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Mini-Blimps: One-Man Ultralight Airships
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nimblebee@netzero.com
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Mar 15, 2009 22:03 PST
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I've found the discussions of "personal mini-blimp" one-person airships fruitful, fun and eye-opening thus far; it's gotten the old Grey matter stirred up and curiosity bump itching and scratching! <grin>
http://home.teleport.com/~reedg/whitedwarf.html
I must say: surprised that so small an envelope would have sufficient lift!
Now as how to go faster whilst being more stable, and other "Little Blimp" group goals?
HHHhhhuuuuuummmmmmmmm...!
How about considering a flattened, domed, saucer shape?
This ought to be somewhat immune to winds quartering, and smooth flight in any direction, further allowing for ease in engine working through whatever winds might exist, combining features for most efficiency available in flight envelope.
Now as to reducing friction and increasing performance further....how about getting rid of the gondola, and moving THAT drag up into the balloon structure, so that the domed, flattened saucer shape will be able to shield and smooth airstream around the now-enclosed pilot position? Bit like going from sitting on the wing of a Curtis pusher, to sitting in a cockpit of WW1 fighter, eh, what?
By making the lift envelope a flattened saucer shape with a pilot observation dome, visibility ought to be high enough to observe out above the domed saucer shaped top section.
To maintain stability, motors, lift bags, solar/heat collection stations would have to be located so as taking into account center of gravity/lift and other flight sharacteristics.
Keeping costs down; Why not consider providing for maximum visibility utilizing 6 mil clear plastic sheeting (ultraviolet inhibitor within plastic's chemistry), which could be fitted upon a framework of PVC pipping (PVC attractive as being widely available, flexible; able to withstand internal pressure <for increasing strength, frame would be pressurized> as well about as cheap as anything you can buy!)?
This construction methodology works well for locals in building their DIY, backyard homegrown greenhouse structures.
Continuing concerning design concepts inside described pressurized framework, this being covered with 6 mil plastic, and internally sectioned into separate airbag compartments for increased safety and control. <Life rafts use sections as described for safety/reliability>
1. Not politically correct, and probably have to investigate legalities (here in California when smog exceeds limits, breathing becomes illegal), BUT much easier to produce (IE: Joe Cell, Hydroxy boost, et al) being MUCH cheaper: hydrogen(!) VS helium.
Hydrogen has twice the lift as helium, allowing for a much smaller centralized lift bag, permitting further safety layers of protection using additional bags enclosing the hydrogen bag.
For further safety, venting any leaking hydrogen gas, one could follow "HelioStat's" example using the sun's rays with solar collection/heating of surrounding airbags to manipulate lift, allowing heated exhaust air with venting to aid thrust and maneuvering motors.
There are sold hot-air solar-powered heat engines (Popular Mechanics ran articles how-to build your own large versions-Ya gotta roll up yer sleeves and LOOK in local library-I haven't the plans or time to find them for you!) which could be fed the heated exhaust air for the lift bags/solar collector.
The focusing collector capability of the saucer disc shape could (with cheap "Space-blanket" reflective material) be controlled to provide the heat collection for both lifting, and powering the heat engines for thrust and control.
Somebody out there with a lot more engineering savvy than I would be capable to design a computer chip to control and keep energies maximized, interpreting commands via a pilot's video-game sort of joystick (again cheap and plentiful-engineering brains not so much).
Another innovation taken from current large airship design which ought apply well for our purposes, being drive motors fully directional, pivoting all directions and rotating with enclosing shrouds (prop safety and thrust improvement) having props feather; reversing; allows for greater maneuverability and control, providing for thrust to be directed as benefits VTOL.
Taken altogether, these above mentioned design features could lessen need for ground crew, one 'Little Blimp's" groups admirable goal.
Goodyear came up with a semi-rigid design in it's inflatable airplanes, which could serve purpose of light weight and strength anywhere needed in the saucer-blimp design. There is an answer to maintaining strength and eliminating weight though lessening need for additional weighty reinforcing structure.
Not exactly sure what the diameter of envisioned "Flying Saucer Blimp" would be, but a compromise in keeping circumference to a minimum would include allowing more volume on the topside of the saucer, IE: dome with pilot "bubble" atop. Calculations anyone (doubtless these would be applied for helium lift gas)? Guesses, maybe Professors?
Using directional alignment motors (a la Sunstat solar powered balloon) would allow for smaller amount of expensive lift gas, while reducing need for ballast.
Computer (or even solar cells driving axis-rotational motors, being set such as sunlight falling on solar cells to power props only when off maximum solar exposure orientation) control could be engineered to keep disc-shaped solar collector always facing sun) provided to maximize solar collection/lift, as provided by and interpreting pilot commands <via joystick, for example>
Not to forgo or forget the concepts of adding high voltage static electric pulses (NOT to hydrogen lift gasses, of course!!!) at high frequencies to envelope, to experimentally increase lift (a la lifters).
If the pilot's position was centralized in the bubble atop saucer dome, the pilot could swivel his chair to keep properly oriented to direction of flight, as desired-and with today's electronic revolution, wireless video could also provide visual inputs, along with GPS.
If desirable, doubtless a computer could be arranged to allow parts of the internal working to rotate (as in Frisbee, and as static electric generator) for further stability/lift enhancement (ala Searl disc) whilst keeping the pilot station stationary, directed however preferred.
Yummy food for thought! <grin> :-D
Now as to making all concepts relative come together and work as cohesive whole, check out some links as to those who have pioneered and are as doin":
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/02/cool-earth-solars-cool-headed-apprach-to-saving-the-world.php?daylife=1&dcitc=daylife-article
http://pagesperso-orange.fr/ballonsolaire/en-presentation.htm
http://www.nott.com/Pages/records.php
http://www.24en.com/day/images/data/20070911.jpg
http://jnaudin.free.fr/lifters/main.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ionocraft&printable=yes
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