US3897032A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for operating airships, particularly by means of hydrocarbon gas or hydrogen
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-11-13
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Granted: 1975-07-29
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Expires: 1993-11-13
Abstract
Abstract A method of operating a lighter-than-air airship comprises utilizing natural gas and/or hydrogen as the buoyant lifting gas and as a source of power. The reduced buoyancy resulting from consumption of part of the gas is replaced with a gas species obtained by chemically converting part of the original gas. The gas species may be, for example, substantially saturated water vapor obtained by combustion of the original gas or hydrogen obtained by the catalytic partial oxidation of a hydrocarbon with water vapor.
Inventors
- 👤 Hermann Ernst Robert Papst
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 17:29
CPC Classifications
B; B64; B64B; B64B1/00; B64B1/58; B64B1/60
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
133 words
A METHOD OF OPERATING AN AIRSHIP WHICNH IS MAINTAINED BUOYANT IN AIR BY AN ORIGINAL LIFTING GAS WHICH IS INFLAMMABLE AND WHICH IS LIGHTER THAN AIR, SAID METHOD COMPRISING CARRYING SAID ORGINAL LIFTING GAS IN SAID AIRSHIP AS THE SOLE FUEL FOR GENERATING DRIVING POWDER FOR THE AIRSHIP CONSUMING AT LEAST A PART OF THE ORIGINAL LIFTING GAS AS FUEL FOR SUPPLYING DRIVING POWER FOR USE BY THE AIRSHIP THEREBY EFFECTING A REDUCED BUOYANCE OF THE AIRSHIP AND RESTORING THE REDUCED BYOYANCE BY CHEMICALLY CONVERTING A PORTION OF THE ORIGINAL LIFTING GAS TO A DIFFERENT GAS SPECIES WHICH HAS AT LEAST THE SAME BUOYANCE EFFECT AS THE GAS WHICH WAS COMSUMED FOR SUPPLYING POWER AND STORING SAID GAS SPECIES WHEREBY ALL SAID LIFTING GAS MAY BE USED FOR POWER PRODUCTION WHILE MAINTAINING BUOYANCY.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
133 words
A METHOD OF OPERATING AN AIRSHIP WHICNH IS MAINTAINED BUOYANT IN AIR BY AN ORIGINAL LIFTING GAS WHICH IS INFLAMMABLE AND WHICH IS LIGHTER THAN AIR, SAID METHOD COMPRISING CARRYING SAID ORGINAL LIFTING GAS IN SAID AIRSHIP AS THE SOLE FUEL FOR GENERATING DRIVING POWDER FOR THE AIRSHIP CONSUMING AT LEAST A PART OF THE ORIGINAL LIFTING GAS AS FUEL FOR SUPPLYING DRIVING POWER FOR USE BY THE AIRSHIP THEREBY EFFECTING A REDUCED BUOYANCE OF THE AIRSHIP AND RESTORING THE REDUCED BYOYANCE BY CHEMICALLY CONVERTING A PORTION OF THE ORIGINAL LIFTING GAS TO A DIFFERENT GAS SPECIES WHICH HAS AT LEAST THE SAME BUOYANCE EFFECT AS THE GAS WHICH WAS COMSUMED FOR SUPPLYING POWER AND STORING SAID GAS SPECIES WHEREBY ALL SAID LIFTING GAS MAY BE USED FOR POWER PRODUCTION WHILE MAINTAINING BUOYANCY.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
64 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein the original lifting gas contains a hydrocarbon and wherein the gas species obtained by chemically converting a portion of the original lifting gas includes at least one of water vapor and hydrogen, said method further including feeding at least a portion of said gas species to a gas bag which is separate from the original lifting gas.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
81 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein the step of chemically converting includes combustion of at least a portion of the original lifting gas to produce heat and a combustion gas which includes water vapor, said method further including condensing the water vapor from the combustion gas, reconverting the condensed water to water vapor with the heat obtained from said combustion, and feeding a portion of the reconverted water vapor to a gas bag maintained separate from the original lifting gas.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as in claim 3 including thermally insulating said gas bag from the atmosphere.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein the original lifting gas contains a hydrocarbon and wherein the step of chemically converting includes catalytically converting the hydrocarbon in the presence of water vapor to hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein the step of chemically converting produces hydrogen, said method further including generating electrical energy with the hydrogen in fuel cells and propelling the airship with blowers operated by the electrical energy.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein the original lifting gas is methane and wherein the step of chemically converting includes reacting the methane with water vapor to produce carbon dioxide and hydrogen.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method as in claim 1 wherein the original lifting gas contains a hydrocarbon and wherein the step of chemically converting is carried out prior to take-off of the airship and produces at least one of water vapor and hydrogen.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
136 words
A method of operating an airship substantially without need for liquid or solid fuel for motive energy, the airship employing as a lifting medium an original buoyant gas including a hydrocarbon as a portion of the lifting medium, said method comprising: carrying said original buoyant gaS in said airship as the sole fuel for generating driving power for the airship, chemically reacting at least a portion of the hydrocarbon with a reactant to generate power for operating the airship and to produce a buoyant reaction product which includes a gas selected from at least one of water vapor and hydrogen, and compensating for reduced buoyancy resulting from the chemical reaction by taking the original buoyant gas from one chamber containing the same and storing said buoyant reaction products in gaseous condition in separate buoyant gas chambers.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
136 words
A method of operating an airship substantially without need for liquid or solid fuel for motive energy, the airship employing as a lifting medium an original buoyant gas including a hydrocarbon as a portion of the lifting medium, said method comprising: carrying said original buoyant gaS in said airship as the sole fuel for generating driving power for the airship, chemically reacting at least a portion of the hydrocarbon with a reactant to generate power for operating the airship and to produce a buoyant reaction product which includes a gas selected from at least one of water vapor and hydrogen, and compensating for reduced buoyancy resulting from the chemical reaction by taking the original buoyant gas from one chamber containing the same and storing said buoyant reaction products in gaseous condition in separate buoyant gas chambers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method as in claim 9 wherein the hydrocarbon is methane, wherein the reactant is oxygen and wherein the step of chemically reacting includes the step of reacting the methane with the oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as in claim 9 wherein the hydrocarbon is methane, wherein the reactant is water vapor and wherein the step of chemically reacting includes reacting the methane with the water vapor to produce carbon dioxide and hydrogen.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-07-28 | 1979-01-27 | 1979-07-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-07-28 | 1983-01-27 | 1983-07-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-07-28 | 1987-01-27 | 1987-07-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |