Modeling of Stratospheric Balloon Using Transport Phenomena and Gas Compress-Release System

Abstract

For high-altitude zero-pressure balloons, a model has been developed based on balloon dynamics and heat and mass transfer aspects, which has not been studied in the same model before. It was combined with a velocity-control mechanism. The behavior of the balloon, and especially the lift gas mass transfer mechanism, has been investigated for the first time. The model was validated using NASA test flight data. The variation of the flight time with the amounts of initial and stored gas, total weight of the balloon, and its payload is analyzed. The effects of solar radiation absorptivity, infrared emissivity, and other thermophysical properties are discussed in detail. The effects of the mass transfer coefficient on mass transfer rate and flight time are investigated. It was found that, with the sacrificial flight gas compress-release model, it is possible to place the balloon at its orbit without using ballast and extend the flight time more than currently available.