Development of construction technologies has allowed to build skyscrapers under various climatic conditions. The possibility to implement ambitious ideas of customers and architects has emerged. Buildings tend to grow higher and higher.
It is exclusive, cost effective and feeds one’s imagination. However, there is one serious problem, which can overscore all advantages of high-rise buildings, which is people evacuation from such buildings in case of emergencies (fires, explosions, failure of escape routes, etc.).
To the present day, there is no developed structure allowing reliably evacuate people from high-rise buildings, in which the escape routes are cut off. Everyone remembers tragic events on September 11, 2001, in New York (USA), when as a result of the terroristic act, thousands of people died. The major part of people couldn’t survive at the failure of tower buildings due to evacuation impossibility. Thus, the search for the problem solution is still relevant.
To your attention presented is the project of multipurpose aircraft of aerostatic type with variable aerostatic flotation (airship). This aircraft can be used in different situations, particularly, as follows:
– evacuation vehicle, which can solve the most complex tasks on people evacuation from high-rise buildings (skyscrapers) in case of emergencies;
– passenger aircraft with a small capacity for transportation for small distances (up to 500 km);
– cargo aircraft for cargo transportation with weight up to 3 tons at altitudes up to 1 km. When docking several aircrafts into a single unit, sizable cargoes can be transported at long distances at small altitudes (recently, an American Company Amazon has patented airship as a mobile warehouse. Out project allows using the possibilities of airship more flexible for cargo transportation and delivery, particularly, to the high-rise buildings);
– unmanned platform for mobile communication networks for different purposes.
Our company ANTER LLC (St. Petersburg) together with RuFiUs (Finland) has patent ed the design of aerostatic aircraft (airship) with variable aerostatic flotation in Finland, the Russian Federation, China, the USA, and Eurasian Union.
DESIGN OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT
The airship design is a hard thin-walled case. The case walls and all elements of its structure shall be made of composite materials. Case form is a rectangular block. The airship is operated by a pilot in the cabin or remotely by an operator from the ground control post. The airship has positive flotation when the pilot is aboard and in case that it has a full fuel tank. The power unit is of the hybrid type. Movement in the space is ensured by motors with impellers, which are located in channels passing through the hard case of the airship. Motors are provided with energy from storage batteries or super condensers (contactors), which are charged from the diesel generator.
Channels with impellers are installed in different plane surfaces:
1. Horizontal plane surface (in the lower part of the aircraft, below the center of gravity):
– one channel with impeller (along the long axis, in the center of the case) ensures aircraft movement in the longitudinal direction;
– two channels with impellers (in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis along the case edges) ensure aircraft turning in the horizontal surface and its maneuvering perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;
2. Vertical plane surface – four channels with impellers along the case edges, which ensure aircraft maneuvering vertically, keeping at altitude, support during flight with maximum load and aircraft downcome.
Maximum lifting capacity of the aircraft is 3,000 kg. At such a load, the aircraft has negative flotation and is supported in the air with the vertical thrust vector. During adjustment of the thrust vector, the controlled descent can be performed without mooring crew involvement. After unloading the aircraft obtains positive flotation and can take off without thrust vector engines.
For docking (coupling) with the building surface and other aircrafts, the case is equipped with docking devices on both sides.
Cabin, which can be used for accommodating people or cargo, is located in the central part of the aircraft, perpendicular to the lon gitudinal axis. The remaining internal space of the case is occupied with cells made of gas-protecting clothe and filled with helium, ensuring buoyancy. The gas volume is sufficient for weight compensation of aircraft structure, units and assemblies, pilot and an additional load of about 200 kg.
USE OF AIRSHIP AS EVACUATION VEHICLE
For efficient operation, at least two aircraft will be required. Directly from the home station airships perform flight together: prior to flight they are connected with each other by docking devices and form a combined aircraft in the form of the unit made of several airships. Rescuers and equipment can be delivered to the emergency site from the home station by the combined aircraft.
