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WO2005005255A1 - Aerospace vehicle with separate propellant reservoir or energy source - Google Patents

Aerospace vehicle with separate propellant reservoir or energy source Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2005005255A1
WO2005005255A1 PCT/EP2004/007056 EP2004007056W WO2005005255A1 WO 2005005255 A1 WO2005005255 A1 WO 2005005255A1 EP 2004007056 W EP2004007056 W EP 2004007056W WO 2005005255 A1 WO2005005255 A1 WO 2005005255A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
vehicle
propellant
energy
reservoir
aerospace
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/EP2004/007056
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Biagio Ancarola
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
TECHNOLOGIES (AB) Srl AB
Original Assignee
TECHNOLOGIES (AB) Srl AB
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by TECHNOLOGIES (AB) Srl AB filed Critical TECHNOLOGIES (AB) Srl AB
Publication of WO2005005255A1 publication Critical patent/WO2005005255A1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
    • B64D—EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
    • B64D39/00—Refuelling during flight
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
    • B64D—EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
    • B64D37/00—Arrangements in connection with fuel supply for power plant
    • B64D37/02—Tanks
    • B64D37/04—Arrangement thereof in or on aircraft
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
    • B64G—COSMONAUTICS; VEHICLES OR EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
    • B64G1/00—Cosmonautic vehicles
    • B64G1/22—Parts of, or equipment specially adapted for fitting in or to, cosmonautic vehicles
    • B64G1/40—Arrangements or adaptations of propulsion systems
    • B64G1/402—Propellant tanks; Feeding propellants
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
    • Y02T50/00—Aeronautics or air transport
    • Y02T50/60—Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Definitions

  • the invention relates to an aerospace vehicle type and method of utilisation in space and aeronautical flight operations.
  • This invention proposes an aerospace transportation system that applies to launch vehicles, sounding rockets, spacecraft, aeroplanes and helicopters.
  • the mass of propellant, or the energy source necessary to feed the propulsion system in order to generate thrust is kept separated from the vehicle's body.
  • the propellant, that is energy transfer to the propulsion systems of the vehicle's body occurs through:
  • a draft tube that connects the propellant tank to the body of the aerospace transportation system, in the case of the propellant, that is energy source, for the generation of thrust being fluid. Otherwise through air or vacuum, if the propellant, that is, energy source can be transmittable via air or vacuum. Otherwise through electric-magnetic connectors that link the vehicle's body to the energy source necessary to generate thrust ..
  • the low efficiency of today's conventional launchers and space transportation systems is caused by the high ratio between mass at launch and mass once the operational flight conditions have been reached, according to the type of mission for which the system has been considered.
  • the high value of the mass ratio is caused by the fact that the highest part of propellant, used to allow the vehicle to accelerate, is needed to carry along the path and accelerate the propellant together with the structure and the remaining elements of the vehicle.
  • the proposed way to increase launcher performances is, hence, decreasing the amount of propellant mass at lift off, keeping in mind, that thrust has to be generated in order to accelerate the vehicle.
  • the thrust can be generated via an externally kept propellant, that is energy source, to the vehicle.
  • the invention is comprised of: One vehicle's body.
  • the vehicle's body can be composed of one or more stages and can be designed for manned or unmanned missions ( Figures 1, 2, 3, 4) .
  • At least one propellant reservoir, or energy source necessary to feed the propulsion systems of the vehicle's body and kept external to the vehicle.
  • the first considered connecting system used for the transfer of the propellant, proposed in the invention, is a umbilical tube system (2a) , in case of the propellant, that is energy source, being a fluid.
  • the tube is connected on one side to the propellant reservoir (3a) and on the other side to the vehicle's body (la).
  • the umbilical tube is maintained as .long as the vehicle departs from the reservoir's location (Fig. 2).
  • the vehicle moves in such way that the tube does not interact with the mass flow outgoing the vehicle's body. If needed appropriate attitude control systems are installed on board the vehicle in order to achieve a safe flight.
  • the lower stage and/or the tube are/is jettisoned.
  • the higher stages can have a similar umbilical tube linked to the previous stages.
  • the umbilical tube is maintained as long as the actual stage departs from the previous stage's location, once it has been jettisoned.
  • the stage jettisoned transports the propellant, that is energy source, to feed the subsequent stage.
  • the jettisoned stage then functions as the reservoir for the subsequent stage.
  • the pipe can be flexible or rigid with a variable cross section and a telescopic behaviour.
  • a typical application of the invention for helicopters is for building bridges.
  • a typical application of the invention for airplanes is to have shorter runways during takeoff.
  • the second connecting system considered for the invention varies from the first (A.), in the way of transmitting the energy source necessary to feed the thrust systems of the vehicle's body.
  • the vehicle's body (lc) receives energy through air or vacuum (Fig. 3) . This is allowed when the energy source is transmittable through air and/or vacuum.
  • An energy source transmitter (3c) located at the energy reservoir (2c) sends power bursts (5c) to a receiver (4c), onboard the vehicle's body (lc) that channels it to the propulsion systems, through a receiver.
  • the third proposed way (Fig. 4) of linking the vehicle's body to the energy source considers the vehicle's body (Id), at lift off, accelerating along a rail system (2d) through which the body receives power via electromagnetic connectors (4d) from the energy reservoir (3d) .
  • the nature of the energy exchanged between the rail and the vehicle's body is electromagnetic.
  • the phase of the flight along the rail might occur in a tunnel where the rails are fixed.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Remote Sensing (AREA)
  • Vehicle Body Suspensions (AREA)

