Buoyancy control is identified as a significant problem in airships, past and present. An existing proposal to enhance the control of buoyancy in lighter-than-air aircraft is reviewed, and a new method of buoyancy control (the inflatable vacuum chamber) is proposed. The differences between the existing proposal and new proposal are highlighted, including the new possibility of an airship that lands vertically onto the ground without a mooring mast, a ground handling party, or a runway. Theory of lightweight stiff inflatable structures is discussed and a specific design and construction method is proposed. The design is optimized and confirmed elastically stable; design specifications are given. A typical operation cycle (including liftoff, flight, and touchdown) is detailed. An area of potential theoretical advancement is identified.
Airship Buoyancy Control Using Inflatable Vacuum Chambers
Journal of Aircraft ; 50 , 4 ; 1001-1010
2013-06-13
10 pages
Aufsatz (Zeitschrift)
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch
Airship Buoyancy Control using Inflatable Vacuum Chambers
British Library Conference Proceedings | 2011
|FULL-LENGTH PAPERS - Airship Buoyancy Control Using Inflatable Vacuum Chambers
Online Contents | 2013
|Europäisches Patentamt | 2021
|