I wonder if ... Electric powered blimp ?
I wonder if ... Electric powered blimp ?
(OP)
given the issues with electric power, I wonder if an electric powered blimp makes any sense ?
and plaster the body with solar cells and have it recharge in-flight ?
maybe use them to ferry electric powered planes (since they have no range to speak of) ?
and plaster the body with solar cells and have it recharge in-flight ?
maybe use them to ferry electric powered planes (since they have no range to speak of) ?
another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?
RE: I wonder if ... Electric powered blimp ?
TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg
FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies forum1529: Translation Assistance for Engineers Entire Forum list http://www.eng-tips.com/forumlist.cfm
RE: I wonder if ... Electric powered blimp ?
another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?
RE: I wonder if ... Electric powered blimp ?
TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg
FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies forum1529: Translation Assistance for Engineers Entire Forum list http://www.eng-tips.com/forumlist.cfm
RE: I wonder if ... Electric powered blimp ?
another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?
RE: I wonder if ... Electric powered blimp ?
"Know the rules well, so you can break them effectively."
-Dalai Lama XIV
RE: I wonder if ... Electric powered blimp ?
Love that movie.
RE: I wonder if ... Electric powered blimp ?
Considering new lightweight fabric materials for H2-gas impermeability and strength/stiffness/toughness... and navigation-autonomous-communication flight systems... and high efficiency light weight solar cells and batteries [including rapid plug-in recharging] and high efficiency electric-motor propulsion... and sensors that can be tuned for tramp H2 detection... and environmental threats and mitigation... [static/lightning, etc]... and visibility finishes and lighting for anti-collision... this is NOT at all a crazy idea, to me.
In fact... in locations/climates of stable fair weather [western US, deserts, etc] it seems outright feasible... and sorta fun challenge... to me.
Regards, Wil Taylor
o Trust - But Verify!
o We believe to be true what we prefer to be true. [Unknown]
o For those who believe, no proof is required; for those who cannot believe, no proof is possible. [variation,Stuart Chase]
o Unfortunately, in science what You 'believe' is irrelevant. ["Orion", Homebuiltairplanes.com forum]
RE: I wonder if ... Electric powered blimp ?
Can the same principle be used to stick blimps in the sky so they don't need hydrogen or helium to stay up? Seems about as practical.
Until then I'm working on sail driven automobiles. The tough part is selling the DOT on zig-zag highways for when one needs to tack upwind.
RE: I wonder if ... Electric powered blimp ?
1) at altitude, there is usually clear skies, above the clouds.
2) I thought of the solar cells as a way to recharge the batteries, not necessarily to charge on the ground. If cloudy, then plug in to recharge.
another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?
RE: I wonder if ... Electric powered blimp ?
Regards, Wil Taylor
o Trust - But Verify!
o We believe to be true what we prefer to be true. [Unknown]
o For those who believe, no proof is required; for those who cannot believe, no proof is possible. [variation,Stuart Chase]
o Unfortunately, in science what You 'believe' is irrelevant. ["Orion", Homebuiltairplanes.com forum]
RE: I wonder if ... Electric powered blimp ?
"Schiefgehen wird, was schiefgehen kann" - das Murphygesetz
RE: I wonder if ... Electric powered blimp ?
Hydrogen was explosive over such large mixture range(5% to 95% I think) that its a very hard risk to manage. An interesting couple of a sides, was that the mass for docking loads was 3 x the weight of the airship due to the airmass traveling with the ship & that they tend to bridge gusts, so the loads aren't as simple as aircraft.
You are stuck with a S/L lift capacity of ~ 1kg per Meter^3, so @35000 ft ~270 gm/m^3 & 132 gm/m^3 @ 50,000 ft. I think we need to move to a planet with a thicker atmosphere to see the rise of airships.
RE: I wonder if ... Electric powered blimp ?
Their plus points are fairly specific uses and the down side many.
This lot are one of a few I think. https://www.hybridairvehicles.com/
Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.
RE: I wonder if ... Electric powered blimp ?
fire up a jet, suck the air out... let it float up. slowly let air back in, increase weight get the load on wings and fly fast. follow directions in reverse for landing. I mean even if you had it fractionally reduce wing load that would be neat.
RE: I wonder if ... Electric powered blimp ?
I guess the structure to support the vacuum might weigh quite a bit, fully erasing this advantage. Then there's the problem of maintaining the vacuum, i.e. counteracting leakage.
"Schiefgehen wird, was schiefgehen kann" - das Murphygesetz
RE: I wonder if ... Electric powered blimp ?
another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?
RE: I wonder if ... Electric powered blimp ?
Perhaps the blimp idea on a 'UAV' scale has more merit?
Regards, Wil Taylor
o Trust - But Verify!
o We believe to be true what we prefer to be true. [Unknown]
o For those who believe, no proof is required; for those who cannot believe, no proof is possible. [variation,Stuart Chase]
o Unfortunately, in science what You 'believe' is irrelevant. ["Orion", Homebuiltairplanes.com forum]
RE: I wonder if ... Electric powered blimp ?
Not in any military discussion, I don't think; blimps are large and slow, two things that military UAS' try to avoid being. To carry a Shadow UAV's payload would require a couple thousand cubic ft of He and present a target that's roughly 100 times bigger
TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg
FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies forum1529: Translation Assistance for Engineers Entire Forum list http://www.eng-tips.com/forumlist.cfm
RE: I wonder if ... Electric powered blimp ?
BUT with a small submarine 'shape' with all-moving tiny wings and stabilizers' [fore/aft?], radar transparent/absorptive body material, low IR/vis 'day/night' coatings, and radar hidden/absorptive components [surveillance, electronics, propulsion, etc]... and 'SATCOM' and guidance/nav antennas along the upper-back [pod-sheltered or pod-retracted-stored], etc... this 'slow mover' at moderately high altitude might be essentially invisible... it would have to be 'stumbled-over' to spot it.
I suggest using slow-turning/silenced pusher-counter-rotating all plastic variable pitch props for forwards/backwards movement... with the ability to pitch-yaw the props... for precision aiming/movement.
Hey, just dreaming the possibilities...
Regards, Wil Taylor
o Trust - But Verify!
o We believe to be true what we prefer to be true. [Unknown]
o For those who believe, no proof is required; for those who cannot believe, no proof is possible. [variation,Stuart Chase]
o Unfortunately, in science what You 'believe' is irrelevant. ["Orion", Homebuiltairplanes.com forum]
RE: I wonder if ... Electric powered blimp ?
TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg
FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies forum1529: Translation Assistance for Engineers Entire Forum list http://www.eng-tips.com/forumlist.cfm
RE: I wonder if ... Electric powered blimp ?
I wonder if you could use the Dyson fan effect to generate thrust ? Maybe for the cruise engines that need only low power, and "proper" engines for "proper" control/thrust at lower altitudes ?
another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?