British Airships, Past, Present, and FutureWhale, George
History
British Airships, Past, Present, and Future
Whale, George
Aircraft; Airships -- Britain -- History
It is therefore seen that the very considerable loss of lift, 4.67 lb.
per 1,000 cubic feet, takes place with the barometric pressure 2 inches
lower, from which it may be taken approximately that 1/30 of the volume
gross lift and weight is lost for every 1,000 feet rise. From this
example it is obvious that the greater the pressure of the atmosphere,
as indicated by the barometer, the greater will be the lift of the
airship or balloon.
Temperature is another factor which must be considered while discussing
lift. The volume of gas is affected by temperature, as gases expand or
contract about 1/500 part for every degree Fahrenheit rise or fall in
temperature.
In the case of the 1,000 cubic feet balloon, the air at 30 inches
barometric pressure and 60 degrees Fahrenheit weighs 75 lb., and the
hydrogen weighs 5 lb.
At the same pressure, but with the temperature increased to 90 degrees
Fahrenheit, the air will be expanded and 1,000 cubic feet of air will
weigh only 70.9 lb., while 1,000 cubic feet of hydrogen will weigh 4.7
lb.
The lift being the difference between the weight of the volume of air
and the weight of the hydrogen contained in the balloon, it will be
seen that with the temperature at 60 degrees Fahrenheit the lift is 75
lb. - 5 lb. = 70 lb., while the temperature, having risen to 90
degrees, the lift now becomes 70.9 lb. - 4.7 lb. = 66.2 lb.
Conversely, with a fall in the temperature the lift is increased.
We accordingly find from the foregoing observations that at the start
of a voyage the lift of an airship may be expected to be greater when
the temperature is colder, and the greater the barometric pressure so
will also the lift be greater. To put this into other words, the most
favourable conditions for the lift of an airship are when the weather
is cold and the barometer is high.
It must be mentioned that the air and hydrogen are not subject in the
same way to changes of temperature. Important variations in lift may
occur when the temperature of the gas inside the envelope becomes
higher, owing to the action of the sun, than the air which surrounds
it. A difference of some 20 degrees Fahrenheit may result between the
gas and the air temperatures; this renders it highly necessary that the
pilot should by able to tell at any moment the relative temperatures of
gas and air, as otherwise a false impression will be gained of the
lifting capacity of the airship.
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