Abstract

This invention proposes an aerospace transportation system and operation method that applies to launch vehicles, sounding rockets, spacecraft, aeroplanes and helicopters. In this system the mass of propellant, or the energy source necessary to feed the propulsion system in order to generate thrust, is kept separated from the vehicle body. In this way the thrust generated by the propulsion system of the vehicle body can be fully used to accelerate the vehicle body and not the propellant, or energy source. The propellant, or energy transfer to the propulsion system of the vehicle body occurs through: -An umbilical tube (2a) that connects the propellant tank (3a) the the vehicle body (1a), in the case of the propellant or energy for the generation of thrust being fluid. - Otherwise through air or vacuum, if the energy is transmittable via air or vacuum. - Otherwise through electric-magnetic connectors (2d, 4d) that link the vehicle body to the energy source necessary to generate thrust.

Description

AEROSPACE VEHICLE WITH SEPARATE PROPELLANT RESERVOIR OR ENERGY SOURCE
The invention relates to an aerospace vehicle type and method of utilisation in space and aeronautical flight operations. This invention proposes an aerospace transportation system that applies to launch vehicles, sounding rockets, spacecraft, aeroplanes and helicopters. In this system the mass of propellant, or the energy source necessary to feed the propulsion system in order to generate thrust, is kept separated from the vehicle's body. In this way the thrust generated by the propulsion system of the vehicle's body can be fully used to accelerate vehicle's body and not the propellant, that is energy source. The propellant, that is energy, transfer to the propulsion systems of the vehicle's body occurs through: A draft tube that connects the propellant tank to the body of the aerospace transportation system, in the case of the propellant, that is energy source, for the generation of thrust being fluid. Otherwise through air or vacuum, if the propellant, that is, energy source can be transmittable via air or vacuum. Otherwise through electric-magnetic connectors that link the vehicle's body to the energy source necessary to generate thrust ..
According to prior art, The low efficiency of today's conventional launchers and space transportation systems is caused by the high ratio between mass at launch and mass once the operational flight conditions have been reached, according to the type of mission for which the system has been considered. The high value of the mass ratio is caused by the fact that the highest part of propellant, used to allow the vehicle to accelerate, is needed to carry along the path and accelerate the propellant together with the structure and the remaining elements of the vehicle.
Conventional rockets functioning is, hence, based on the main idea of carrying the entire mass of propellant needed along the flight and, for multistage rockets, jettisoning the lower stages as soon as the propellant has been consumed, in order to decrease the total mass along the path.
The problem of conventional rockets is the extremely low efficiency of performances due to the high mass ratio.
The proposed way to increase launcher performances is, hence, decreasing the amount of propellant mass at lift off, keeping in mind, that thrust has to be generated in order to accelerate the vehicle. In order to achieve this goal the thrust can be generated via an externally kept propellant, that is energy source, to the vehicle.
Now I will describe, in a non limited manner, an embodiment of the invention. The invention is comprised of: One vehicle's body. The vehicle's body can be composed of one or more stages and can be designed for manned or unmanned missions (Figures 1, 2, 3, 4) . At least one propellant reservoir, or energy source, necessary to feed the propulsion systems of the vehicle's body and kept external to the vehicle. At least one transfer system for the propellant, that is energy source, that links the propellant, that is energy, reservoir/s and the vehicle's body.
There are three types of propellant, that is energy, transfer systems: A. The first considered connecting system, used for the transfer of the propellant, proposed in the invention, is a umbilical tube system (2a) , in case of the propellant, that is energy source, being a fluid.
The tube is connected on one side to the propellant reservoir (3a) and on the other side to the vehicle's body (la). The umbilical tube is maintained as .long as the vehicle departs from the reservoir's location (Fig. 2).
During the flight with the umbilical tube, the vehicle moves in such way that the tube does not interact with the mass flow outgoing the vehicle's body. If needed appropriate attitude control systems are installed on board the vehicle in order to achieve a safe flight.
According to the vehicle design when operational conditions are met, the lower stage and/or the tube are/is jettisoned. If more than one, the higher stages can have a similar umbilical tube linked to the previous stages. The umbilical tube is maintained as long as the actual stage departs from the previous stage's location, once it has been jettisoned. In this cases the stage jettisoned transports the propellant, that is energy source, to feed the subsequent stage. Hence the jettisoned stage then functions as the reservoir for the subsequent stage.
