21
spraying regular paint from a can
– to develop a cheaper technique
which can be mass produced.
http://www.shef.ac.uk/news/nr/solar-photovoltaic-pv-spray-painting-lidzey-1.251912
Professor David Lidzey from
the University of Sheffield said
“Spray coating is currently used to metres of lifting gas ( Helium or cubic metre at sea level, air weighs
apply paint to cars and in graphic Hydrogen ) as the balloon climbs
1.2kg, so the difference between
printing. We have shown that it
and the air thins, the atmospheric the two gases gives helium 1kg
can also be used to make solar
also pressure drops, once you get of lift at sea level ( 1.2 – 0.1786 =
cells using specially designed to around 30km the atmospheric
1.022kg ) per cubic metre.
plastic semiconductors. Maybe in
pressure is about 100th com-
Helium is used most because
the future surfaces on buildings
pared to the air pressure at sea it is inert and therefore very safe,
and even car roofs will routinely
level, so it effectively equals that but it can also be relatively expen-
generate electricity with these of the Helium or Hydrogen in the sive compared to Hydrogen. The
materials”.
( see web site )
http://www.shef.ac.uk/news/
balloon and you loose the buoy- current crude price of Helium is
ancy effect and stop climbing.
The Buoyancy force is from
around $75 per 1000 cubic feet.
The gas we finally use will
nr/solar-photovoltaic-pv-spray- using a lighter than air gas, such depend on the launch site and
painting-lidzey-1.251912
as Helium or Hydrogen, which
the type of gas available their
This has the potential to will
both have low molecular masses. and the associated costs, their
turn the balloon envelope into
Helium weighs 0.1786 kg per may be higher launch safety costs
a giant power generating unit
which could produce up to 180Kw
of electricity.
The Big Space Balloon will
start with approx. 4000 cubic
ICY SCIENCE | WINTER 2013- 2014