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EP-4530195-B1 - AIRCRAFT TANK DEVICE FOR INCREASING A FLIGHT RANGE AND A WING AREA OF AN AIRCRAFT AS WELL AS AIRCRAFT

EP4530195B1EP 4530195 B1EP4530195 B1EP 4530195B1EP-4530195-B1

Inventors

  • BENTHIEN, HERMANN
  • HEGENBART, MATTHIAS

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20230928

Claims (11)

  1. Aircraft tank device (200) for increasing a flight range and a wing area of an aircraft (100), in particular of a passenger or cargo aircraft, the aircraft tank device (200) comprising a fairing (201) which is formed and configured: - to at least partly cover an aircraft wing-aircraft fuselage intersection (202), - to store a fuel and - to provide a lifting function; wherein the aircraft tank device (200) further comprises a plurality of hinges (207) for attaching the fairing (201) to an aircraft fuselage (101) and/or an aircraft wing (102).
  2. Aircraft tank device (200) according to claim 1, wherein the fairing (201) is connectable to an aircraft fuselage (101) and/or an aircraft wing (102).
  3. Aircraft tank device (200) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fairing (201) is configured as a belly fairing.
  4. Aircraft tank device (200) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the fairing (201) is configured to be replaceable such that a size and/or form of the fairing (201) can be chosen depending on a flight distance.
  5. Aircraft tank device (200) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a pressurized container (203) at least partly enclosed by the fairing (201), wherein the pressurized container (203) is configured to contain a cryogenic medium.
  6. Aircraft tank device (200) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a pilot valve (204), a vent pressure valve (205) and a vent box (206) being positioned inside the fairing (201).
  7. Aircraft tank device (200) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a fuel and air quick disconnecting element (208).
  8. Aircraft (100), in particular passenger or cargo aircraft, comprising an aircraft tank device (200) according to one of the preceding claims.
  9. Aircraft (100) according to claim 8, further comprising an aircraft fuselage (101) and an aircraft wing (102), wherein the aircraft tank device (200) is configured as a conformal fuel tank fitted to an outer skin of the aircraft fuselage (101) and of the aircraft wing (102).
  10. Aircraft (100) according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the aircraft tank device (200) is fluidly connected to a standard fueling and transfer line (103).
  11. Aircraft (100) according to one of the claims 8 to 10, wherein the fairing (201) covers at least an upper side (202a) of the aircraft wing-aircraft fuselage intersection (202).

Description

The invention relates to an aircraft tank device for increasing a flight range and a wing area of an aircraft. The invention is furthermore concerned with an aircraft containing such an aircraft tank device. It is very often necessary, especially on long range flights, for an aircraft to carry an additional supply of fuel to that normally required and installed in the aircraft. Such an additional fuel is generally carried in additional tanks on the outside of the aircraft, or, more particularly, for convenience and aerodynamic reasons, may be attached to the lower surface of the wing section. These tanks can be released or dropped off, thus reducing the load and drag factor on the aircraft or for safety reasons. The fuel of the aircraft is normally installed in the body, the main wing, and the like with the fuel tank installed therein, but the capacity of the fuel tank is limited. In the case where further fuel is required additional tanks can be placed on the outside of the aircraft. In a conventional method, the additional tank is fixed in the outer shape and attached to the aircraft at the tip of the main wing, below the main wing or under the body. Conventionally, even if the fuel is empty in the additional tank, an additional tank having the same outer shape as that in the case where the fuel is fully loaded in the additional tank is attached, the surface area thereof is large, and the resistance of the aircraft is increased. For example, document CA 462 978 A describes an airplane comprising a fuselage and a single wing of the stressed skin type, a box-like structure extending symmetrically on either side of the fore-and-aft plane of symmetry of the airplane beyond the confines of said fuselage and constituting by itself at least the middle portion and main stress resisting element of the stressed skin center wing section and being fluid-tightly closed so as to constitute a fuel tank. FR 3128196 A1 - according to its abstract - discloses an airliner which has a wing consisting of a left part with a root and a right part with a root. The left part is being made up at a base of a box section profiled to have lift with an upper edge on an upper surface and a lower edge on a lower surface. The box section is attached to an outer edge. A half-wing in a front position and a half-wing in a rear position are being attached to the box section at different heights. The right part is being described in a similar way to the left part by mentioning a box, another half-wing in the forward position and another half-wing in the rear position. Those known additional fuel tanks placed on the outside of the aircraft have the problem that may deteriorate the flight performance of the aircraft. According to the invention, this problem is solved in each case by the subject matters of the independent claims. According to a first aspect of the invention, an aircraft tank device for increasing a flight range and a wing area of an aircraft is provided. The aircraft tank device comprises a fairing which is formed and configured: to at least partly cover an aircraft wing-aircraft fuselage intersection,to store a fuel andto provide a lifting function. In particular, an aircraft tank device for increasing a flight range and a wing area of a passenger or cargo aircraft is provided. According to a second aspect of the invention, an aircraft, in particular a passenger or cargo aircraft, comprising an aircraft tank device according to the first aspect of the invention is provided. A fundamental concept of the invention is to provide an additional fuel tank device to that provided in the wings of the aircraft, wherein the additional fuel tank device can be equipped for current existing aircrafts as add-on, as well as for future aircrafts. A primary function of the fairing is to provide a smooth outline and reduce drag. The fairing can be used as a cover for gaps and spaces between parts of an aircraft to reduce form drag and interference drag, and to improve appearance. Furthermore, the aircraft tank device can store about 20 m3 to 60 m3, preferably about 40 m3, additional fuel. In particular, the fairing is formed to increase a wing area for providing the lifting function. A particular advantage in the solution according to an aspect of the invention is that the aircraft tank device provides more fuel storage capacity without the need for a wing redesign nor the need to use the cargo capacity, which could be equipped with so-called additional center tanks, for example. Therefore, it is possible to store less fuel inside the fuselage. Moreover, fuels with a higher volume request, like hydrogen, can be stored in the aircraft, wherein the added tank volume is provided outside the standard fuselage. Another advantage is that in case of water landing a crash and swimming behavior of the aircraft can be optimized by the aircraft tank device according to the invention. Further, the flight range can be extended and a lift of the aircraft can