According to the design the pipe can be flexible or rigid with a variable cross section and a telescopic behaviour. A typical application of the invention for helicopters is for building bridges. A typical application of the invention for airplanes is to have shorter runways during takeoff.
B. The second connecting system considered for the invention varies from the first (A.), in the way of transmitting the energy source necessary to feed the thrust systems of the vehicle's body. For this connecting system, the vehicle's body (lc) receives energy through air or vacuum (Fig. 3) . This is allowed when the energy source is transmittable through air and/or vacuum. An energy source transmitter (3c) , located at the energy reservoir (2c) sends power bursts (5c) to a receiver (4c), onboard the vehicle's body (lc) that channels it to the propulsion systems, through a receiver.
C. The third proposed way (Fig. 4) of linking the vehicle's body to the energy source considers the vehicle's body (Id), at lift off, accelerating along a rail system (2d) through which the body receives power via electromagnetic connectors (4d) from the energy reservoir (3d) . The nature of the energy exchanged between the rail and the vehicle's body is electromagnetic. The phase of the flight along the rail might occur in a tunnel where the rails are fixed.

Claims

Claims
An aerospace vehicle (Fig. 1) , in particular launch vehicles, sounding rockets, spacecraft, airplanes and helicopters comprising at least one vehicle's body with propulsion system (la) , at least a propellant, that is energy, reservoir (3a) , at least a propellant, that is energy, transfer system (2a) to connect the reservoir to the actual body of the vehicle, characterised in that the reservoir is kept separated from the actual vehicle's body.
An aerospace vehicle (Fig. 1, 2), according to claim 1, further characterised in that the propellant transfer system comprises at least one umbilical tube (2a) through which the propellant, if fluid, can flow towards the body (la) of the vehicle, in order to provide the thrust.
An aerospace vehicle (Fig. 3), according to claim 1, further characterised in that the propellant, that is energy, transfer system comprises air or vacuum, in the case the energy source necessary to the vehicle's body (lc) to generate thrust, is transmittable via air or vacuum, whereby the vehicle's body has a power receiver (4c) and the reservoir (2c) has a power transmitter (3c) beaming towards the receiver of the vehicle's body.
An aerospace vehicle (Fig. 4), according to claim 1, further characterised in that the propellant, that is energy, transfer system comprises at least an electromagnetic contact system (4d) , linked to magnetic levitation rails (2d) , in the case the energy source, necessary to feed the vehicle's body (Id) to generate thrust, is neither fluid nor transmittable via air or vacuum, whereby the energy reservoir (3d) uses electric energy to generate power to be transferred to the propulsion systems of the vehicle's body. A method of using an aerospace vehicle (Fig. 1) , comprising at least one vehicle's body (la) with propulsion system, a propellant, that is energy, reservoir (3a) , a propellant, that is energy, transfer system (2a) to connect the reservoir to the vehicle's body, characterised by providing the reservoir in a separate location from the vehicle's body.
A method of using an aerospace vehicle (Fig. 2) according to claim 5, further characterised by providing at least one umbilical tube (2a) through which the propellant, if fluid, can flow towards the vehicle's body (la), in order to provide the thrust.
A method of using an aerospace vehicle (Fig. 3) according to claim 5, further characterised by providing air or vacuum as energy transfer means, in the case the energy source necessary to vehicle's body to generate thrust is transmittable via air or vacuum, whereby the vehicle's body (lc) receives the power by means of a power receiver (4c) and the reservoir (2c) transmits the power by means of a transmitter (3c) beaming towards the receiver of the vehicle's body.
A method of using an aerospace vehicle (Fig. 4) according to claim 5, further characterised by providing at least an electromagnetic contact system (4d) , linked to magnetic levitation rails (2d) , in the case the energy source, necessary to feed the vehicle's body (Id) to generate thrust, is neither fluid nor transmittable via air or vacuum, whereby the energy reservoir (3d) uses electric energy to generate power to be transferred to the propulsion systems of the vehicle's body. An aerospace vehicle, according to claims 1 or 2 , whereby the aerospace vehicle is an airplane or an helicopter.
A method of using an aerospace vehicle, according to claims 5 or 6, whereby the aerospace vehicle is an airplane or an helicopter.
PCT/EP2004/007056 2003-07-10 2004-06-30 Aerospace vehicle with separate propellant reservoir or energy source Ceased WO2005005255A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT000044A ITNA20030044A1 (en) 2003-07-10 2003-07-10 AERO / SPACIAL VEHICLE WITH RESERVE OF PROPELLENT, OR OUTDOOR SOURCE OF ENERGY.
ITNA2003A00044 2003-07-10

