h a l f b a k e r yWhy not imagine it in a way that works?
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[Re-Edited. See #4 kite shape, #5 solar launcher tracker]
Like cluster ballooning, but with many small solar heated
balloons.
Next ideas:
1. Solar balloon improvements:
a. Wet the walls. H2O vapor is lighter than O2.
b. Insert hot water vapor when using the hair drier.
c.
Instead of black, use a clear top and shiny Mylar
bottom.
d. Add a lightweight heat collector/distributor (black
aluminum foil, so that concentrated light is turned to
heat)
2. Emptied air blimp. Use electric fans to empty the
blimp,
for effect similar to heating a hot-air balloon.
3. Emptied air improved solar blimp.
4. Shape it a bit like a kite, for takeoff, so quickly rises
high up (of course tethered at first).
5. Solar Launcher tracker:
a. Wire-frame holders hold balloons in place during
heating process, with an array of mirrors for fast
heating.
b. A manual tracker from ground - mirrors enhance the
heating, (Can't be parabolic because of changing
distance).
Solar flying
http://www.youtube....watch?v=x1q4Eql81sQ
Guy actually flies by solar heating! If you have the patience to watch. [pashute, Mar 30 2011]
History of solar balloons.
http://ballonsolair.../en-historique2.htm
Dominic Michaelis actually made these! (clear with dark inside) [pashute, Apr 11 2011]
[link]
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I'm going to try it out this Friday... hopefully. |
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Will post pictures and maybe a vid on youtube. |
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I'd like to see that I think. |
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Some early trials failed. Will try again next week, with
the listed improvements. |
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I have to ask what is meant by //H2O is lighter than O2//? Liquid water is less dense than liquid oxygen, so water vapour is lighter than gaseous oxygen?
I don't think that wetting the walls of your balloon will do anything but make them heavier. |
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and //Use electric fans to empty the blimp, for effect similar to heating a hot-air balloon// has me baffled. You want to try and evacuate air from the balloon to create more lift?
I don't get it? |
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//clear top and shiny Mylar bottom// sp. "clear balloon incorporating a movable shiny hemisphere". |
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I'm not sure where the "cluster" comes in: surely if you have many small balloons the ones on the sun-side will shade the ones not. |
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//water vapour is lighter than gaseous oxygen// |
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Yes. All gases have the same molar volume, and H20 has a
lower molecular mass than O2 (it's 18/32ndths as dense). |
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[pashute], the link doesn't work in the UK (copyright issues -
it has been blocked). Is there another? |
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Search youtube for solar balloon. There are about four results. A
large tube. One filled with a hair drier then hits a tree. A small all
solar with camera that gets lost and is returned. And the human
carrying one. |
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Boy coud i use one o them halfbaked nonquertyboards. |
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Not from a ballon but from a blimp. In order to ACHIEVE the
effect that a ha balloon has. |
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//4. Shape it a bit like a kite, for takeoff, so quickly rises high up (of course tethered at first).//
I think this, and waiting for some wind, would be key to this entire project, not just for take-off. |
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[FT] the solar collectors are clustered, not the balloons. |
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An uninflated balloon wet on the inside heated to above the boiling point of water at the external pressure would be lighter than air if the amount of water inside it was sufficiently small and the material composing it didn't melt or decompose at that temperature. Maybe heat it with some lenses or a parabolic mirror? |
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You don't have to boil a wet and warm surface for
the water to evaporate. |
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I edited the idea: added the word "vapor" after
H2O, so that you won't think I was talking about
liquid water being lighter than air. (Boy, you have
to spell things out at halfbakery. You'd think a few
words were enough to spell out an idea.) |
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I wet some partially empty plastic bags and sealed
them. Within a short while the bags looked like
covered with mist, and within 5 minutes they
were
inflated and totally clear = evaporated with no
signs
of water. At about 5 in the evening the bags
started
showing signs of mist. |
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[12 April, 2011] I just saw wikipedia Solar balloon.
It turns out that clear plastic on one side was used
by Frederick Eshoo in 1978 for a manned solar
balloon flight! |
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