Abstract
A new class of the all electric airship to globally transport both passengers and freight using a ‘feeder-cruiser’ concept, and powered by renewable electric energy, is considered. Specific focus is given to photo-electric harvesting as the primary energy source and the associated hydrogen-based energy storage systems. Furthermore, it is shown that the total PV output may be significantly increased by utilising cloud albedo effects. Appropriate power architectures and energy audits required for life support, and the propulsion and ancillary loads to support the continuous daily operation of the primary airship (cruiser) at stratospheric altitudes (circa 18 km), are also considered. The presented solution is substantially different from those of conventional aircraft due to the airship size and the inherent requirement to harvest and store sufficient energy during “daylight” operation, when subject to varying seasonal conditions and latitudes, to ensure its safe and continued operation during the corresponding varying “dark hours”. This is particularly apparent when the sizing of the proposed electrolyser is considered, as its size and mass increase nonlinearly with decreasing day-night duty. As such, a Unitized Regenerative Fuel Cell is proposed. For the first time the study also discusses the potential benefits of integrating the photo-voltaic cells into airship canopy structures utilising TENSAIRITY®-based elements in order to eliminate the requirements for separate inter-PV array wiring and the transport of low pressure hydrogen between fuel cells.
Highlights
Whilst the concept of a feeder-cruiser arrangement for airships is not entirely novel, the projected scale and operating altitude of the proposed Multibody Advanced Airship for Transport (MAAT) [1]is unprecedented
The MAAT concept is for a large, all electric dirigible airship, of triaxial ellipsoid geometry approximately 400 m long, 240 m wide and 80 m deep [2,3], depicted in Figure 1, showing the cruiser with two feeders docked within the structure
Concentrate on the “all electric” nature of the cruiser and its significant energy requirement with a particular emphasis on solar harvesting and how additional or auxiliary energy may be harvested a particular emphasis on solar harvesting and how additional or auxiliary energy may be harvested from the underside surfaces due to the various albedo effects, cloud top albedo, providing from the underside surfaces due to the various albedo effects, cloud top albedo, providing a useful source of supplementary energy
Summary
Whilst the concept of a feeder-cruiser arrangement for airships is not entirely novel, the projected scale and operating altitude of the proposed Multibody Advanced Airship for Transport (MAAT) [1]. But especially air ships, highthe altitude area is determined determined by the structure’s shape and it is not increased without significantly impacting by the structure’s shape and it is not increased without significantly impacting other design other design aspects; it isaim alsoofaairships design aim of airships maximise the volume to surface ratio aspects; it is a design to maximise the to volume to surface area ratio for botharea technical for both technicalreasons, and commercial reasons,applies and this applies to theItMAAT It is and commercial and this to the MAAT concept. The paper focuses on the cruiser’s ability to efficiently harvest as much energy as practicably possible to maintain operation during the longer winter nights when total solar irradiance due to the earth’s declination is at its lowest This is of paramount importance to the overall success of such a system if it is to compete with other transport counterparts. Consideration is given to the airship’s shape and how this would impact energy harvesting of both direct and indirect (albedo) solar energies as primary and auxiliary sources of electrical power
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