Technical Field

The present invention particularly relates to a hydrogen-powered, scalable, multipurpose, hybrid general amphibious platform which can instantly transform itself into an air-skirted or caterpillar-tracked structure on demand or depending on the conditions; which can become suitable for multi-purpose use in a short time with the energy obtained from the hydrogen it stores and/or self-sufficiently produces; and which can move rapidly and over long distances in snow, ice, sea, lake, desert, land and mountainous environments and different surfaces.

Background of the Invention

Amphibious vehicles are vehicles that can move both on land and in water by means of their equipment. In general, they provide the motion and orientation with wheels or moving tracks (such as tank tracks) as the first method to move on land. When they are landed on water (launched) by means of a special slipway (a launching ramp), they can float in the water because their bottoms are in the form of a boat. They move like a motor boat with a propeller and rudder. On land, they cannot be very large as the boat part will take up a lot of space. Their speed and range are quite low. As an alternative to this system, vehicles with air bags have been developed as the second method. Vehicles with air bags have a skirt-like structure around them and the pressurised air generated by a fan inflates the skirt and the vehicle rises on the air bag. Their contact with the surface is completely cut off. They can move rapidly on a slippery ground with very little air friction. They use a propeller and tail rudder for propulsion and steering, just like an aircraft, or they can be steered by changing the angle of the propulsion fan. Since they have no contact with the surface, they can easily land and take off from land to sea and do not need a special towing. Because they have no surface contact, they can move easily on any surface in principle. Their speed and range are high and can be scaled from the size of the smallest single-seater car to the size of a commercial car ferry in the English Channel or a quite large landing craft for military purposes. In principle, there is no size and capacity limit. However, the said second method is more suitable for travelling over snow, ice, water, lakes or uneven land. Even more importantly, they can only move in water or lakes. In rugged terrains, their performance becomes very limited or even impossible during climbing and descending in mountainous areas. Therefore, both methods have disadvantages due to their dependence on terrain types. However, when a landing craft with air bag arrives at the bridgehead (landing beach), it must continue on land with its personnel and armoured vehicles and continue uninterruptedly in mountainous terrain. In addition, fossil fuels and known energy conversion systems are used in existing methods and they pollute the environment and create waste. In other words, as in this example, an amphibious vehicle should have the features of both methods, i.e. both caterpillar-tracks and vehicles with air bags, on the same platform and it should be able to transform itself from one of these two methods into the other. (Morphing).

Another important disadvantage of these two different methods is that they are designed and built for a single purpose. For example, you cannot easily convert a landing ship into a hospital ship or a DIHA (Surface Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) depending on instantaneous needs.

Therefore, today there is need for solutions which combine both methods on the same board and so eliminate their disadvantages and can pass from airbags to caterpillar tracks by itself. On the other hand, in addition to the said solution, there is also need for solutions whereby modules optimised for different purposes can be installed and removed from the same basic platform in a short period of time (demountable) by means of its autonomous and modular structure; which have the feature of completely zero emission-zero waste; which are run on green hydrogen and can partially produce hydrogen itself with the wind turbine and solar panels that it can carry on itself in a closed cycle without even consuming water; which can store hydrogen in a very short time when there is a station; which can obtain an additional energy source by converting its own personnel waste into biogas and mix it with hydrogen.

In summary, amphibious vehicles are widely used in the military field today and they mostly carry out landing operations. Therefore, amphibious platforms should be able to move fast both on the sea and on the landing ground and at the same time, they should be able to climb to places with a high slope without interruption by changing the method. There are also emergency vehicles that can use one of the existing methods. However, an emergency vehicle with an air bag designed to travel in water cannot easily climb a steep slope and extinguish a forest fire like a land rover or convert into an ambulance vehicle immediately.

As a result, there is a need for solutions which can instantly change method and module in all kinds of terrains, waters and mountainous terrain and do not harm the environment by overcoming the problems in the state of the art and can climb steep places and with their energy source.

