1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an aircraft with an emission-free drive and a method for driving an aircraft.
2. Discussion of Background Information
Aircraft, for example, airplanes, generally have a drive device, for example, a turbine or a propeller, which is driven, e.g., by an internal combustion engine. In connection with the findings on global warming, efforts are currently being made to reduce the CO2 discharge caused by operating an airplane. For example, electric motors are being tested for their operational capability in aircraft, in particular in airplanes. The batteries necessary for this are not yet available according to today's prior art. However, there are small flight demonstrators, such as for example the electric flying Cri-Cri from EADS, which have demonstrated the fundamental feasibility of electric flight with small aircraft. Furthermore, there are solar aircraft, such as the Solarimpuls, which also render flight possible at night, in that solar energy is converted by solar cells into electric current during the day and is stored in batteries, which then drive an electric motor at night.
A solar-powered aircraft is known from WO 2008/121774 A2. To operate a heat engine in the form of a Stirling engine, a thermal battery with a heat storage medium is provided, as well as a solar thermal collector provided in the transparent fuselage. Since the aircraft is aligned differently to the sun during flight operation, a moveable parabolic reflector is provided with a thermal collector running centrally, which transports the heat to the thermal reservoir. Flat-plate Stirling engines are known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,814, DE 42 16 839 C1, WO 96/06274 or EP 2 258 947 A1.