We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Optimal Configuration of Super-pressure Balloon Covered by a Diamond-shaped Net.
- Authors
Kyoichi NAKASHINO; Yoshitaka SAITO; Daisuke AKITA; Takuma MATSUO
- Abstract
A super-pressure balloon (SPB) is expected to provide cost-effective platforms for long-duration experiments in the stratosphere. The authors propose a new method to produce a light SPB, where the entire balloon envelope is covered by a diamond-shaped net; thereby effectively suppressing the stresses developed in the balloon envelope. The feasibility of the method was validated in 2010 through a ground inflation test using a prototype balloon. The development of the proposed SPB has progressed since then, involving the ground inflation test of a ∼6,000 m³ model balloon and the test flight of a ∼ 2,000 m³ balloon. Meanwhile, it has been realized that the inflated shape of the proposed SPB varies largely depending on the geometrical parameters of the cover net. The unique feature of the proposed SPB suggests that the optimal geometrical configuration of the cover net exists in that it maximizes the structural efficiency of the balloon. In this paper, the authors investigate the variation of the volume-to-weight ratio of the proposed SPB against the geometrical parameters of the cover net. The results show that the balloon volume will increase by a factor of three compared to that achieved by the current design practice without changing the balloon weight.
- Subjects
FLIGHT testing; DESIGN services; AIRSHIPS; STRATOSPHERE
- Publication
Transactions of the Japan Society of Aeronautical & Space Sciences, Aerospace Technology Japan, 2023, Vol 21, p37
- ISSN
1884-0485
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.2322/tastj.21.37