The United States patent document no. US20170349156A1, an application in the state of the art, discloses a system which enables a vehicle to move on water, snow, ice, ground, sand, asphalt, grass and light vegetation, as well as on a fairly uneven field. In the system of the said invention, an amphibious transformer vehicle (ATV) which carry passengers or cargo, has only an airbag method that can smoothly make a transition between flat or very similar types of terrain and handle waves or small uneven terrain is disclosed. This vehicle is designed to move on water, snow, ice, ground, sand and other loose surfaces, as well as asphalt, grass and light vegetation. It cannot easily climb steep slopes and is even completely impeded by hunting pads and inflatable boats. Although it is claimed in the said patent document that there is no need to change or stop the vehicle for travelling between surfaces, it is a prerequisite that the surfaces are very similar. For example, it is not possible to climb a mountain. Despite this, based on a design utilising a flexible frame and structures based on flexible pontoon beams, it has been claimed to be able to overcome waves and obstacles without damage. As usual in conventional vehicles with airbags, there is an inflatable skirt between each pair of adjacent, inflatable pontoons. The inflatable pontoons are hermetically sealed. In the invention, the fuel cell is a hydrogen fuel cell, battery or electrical energy storage. However, it cannot produce hydrogen energy itself. It requires an external hydrogen supply station. There is no mention of the fact that the hydrogen is green, i.e. that it is supplied entirely from renewable energy sources. The US patent document may or may not include an additional motor which acts as a generator to recharge the battery or other electric storage devices. If available, it causes environmental damage through its exhaust. The hydrogen fuel cell emits water vapour into the environment without using the water generated by the hydrogen fuel cell or producing hydrogen on its own in a closed circuit, and the greenhouse effect of water vapour in the atmosphere is at least twice that of CO2 emissions.

Therefore, the vehicle mentioned in this patent document is not interested in environmental sensitivity -which is the most important issue and purpose of today- and it has no solution therefor and is almost a recreational vehicle or responds to very limited purposes, but it is environmentally friendly, modular, self-sufficient, caterpillar-track, with airbag, and an amphibious vehicle solution with a renewable energy system which pays attention to the greenness of hydrogen, which does not waste water, which combines two methods of movement, and which has the ability to transform from an air cushion into a caterpillar-track and travel on steep terrain. Therefore, today there is a need for an amphibious platform which solves the said problems.

Summary of the Invention

An objective of the present invention is to realize an amphibious platform which can climb steep terrain by means of caterpillar tracks in cases where air skirts are insufficient, due to its structure having both air skirt and caterpillar track. Another objective of the present invention is to realize an amphibious platform which enables the required energy to be generated in real time by using the hydrogen included on the vehicle.

Another objective of the present invention is to realize an amphibious platform which is suitable for multi-purpose use by being easily switched from one purpose and task to another in a short time with modular compartments.

Another objective of the present invention is to realize an amphibious platform which is powered by renewable energy sources and use only green hydrogen obtained from renewable sources.

Another objective of the present invention is to realize an amphibious platform which is capable of partially produce hydrogen by storing the water release between fuel cell and hydrogen consumption and hydrolyze it again with renewable energy systems on board.

Another objective of the present invention is to realize an amphibious platform which has a zero * waste * zero * release characteristic.

Another objective of the present invention is to realize an amphibious platform which enables wastes to be converted into biogas on the platform and include them into hydrogen.

Detailed Description of the Invention

“A Hybrid Amphibious Platform” realized to fulfil the objectives of the present invention is shown in the figures attached, in which:

Figure l is a side view of the inventive hybrid amphibious platform. The components illustrated in the figures are individually numbered, where the numbers refer to the following:

1. Amphibious platform

2. Body

3. Room

4. Bridge

5. Tail

6. Diversion fan

7. Air skirt (hovercraft)

8. Skirt fan

9. Battery

10. Caterpillar pallet

11. Hydrogen tank

12. Fuel cell

13. Water tank

14. PVT panels

15. Demountable modules

16. Radar/antenna configuration

17. Night vision equipment

18. Biogas tank

19. Telescopic mast

20. Solar panel

21. Fan/turbine

The inventive amphibious platform (1) which can move in terrains requiring steep climbing by means of its tracked structure and real-time energy generation from green hydrogen (1) comprises at least one body (2); at least one room (3) which is located on the body (2) and used at least for carrying cargo, passengers or stretchers; at least one bridge (4) which is located on the body (2); at least one tail (5) which is located on the body (2) and used for guiding the body (2); at least one diversion fan (6) which provides the movement of the body (2) by being located on the body (2) together with the tail (5); at least one air skirt (7) which is located on the body (2); at least one air skirt fan (8) which is located on the body (2) and enables the air skirt (7) to be inflated and activated; at least one battery (9) which is located on the body (2) and enables to provide the initial energy required for lighting, communication, electric motors or fans (6, 8); at least one caterpillar track (10) which is located on the body (2) and used for providing the movement of the vehicle on steep terrain, except for the movement with the air skirt (7); at least one hydrogen tank (11) which is located on the body (2); a plurality of hydrogen fuel cells (12) which convert the green hydrogen contained in the hydrogen tank (11) into electrical energy in real time and ensure that it is mainly used in the elements that will provide the movement of the body (2).

The inventive amphibious platform (1) also comprises at least one water tank (13) wherein the waste water generated by the real-time conversion of hydrogen in the hydrogen tank (11) into electrical energy is stored. The waste heat generated in the hydrogen fuel cells (12) during the conversion process is used to heat the amphibious platform (1) when it is used in cold regions such as the Arctic. In this way, both the raw battery (9) and the hydrogen fuel cells (12) are prevented from being adversely affected by the cold.