Travel speed of the combined aircraft is 80 km/h maximum. As most cities, in which high-rise building are located, have maximum diameters within the ranges of 80 km at average, such travel speed will be sufficient for arrival to the emergency site as soon as possible. Moreover, traffic situation of big cities will not affect the rescuers. Lifting altitude of the aircraft is 1,000 m maximum. At such speed and distances, the aerodynamic form will not be of essential importance, and flat surfaces of the aircraft will ensure firm adherence of its wall to the building wall.
Upon arrival at the emergency site, the combined aircraft is divided into separate airships. One of them performs surveillance, flying around and searching for the most acceptable place for docking with the building. While docking, docking device is extended, fixing reliably the aircraft and holding it, protecting from the influence of ascending air along the building. Thereafter, the aircraft is drawn up against the building wall with docking device and teams of rescue services get the possibility to make a passage in the external building wall. The crew of rescuers, which organizes evacuation, arrives with this airship with their equipment. They perform surveillance and start fire fighting actions. The first aircraft is used as a terminal to which other airships, arriving jointly for evacuation, can be docked.
USE OF AIRSHIP AS PASSENGER VEHICLE
For passenger transportation, single airships are used. Passenger capacity is 20 people maximum. Flying distance is 500 km maximum. For aircraft use as a passenger vehicle, passenger seats shall be installed in its cabin. Besides, the provision shall be made for the installation of a toilet with plumbing fixtures.
USE OF AIRSHIP AS CARGO VEHICLE
Use of airships for cargo transportations has its advantages:
– altitude up to 1000 m is almost not occupied (very small number of aircrafts is used at such altitudes for long distance flights);
– possibility to lay the routes without considering motor roads, almost by the straight line;
– possibility to use the airship in an unmanned mode, controlling it from special ground control posts, as the movement is performed along direct routes for long distances.
For long distance cargo transportations (as in a case of evacuation during rescue operations), several airships jointly docked into a single aircraft can be used efficiently. In order to improve aerodynamic properties, the first aircraft in the unit shall be equipped with light-weight aerodynamic shield (of inflatable type, if possible), and all other aircrafts shall be provided with additional wings of minor extension. Internal space of the cabin and technical corridor can be used for cargo accommodation. One of the airships in the unit can be used as a tanker, and a fuel tank with fuel reserve for all airships can be arranged, that allows significantly increase the continuous flight distance for the unit of airships.
USE OF AIRSHIP AS UNMANNED PLATFORM
For use of the airship as an unmanned platform for deployment of mobile networks with various purposes, solar cell panels shall be additionally arranged on the top surface of the case. At weight of equipment up to 300 kg, the airship will have insignificant positive flotation, that allows staying at a specified altitude for a long term. Fuel reserve will be used to hold the aircraft in the specified point at heavy wind load and in the absence of sunshine.
If you are interested in our project, we will appreciate if you assist us in its implementation. For this purpose, the following is required:
– manufacturing and preparation of the prototype for flight trials;
– selection of devices for aircraft control (avionics) considering its particular characteristics;
– performance of aircraft certification tests;
– development of ground infrastructure, which shall include the following: а) maintenance points (control for gas pressure in fabric cells, control of motor, generator, storage batteries, avionics and case condition, etc.);
b) ground remote control posts;
c) ground airship home stations.
We are sure that the proposed project has considerable prospects and possibilities, as it can help to solve many problems in different areas: starting with people evacuation from high places in case of emergency to the arrangement of passenger and cargo transportation. Moreover, the aircraft structure stands out with its simplicity and reliability that undoubtedly can be considered as an additional advantage.
ANTER LLC
198095, St. Petersburg,
Mikhailovsky Lane, 4А, Let. B, office 3
Phone: +7 (812) 252-07-15; +7 (812) 252-60-65
Mob. phone +7 (921) 315-07-85
E-mail: tim.mirzeabasov@yandex.ru
http://anter.ru/
©New defence order. Strategy №1 (60) 2020
