Lighter-than-air aircraft and deballasting method implemented in said lighter-than-air aircraft
A lighter-than-air aircraft is provided including a deballasting system, the deballasting system including: at least one tank containing a liquid; a system for pressurizing the liquid of the at least one tank; and at least one sprayer arranged so as to eject the liquid from the pressurization system.
1. A lighter-than-air aircraft comprising: deballasting means, the deballasting means comprising:
at least one tank containing a liquid;
a pressurization system configured to pressurize the liquid of the at least one tank; and
at least one sprayer arranged to expel the liquid originating from the pressurization system,
wherein said at least one sprayer is equipped with a direction adjuster arranged to adjust a direction of spraying of the liquid expelled by said at least one sprayer.
2. The lighter-than-air aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the pressurization system comprises at least one pump arranged to pump the liquid out of the at least one tank.
3. The lighter-than-air aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the pressurization system comprises the at least one tank containing the liquid stored under pressure.
4. The lighter-than-air aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one sprayer is arranged to expel the liquid in a direction of spraying comprising a non-zero vertical component directed upwards.
5. The lighter-than-air aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one sprayer comprises at least one pair of sprayers, each pair of sprayers comprising a first sprayer arranged to expel the liquid in a first direction of spraying comprising a first horizontal component, and a second sprayer arranged to expel the liquid in a second direction of spraying comprising a second horizontal component, the first and second horizontal components of the first and second directions of spraying being opposite and being on the same axis.
6. The lighter-than-air aircraft according to claim 1 , further comprising several tanks and transferring means for transferring liquid from one of said tanks to another of said tanks.
7. The lighter-than-air aircraft according to claim 1 , further comprising controlling means for controlling each direction adjuster according to commands for the adjustment of a spatial position of the lighter-than-air aircraft.
8. The lighter-than-air aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one sprayer is arranged to expel the liquid in a direction of spraying comprising a non-zero horizontal component.
9. The lighter-than-air aircraft according to claim 1 , further comprising a flow-rate adjuster arranged to adjust a flow rate of the liquid expelled by this sprayer.
10. The lighter-than-air aircraft according to claim 9 , further comprising controlling means for controlling the flow-rate adjuster according to commands for the adjustment of a spatial position of the lighter-than-air aircraft.
11. A deballasting method implemented in a lighter-than-air aircraft comprising at least one tank containing a liquid, the method comprising:
pressurizing the liquid of the at least one tank, by a pressurization system;
expelling the liquid originating from the pressurization system via at least one sprayer; and
adjusting a direction of spraying of the liquid expelled by the at least one sprayer.