[Lab] thought about flight

[Darcy Whyte]

Not sure how this old thread got into my inbox (I'm supposing it's a gmail
error)...

Anyway, I happen to be thinking about buoyancy... since we are working on a
"space program". :) http://hack613.com/category/projects/

We're debating helium vs. hydrogen for lifting a camera to near-space (and
other crazy ideas)...

Thoughts?


--
Darcy Whyte

Art+ inventorArtist.com <http://inventorartist.com/> | Makerspace
hack613.com | Aviation rubber-power.com
Contact: *darcy at inventorArtist.com* <darcy at inventorArtist.com> |
613-563-3634 by appointment (no text)



On Wed, Mar 18, 2015 at 10:17 PM Matthew Bells <matt at mbells.ca> wrote:

> I saw some videos and a description of university researchers that were
> using a helium blimp to do autonomous robotics… I came across this a year
> ago, but can’t find it at the moment. I think they were from GB. What they
> indicated worked well is have it slightly heavier than air so it would
> easily come down, but did not take much energy to keep it up (basically at
> the motor’s minimum setting). It was fairly steerable with props that could
> swivel. I think it had one prop on each side and another for trim, or
> perhaps two on each side… This is also less susceptible to wind than a
> fully buoyant craft.
>
>
>
> Using heat is interesting. Mylar would help keep it contained, and you
> could seal an electric heat source. Chemical, like a candle, would usually
> need venting. If you take a battery like this (
> http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=37353 ),
> it can keep an 80 W bulb on for an hour (it is actually 96Wh). A smaller
> heat source is probably more than enough…
>
>
>
> -Matt
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* Lab [mailto:lab-bounces at artengine.ca] *On Behalf Of *Jason Cobill
> *Sent:* 2015.March.18 17:18
> *To:* lab
> *Subject:* Re: [Lab] thought about flight
>
>
>
>
>
>    It doesn't take much (chemical) energy to heat the air enough to go
> buoyant, there's an old cub scout trick where you hang a tea light candle
> under a garbage bag (see also Tailand's festival of lights
> <https://youtu.be/N9Ko-yvJzHU>) and it'll float away for hours. (Before
> landing in a wooded area and lighting the countryside on fire)
>
>
>    Getting enough heat output from a candle to lift equipment, a camera,
> fans, rudders, might be challenging. What about a small fuel canister -
> something like a can of spray lubricant or the tube they use in
> super-condensed camping stoves? I wonder what kind of energy to weight
> ratio you could get? Now you've got basically a miniaturized traditional
> hot air balloon. Think of the places you'll go!
>
>    Generating that kind of heat electrically makes me wonder if the lift
> you produce could ever exceed the weight of the batteries. Maybe if you
> "warmed it up" from a plugged-in source, then used the batteries to
> maintain the heat of the envelope? Even without doing the math, I'm
> skeptical.
>
>
>    Before you build this thing - consider that there has to be some kind
> of law against flying canisters of petrochemicals around, particularly near
> airports. Or not? I leave this as a legal research exercise for the reader.
>
>
>
>    -Jason Cobill
>
>
>
>
>
> On Wed, Mar 18, 2015 at 12:24 PM, Darcy Whyte <darcy at inventorartist.com>
> wrote:
>
> I love all the new movement towards quad copters and stuff.
>
>
>
> They need quite a bit more energy than fixed wing so I've been thinking
> about buoyancy. Then there's the helium/hydrogen problem.
>
>
>
> Has anybody entertained using hot air? I wonder if the hot air came from
> electricity it would be better or worse than a quad... Perhaps a closed
> container...
>
>
>
> My intuition says it's worse but it's a thought...
>
>
>
>
>
> --
>
> Darcy Whyte
>
>
>
> Art+ inventorArtist.com <http://inventorartist.com/> | Aviation
> rubber-power.com
>
> Contact: darcy at inventorArtist.com | 613-563-3634 by appointment (no text)
>
>
>
>
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