Hot air balloon with solar collector and heat-engine-driven fuel cell
US9290258B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 20, 2014 |
| Grant date | Mar 22, 2016 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 3, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02T90/40
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An example balloon system for long-duration flight can include an optically transparent envelope for solar greenhouse heating of lift gas within, a fuel cell inside a bladder within the envelope, and a solar collector beneath the bladder configured to concentrate solar energy in a focal region below the bladder. The fuel cell can include hydrogen gas, oxygen gas, and a water reservoir in a bottom portion of the bladder, and could be configured to generate electricity to run a heater to heat the lift gas during night-time hours. The example system can also include a heat engine configured with a hot side in the focal region and a cold side in the water reservoir. The heat engine could be configured to generate power by transferring heat from the hot side to the cold side, and the power could be used to recharge the fuel cell during daylight hours.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.