Hello
Team!
Attached
is a .pdf of with the most current design.
The
design is a Ôstrap-bud-blossomÕ system: straps of 1-inch webbing, topped
by a carabineer bud, blossoming out into 7 individual cells.
It
is Ôdouble barrelÕ because there are two stacks of 7-cluster cells. Look
at the Assembled View, in the lower right corner, and the idealized top view of
the double barrel.
In
practice, the balloons donÕt maintain their neat 7-cluster structure when you
put then next to each other. They jumble around.
This
is a 5 tier, 48-foot structure:
(1) Micro-vent tier, 7
balloons
(3)
Standard/Core, non-release tiers, 14 balloons per tier, 42 balloons total
(1)
Individual release tier
Specific
elements not previously called out include the coloring of the top tier.
The 55 envelopes are of mixed colors, but with a greater quantity of
white balloons. The balloons in the individual release tier are all
white, to minimize solar heating and expansion of the cells, to minimize the risk
of solar expansion based bursting. The rest of the white balloons are in
the topmost ÔcoreÕ tier, for the same reason: solar heating.
The
individual release balloons, in the topmost tier, are attached to the gondola
via long 40-foot lines. The distinctive colored lines (red) can be
released from the gondola, allowing the released line to snake up through the
balloons, and float out with the released balloon out from the top of the
system. There is possibility for the line snagging, but it is reduced
compared to the other designs.
Releasing
one of these balloons, from the 55 balloon system, is like venting about 1.8%
of the total gas, which seems to be a large gas vent. What do you gas
pilots think? Any idea how much gas you are releasing when you hit that
line and open your top valve?
IÕve
had a wonderful reception to this project, with many of suggestions and ideas.
This is the design IÕm looking to move forward with, so if you have
improvement related critiques, this is the design to focus your attention on!
Thank
you,
Jonathan
R. Trappe