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2005005255A1 true WO2005005255A1 (en) 2005-01-20

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PCT/EP2004/007056 Ceased WO2005005255A1 (en) 2003-07-10 2004-06-30 Aerospace vehicle with separate propellant reservoir or energy source

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IT (1) ITNA20030044A1 (en)
WO (1) WO2005005255A1 (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN100519343C (en) * 2006-12-06 2009-07-29 中国科学技术大学 Split type omnibearing take-over laser booster

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1053580A (en) *
FR750086A (en) * 1932-04-28 1933-08-03 Improvements to devices for refueling aircraft in flight
US3891160A (en) * 1973-03-21 1975-06-24 Minovitch Michael Andrew Microwave powered reusable orbiting space tug
DE3608323A1 (en) * 1986-03-13 1987-09-17 Walter Papst Method for supplying fuel to the engine of a load-carrying missile or its supporting thrust device
US6364253B1 (en) * 2000-04-25 2002-04-02 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy Remote piloted vehicle powered by beamed radiation
US6488233B1 (en) * 2001-04-30 2002-12-03 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force Laser propelled vehicle

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1053580A (en) *
FR750086A (en) * 1932-04-28 1933-08-03 Improvements to devices for refueling aircraft in flight
US3891160A (en) * 1973-03-21 1975-06-24 Minovitch Michael Andrew Microwave powered reusable orbiting space tug
DE3608323A1 (en) * 1986-03-13 1987-09-17 Walter Papst Method for supplying fuel to the engine of a load-carrying missile or its supporting thrust device
US6364253B1 (en) * 2000-04-25 2002-04-02 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy Remote piloted vehicle powered by beamed radiation
US6488233B1 (en) * 2001-04-30 2002-12-03 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force Laser propelled vehicle

Non-Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
BROWN W C: "THE HISTORY OF WIRELESS POWER TRANSMISSION", SOLAR ENERGY, PERGAMON PRESS. OXFORD, GB, vol. 56, no. 1, 1996, pages 3 - 21, XP000583753, ISSN: 0038-092X *
SCOTT W B: "CONSORTIUM STUDIES 'MAGLIFTER' CONCEPT", AVIATION WEEK AND SPACE TECHNOLOGY, MCGRAW-HILL INC. NEW YORK, US, vol. 142, no. 25, 19 June 1995 (1995-06-19), pages 69, XP000511035, ISSN: 0005-2175 *

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN100519343C (en) * 2006-12-06 2009-07-29 中国科学技术大学 Split type omnibearing take-over laser booster

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ITNA20030044A1 (en) 2005-01-11

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