Adaptable solar airframe with a flexible photovoltaic system
Methods and apparatus for an adaptable solar airframe are provided herein. In some embodiments, an adaptable solar airframe includes an expandable body having an aerodynamic cross-section that reduces parasitic air drag at any given thickness of the body, further being able to change its shape in flight in response to changes in the relative position of the sun; and a flexible solar PV system attached to the surface of the expandable body.
1. An adaptable solar airframe comprising:
an expandable body configured to expand during flight while maintaining an aerodynamic cross-section profile of an aerofoil that includes a larger cross-sectional width over a center portion of the aerofoil than at leading and trailing portions of the aerofoil; and
a flexible solar photovoltaic (PV) system attached to a surface of the expandable body, wherein changes in shape of the expandable body are based on variable incident angle sunlight conditions during flight to optimize a capture area of the flexible solar PV system during flight.
2. The adaptable solar airframe of claim 1 , wherein the flexible solar PV system comprises broad area PV cells.
3. The adaptable solar airframe of claim 1 , wherein the flexible solar PV system comprises a carrier made of flexible thin-film materials and solar cells made of flexible thin-film materials attached to the carrier.
4. The adaptable solar airframe of claim 1 , wherein the flexible solar PV system comprises multi-junction thin-film PV cells.
5. The adaptable solar airframe of claim 1 , wherein the flexible solar PV system comprises planar solar cells.
6. The adaptable solar airframe of claim 1 , wherein the expandable body is symmetric in shape and produces zero aerodynamic lift.
7. The adaptable solar airframe of claim 1 , wherein a volume of the expandable body is variable with the change in shape, and the shape is modified to minimize parasitic drag for a given volume.
8. The adaptable solar airframe of claim 1 , wherein a surface area of the expandable body is able to remain constant with the changes in the shape of the expandable body.
9. An aircraft comprising the adaptable solar airframe of claim 1 .
10. The aircraft of claim 9 , wherein the adaptable solar airframe is retractable.
11. The aircraft of claim 9 , comprising a storage compartment in which the adaptable solar airframe may be stored, and from which the adaptable solar airframe may be extracted and expanded for solar collecting.
12. The aircraft of claim 9 , wherein the adaptable solar airframe is an inflatable flexible pod.
13. The aircraft of claim 12 , wherein the inflatable flexible pod is towed by the aircraft.
14. The aircraft of claim 9 , wherein the adaptable solar airframe comprises a part of one or more of a fuselage, a wing, or a tail section.
15. An adaptable solar airframe comprising:
an expandable body configured to expand during flight while maintaining an aerodynamic cross-section profile of an aerofoil that includes a larger cross-sectional width over a center portion of the aerofoil than at leading and trailing portions of the aerofoil; and
an integrated solar power system comprising thin-film photovoltaic (PV) solar cells and modules integrated with a surface of the expandable body, wherein changes in shape of the expandable body are based on variable incident angle sunlight conditions during flight to optimize a capture area of the integrated solar power system during flight.
16. The adaptable solar airframe of claim 15 , wherein the thin-film PV solar cells and modules are imbedded into a skin of the airframe.
17. An airplane comprising the adaptable solar airframe of claim 15 .
18. The airplane of claim 17 , wherein the adaptable solar airframe has zero aerodynamic lift.
19. The airplane of claim 17 , wherein the adaptable solar airframe is a pod that can be towed behind the airplane.
20. The airplane of claim 19 , further comprising a storage compartment into which the adaptable solar airframe may be retracted and stored or from which it may be extracted and expanded.