The inventive amphibious platform (1) also comprises at least one PVT panel (14) located on the body (2). The number of PVT panels (14) can be increased. The PVT panel (14) is used for obtaining hot water and electricity. The body (2) included in the inventive amphibious platform (1) comprises a plurality of rooms (3) which can be used for the purpose of stretcher, passenger and cargo transport, and a bridge (4) wherein the personnel or personnel on duty are located. There are also container-type multi-purpose demountable modules (15) on the body (2).

In one preferred embodiment of the invention, a radar/antenna configuration (16) is located on the body (2). The body (2) comprises the night vision equipment (17) so to be used in night travelling of the vehicle. A biogas tank (18) is located on the body (2) for converting the personnel waste into biogas and then providing an additional energy source and mixing it into hydrogen.

In the inventive amphibious platform (1), the body (2) comprises at least one telescopic mast (19) whereon components such as base station and jammer are located. The telescopic mast (19) can rotate around itself and includes solar panels (20) that can rotate according to the sun. When the telescopic mast (19) is in the closed position, the solar panels (20) are parallel to the travelling path and when the telescopic mast (19) is in the open position, the solar panels (20) rotate towards the sun. The solar panels (20) can substitute (replace) the wings, that are the tail (5). Thereby, the solar panels can be used for multiple purposes. At the same time, the solar panels have a non-reflective surface so as not to give away their location. The telescopic mast (19) also comprises at least one fan/turbine (21), that can rotate into the wind, at its upper end.

In the invention, the tail (5) located on the body (2) enables the vehicle to be guided during its movement with the air skirt (7), together with the steering fan (6). The steering fan (6) is located together with the tail (5) and meets the necessary energy requirement by the fuel cells (12) in real time.

In the inventive amphibious platform (1), the air skirt (7) is used together with the caterpillar tracks (10) for the movement of the vehicle and is located on the body (2) together. The air skirts (7) have an inflatable and deflatable structure and the caterpillar tracks (10) provide the movement of the trunk (2) with the collection of the air skirt (7). Upon the air skirt (7) is inflated by the skirt fan (8), the movement of the body (2) is provided by the tail (5) and the steering fan (6). Following the inflation of the air skirt (7), the caterpillar tracks (10) remain above and the amphibious platform (1) moves with the tail (5) and the steering fan (6). The energy requirement necessary for the air skirt (7) and the skirt fan (8) is met by the fuel cells (12) in real time.

In the inventive amphibious platform (1), the caterpillar track (10) provides the movement of the body (2) with the collection of the air skirt (7) and meets the energy requirement from the hydrogen fuel cells (12) in real time.

In the inventive amphibious platform (1), the hydrogen tank (11) is used for storing hydrogen. The fuel cells (12) utilize the hydrogen to generate electricity in real time and transmit it directly to the elements in need of energy without storage. The wastewater and waste water generated during the conversion of hydrogen into electrical energy are utilized in the vehicle. While water is collected in the water tank (13), heat energy can be used to heat the hydrogen fuel cells (12) and the battery (9). Thus, freezing of the amphibious platform (1), which would prevent it from operating in cold regions such as the poles, is prevented.

The inventive amphibious platform (1) realizes a green energy consumption by using hydrogen energy and it can move in many environments such as snow, ice, sea, lake, desert, desert, land and mountain. The amphibious platform (1) can move with the caterpillar track (10) or the air skirt (7). When the amphibious platform (1) has to move in a steep area, the aerial skirts (7) are collected and then the caterpillar tracks (10) are activated. The energy required for the amphibious platform (1) is met by converting the hydrogen in the hydrogen tank (11) into electricity in the fuel cells (12) in real time. In this way, real-time energy is obtained for the caterpillar track (10) in cases where the air skirt (7) will be insufficient in terrain requiring very steep climbing, that requires continuous high energy. The inventive amphibious platform (1) instantaneously supplies the energy of the entire DC system such as lighting, communication, electric motor and fans (6, 8) via the fuel cells (12) operating in real time. The amphibious platform (1) also comprises a battery (9) in addition to the fuel cells (12). The battery (9) can provide the initial energy required for the amphibious platform (1) and DC systems. The amphibious platform (1) can move at a range of up to 200 miles at sea and 100 miles on land with its movement elements. Furthermore, it can reach speeds of up to 90 mph at sea, 35 mph on land with its air skirt and 25 mph with its caterpillar track (10).

It is possible to develop various embodiments of the inventive “Hybrid Amphibious Platform (1)”; the invention cannot be limited to examples disclosed herein and it is essentially according to claims.