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Re: Mini-Blimps: One-Man Ultralight Airships
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Reed Gleason
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Mar 16, 2009 18:53 PST
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Lots of good ideas Brad. Some have been described or tried before,
and sometimes something is tried and works, and is forgotten
anyway. Building models is very educational.
The lift of hydrogen is not twice that of helium, even though it
weighs half as much. Lift is the weight of the volume of atmosphere
displaced minus the weight of the structure doing the displacing.
At 10:01 PM 3/15/2009, Brad Cobb wrote:
| | 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>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://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.nott.com/Pages/records.php
http://www.24en.com/day/images/data/20070911.jpg
<http://jnaudin.free.fr/lifters/main.htm>http://jnaudin.free.fr/lifters/main.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ionocraft&printable=yes
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Most of the evil in the world is done by good people who believe
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Reed 503-810-4801 (cell) 503-283-1366 (home)
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