Operation Manifest Destiny Ruminations

[pmulcahy11b]

The US is the world's largest producer of Helium in the world; it is a by-product of many chemical reactions, including the oil and gas industries, and is also present in large quantities in some caves, and the US has large networks of caves that contain helium pockets. I know hydrogen is easier to manufacture, but why not think about non-flammable helium for your balloons and zepplins and blimps?

[swaghauler]

Originally Posted by WallShadow

ISTR that the zeppellins used lots and lots of "goldbeater's skin" to line the ballonets to contain the Hydrogen. Luckily they later moved to using gelatine-impregnated cotton layer between two more structurally strong fabrics.


Sodium Hydroxide="Washing Soda", no?

During the American Civil War, Thaddeus Lowe had gas generators that used sulphuric acid to dissolve iron filings, thus producing H2 gas and Ferric (ferrous?) sulphate, or so my long-ago Chemistry lessons are trying to convince me.

Yep. Any Sodium Hydroxide will produce at least some gas. There are more than a dozen ways to make Hydrogen gas; Those three were just off the top of my head (scary note... there are at least as many ways to make poison gas from ordinary household chemicals too).

[swaghauler]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

The US is the world's largest producer of Helium in the world; it is a by-product of many chemical reactions, including the oil and gas industries, and is also present in large quantities in some caves, and the US has large networks of caves that contain helium pockets. I know hydrogen is easier to manufacture, but why not think about non-flammable helium for your balloons and zepplins and blimps?

Helium is a "Listed Material" like Nickle, Titanium, and dozens of other materials. This makes acquisition of Helium very difficult. Gathering Helium from mining will only produce small amounts compared to what an airship requires. This also raises the issue of replenishing the gas "while underway" to a destination. The replenishing gas will have to be carried onboard as well.

Hydrogen can be generated virtually anywhere (even onboard the airship) and in pretty large quantities. This common availability will trump Helium's inert nature.

It was the US government's refusal to sell Germany Helium that resulted in Hydrogen being used in the Hindenburg. The same would undoubtedly be true for any "private venture" airship.

The Helium repositories are mostly in Texas and Oklahoma, a fair distance from Colorado for gas transport in the Twilight2000 world. Getting the gas depends on whether the Government even controls the Strategic Reserve Sites anymore and would they be willing to part with the gas. Thus acquiring the gas could be an adventure in itself.

[swaghauler]

I can say that I have some experience in sailing and as many of you know, I'm doing my ground school for flying right now. Any real pilots input would be welcome here.

Airships for logistical support make a great deal of sense. As large as a small freighter. Travels as fast as a train and capable of transiting the world. The only issues seem to be acquiring the gas needed for both lifting and propulsion.

If I were building an airship, I would use wood (non-structurally) and Aluminum (either welded or pop-riveted depending on what materials I had on hand).

I would build three decks high for starters. The top deck (say about 5 meters high) would house the gas bags in two parallel rows with an inspection catwalk in between them. I'd put the airship's fuel tanks in a single line along the airship's spine over the top of the catwalk. This is for two reasons. First, The tanks being located on the dorsal line would not affect lateral trim. You could place valves and pumps fore and aft of each tank to trim the airship's pitch (the angle from nose to tail) as fuel is used. You could put gun stations at either end of the catwalk but I would have to put in a bulkhead to separate weapon's fire from the Hydrogen gas bags.

The main deck would be roughly 2 meters high and house the bridge, engine room, batteries/aux power room, and all crew and passenger's quarters.

The Cargo Deck (say about 5 meters high) would house not only the cargo but also gun mounts, a winch room that is used for both docking and cargo handling from aloft, "Gray Water" & Sewage Tanks, Hot & Cold Potable Water tanks, and food and parts storage. There would also be pipeworks for control cables, steam (for heating), water pipes, and electric cables running down the central hall of the airship (overhead, with manual valve access). The various water (and sewer) tanks would be spread across the underside of the airship. This would help with lateral trim AND protect the ship's internals from ground fire. A cargo loading ramp would be built into the airship's "chin."

I would use electric motors salvaged from cranes used in manufacturing. Most electric cranes in the 1990's are DC powered and are NOT generally computerized (most used transistorized controls). They range from 1 ton to 500 tons of capacity and can change rotation by simply reversing the polarity. Put a prop on a big crane motor and install both rudders (for horizontal yaw) and ailerons/elevators (for vertical pitch) at the rear of the prop. This could replicate the maneuverability of "vectored thrust" type engines. Since you only have an electric cable and a transistorized "control" cable going to the engine (mounted on a pylon), you could design that engine pylon to "pivot" the engine (say through up to 270 degrees of range) so you could use engine thrust to counter atmospheric conditions or movement/trim based "deflections" of the airship.

I would also put large Elevators and a Large Rudder on the rear of the airship, this is IN ADDITION TO the control surfaces on each of the FOUR Electric Motors (two forward, two aft). This, in combination with the variable geometry motors, would give the airship a great deal of maneuverability. All flight controls (including pylon rotation) would be primarily pressurized hydraulics.

These electric engines would be powered by an onboard PAIR of multi-fuel generators. A larger Main Generator and a smaller Auxillary Generator in the Engine Room. This room would also contain a large boiler for making hot/purified water AND for generating Hydrogen gas (for replenishment) and Oxygen (for cooking, medical and welding) gas.

This is just an idea of how an airship might be designed and built using the technology available after The Exchange.


Swag.