PORTABLE BALLOON LAUNCH SYSTEMS
Systems and methods herein provide for balloon launching. In one embodiment, a Portable Balloon Launch System (PBLS) includes a tank operable to retain water, and a reactor fluidly coupled to the tank and comprising a reductant material that reacts with the water to produce a lift gas. The PBLS also includes a first valve operable to release the water into the reactor, and an exhaust operable to vent the lift gas into a balloon to inflate the balloon. The lift gas is lighter than air so as to lift the balloon into the atmosphere.
1 . A balloon launch system, comprising:
a tank operable to retain water;
a reactor fluidly coupled to the tank and comprising a reductant material that reacts with the water to produce a lift gas;
a first valve operable to release the water into the reactor; and
an exhaust operable to vent the lift gas into a balloon to inflate the balloon, the lift gas being lighter than air to lift the balloon into an atmosphere.
2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
condenser vessels designed to condense any steam that is produced by an exothermic reaction between the reductant material and the water.
3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein:
the water derived from the condensed steam is fed back to the reactor.
4 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a parachute operable to deploy when the system is jettisoned in the atmosphere.
5 . The system of claim 4 , further comprising:
a release mechanism operable to detach the parachute from the balloon when the balloon is lifted into the atmosphere.
6 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a release mechanism operable to detach the tank and the reactor from the balloon when the balloon is lifted into the atmosphere.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the reductant material is NaBH 4 , LiH, Na 2 Si 2 , B 4 C, MgH 2 , TiH 2 , NaBH 4 , LiBH 4 , LaAlH 4 , NaAlH 4 , Al, Si, FeSi 2 , CaSi 2 , or CaH 2 .
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the reductant material is NaBH 4 ; and
the NaBH 4 is mixed with H 3 BO 3 .
9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein:
a ratio of H 3 BO 3 to NaBH 4 used is greater than 1:1 by weight.
10 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a cooling loop operable to cool the lift gas before the lift gas enters the balloon.
11 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second valve operable to release the lift gas from the balloon, and
a controller operable to control an ascent of the balloon by controlling the second valve to govern the amount of lift gas being released from the balloon
12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the balloon is used to lift gliders to high altitude and then drop the gliders for guiding to designated target objectives.
13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein:
the gliders are used for long range reconnaissance missions or other missions requiring precision delivery of payloads.
14 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the balloon is used to lift a solar balloon to high altitude and then to drop the solar balloon to achieve inflation regardless of weather or light conditions.
15 . A method of launching a balloon, comprising:
fluidly coupling a reactor to a source of water, wherein the reactor holds a material that reacts with the water;
opening a first valve to release the water into the reactor to produce a lift gas based on a reaction between the water and the reductant material; and
exhausting the lift gas from the reactor into the balloon to inflate the balloon, the lift gas being lighter than air to lift the balloon into an atmosphere.
16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
deploying a parachute when the reactor and balloon are jettisoned into the atmosphere from an aircraft or a space capsule, enabling balloon inflation during parachute descent.
17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
detaching the parachute from the balloon when the balloon is lifted into the atmosphere.
18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein:
the reductant material is NaBH 4 , LiH, Na 2 Si 2 , B 4 C, MgH 2 , TiH 2 , NaBH 4 , LiBH 4 , LaAlH 4 , NaAlH 4 , Al, Si, FeSi 2 , CaSi 2 , or CaH 2 .
19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein:
the reductant material is NaBH 4 ; and
the NaBH 4 is mixed with H 3 BO 3 .
20 . The method of claim 19 wherein:
a ratio of H 3 BO 3 to NaBH 4 used is greater than 1:1 by weight.
21 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
condensing steam produced by the reaction into water;
removing the water from the lift gas; and
returning the water to the reactor
22 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
releasing the lift gas from the balloon, via a second valve; and
electronically controlling an ascent of the balloon by controlling the second valve to govern an amount of lift gas being released by the balloon.
23 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
using the balloon to lift gliders to high altitude and then to drop the gliders for guiding to designated target objectives.
24 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
using the balloon to lift a solar balloon to high altitude and then drop the solar balloon to achieve inflation regardless of weather or light conditions.