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I see at least two advantages: compared to hydrogen they are not flammable and compared to helium they don't require a limited resource.
by yoz-y 7y ago
I see at least two advantages: compared to hydrogen they are not flammable and compared to helium they don't require a limited resource.
- WalterBright 7y agoYou'd need a very heavy chamber to keep the vacuum balloon from collapsing. Hook up a vacuum pump to a flask. It isn't going to rise as the air is pumped out. Edison's light bulbs did not float.
- yoz-y 7y ago> You'd need a very heavy chamber to keep the vacuum balloon from collapsing. That was my original question: is it technically feasible to make such a chamber from light enough materials (my first guess would be some carbon tubes supporting a carbon fiber tarp or something like that. > Edison's light bulbs did not float. One could argue that it was too small (of course I imagine making a massive lightbulb would not make for a good solid structure, also glass is heavy). A hot air balloon does not float either if you lest it too much.
- reeeeee 7y agoThis topic has been discussed for ages, but no feasible solution has been found as of yet.[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum_airship https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum_airship
- alexisread 7y agoIt is worth noting that at a helium balloon's upper altitute, vacuum balloons would be more feasable as the air pressure allows thinner materials. Some sort of hybrid for say weather monitoring might be feasable.
- dredmorbius 7y agoPartial vacuum on a steel railroad tank car, for comparison. https://www.invidio.us/watch?v=Zz95_VvTxZM https://www.invidio.us/watch?v=Zz95_VvTxZM