Under construction as we speak
Goal: To construct a balloon capsule to travel across the Atlantic Ocean.
The major obstacles are:
1. The distance! its about 4000 miles to Europe/ Africa. Fortunately, the jetstream travels at around 150mph, which cuts down the length of the trip from a couple weeks to a couple days! But how to catch it? The jetstream exist at around 30,000 feet, but is not uniform throughout the Atlantic Ocean.
2. Lack of communication. Normal communication devices such as cell phones and radios would not work over such a great distance. A satellite phone / Long range HF radio beacon needs to be implemented.
2. Buoyancy difference between daytime and nighttime. During the day, the sun heats the balloon and causes it to expand. The expansion increases the the lift of the balloon and the height of the balloon will increase. During the night, the balloon cools down and contracts. This causes the height of the balloon to lower due to decreased lift. The buoyancy difference causes the balloon to either pop during the day because its too high, or land in the ocean during the night because it drops too low.
3. UV degradation. UV rays wreck havoc on latex balloons. Normal balloons would pop within a day due to UV rays.
There are two possible ways to workaround the buoyancy problem.
1. Zero-Pressure Envelope: The balloon drops some sort of weight during the night to maintain altitude. During the day the envelop releases some helium to reduce lift. This approach only work while the supply of ballast (weight) and helium last.
2. Super-Pressure Envelope: The balloon maintains its rigidity throughout flight. If the balloon drops, it will displace more air due to the denser air. Thus increasing lift and restoring equilibrium. If the balloon rises, the thinner air causes the balloon to displace less air, again restoring equilibrium.
Hi,
Have you guys tried to measure how far up and down the balloon will go to determine if you are worrying about something that is a problem or just a minor fact?
Buoyancy problem.
Why not just pump the helium back into a tank with a pump connected to a motor/generator and a battery.
At night when you release the helium back into the balloon, use the generator function to recharge the batteries.
If possible, insulate the tank for less heat/energy loss.
-r
And/or add solar cells to recharge the batteries.
The Japanese sent unmanned balloons, equipped with fire bombs, across the pacific during WWII.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_balloon
Project Blue Horizon’s PBH-9 currently holds the endurance record:
my grandpa fought in WWII
Here is a posible open source satellite http://opensat.cc
Cheers !
You should think about using something similar to this usb powered heater…
http://www.usbgeek.com/prod_detail.php?prod_id=0711
you could power it using the power film solarcells
http://www.powerfilmsolar.com/products/portable_remote/index.php?cat=pr_usb
Last year i was taking a look at what it would take to get a ballon to the north pole… unfortunately i determined that the jet stream wouldn’t really work for that.
But once I get back to school i’ll take a look at my designs for the balloon and share any insights I had that will be relevant to your task.
these might be a better warming solution
http://www.bestofferbuy.com/PC-Laptop-Computer-USB-Powered-Heated-Hands-Warmer-Winter-Heating-Gloves-p-15731.html?currency=USD&utm_source=gbase&utm_medium=cse&utm_campaign=gbase
I do not know the progression of your construction, but perhaps I can lend a hand with the air pressure problem. Have the main balloon connected to one or more relief balloons. When the lifting gas expands due to decreased air pressure, the lifting gas would flow into the relief balloon(s). When the air pressure increases, the lifting gas would flow back into the main balloon. This would prevent the balloon from exploding. Then again, this is a more airship-oriented technique.