mechanism compresses the ambient air, and to regulate the reaction pressure of the fuel by regulating the rate at which the heater boils the liquid hydrogen; and the controller is further configured to regulate the reaction pressures of the fuel and the oxidizer such that the power-generation rate of the fuel cell varies in response to the power requirements of the aircraft, and the reaction pressure of the fuel is no greater than a predetermined increment above the reaction pressure of the oxidizer. 16. The aircraft of claim 15, wherein, with a cruise altitude in the range of 55,000 to 70,000 feet, the reaction pressure of the oxidizer is approximately 6 psia, and the predetermined increment is approximately 4-5 psi. 17. An aircraft, comprising: a hydrogen source including a hydrogen tank and a mechanism configured to regulate delivery of hydrogen from the hydrogen tank; an oxygen source including a compression mechanism configured to compress ambient air from outside of the aircraft; a fuel cell configured to react hydrogen from the hydrogen tank with oxygen from the compression mechanism to generate power; and a control system configured to control the operation of the hydrogen source and the oxygen source at a given aircraft flight condition such that the fuel cell reacts oxygen at a first reaction pressure with hydrogen at a second reaction pressure, wherein the first reaction pressure is less than one atmosphere, and wherein the difference between the first reaction pressure and the second reaction pressure is no greater than a predetermined limit. 18. The aircraft of claim 17, wherein the second reaction pressure is less than one atmosphere. 19. The aircraft of claim 17, wherein the control system is configured to vary the first and second pressures based on power requirements of the aircraft. 20. The aircraft of claim 19, wherein the control system is configured such that at a stratospheric flight condition, the first pressure is approximately 6 psia, and the predetermined limit is not greater than 5 psi.
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