Modified Gas Valve for Improved Balloon Descent Control.

Abstract

The ability to control balloon descent rates has been improved through use of a modified gas valve which has a range of openings. The descent rates obtained with this valve are more constant than those obtainable with the standard gas valve. Atmospheric temperature lapse rate and other thermal and aerodynamic influences are unquantifiable factors affecting balloon vertical motion, but are better compensated for when use is made of a variable opening gas valve. Even with this valve, slow descents on the order of 200 fpm or less will have oscillations with short periods of time when ascents and leveling off will occur. (Author)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 30, 1980
Accession Number
ADA099371

Entities

People

  • Bernard D. Gildenberg
  • George F. Nolan
  • Larry D. Wrinkle

Organizations

  • Air Force Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Altitude
  • Atmospheric Temperature
  • Control Panels
  • Control Systems
  • Fixed Resistors
  • Flow Rate
  • Ground Stations
  • High Altitude
  • Instrumentation
  • Lapse Rate
  • Measurement
  • Oscillation
  • Physics
  • Potentiometers
  • Sea Level
  • Telemetry
  • Test Stands

Readers

  • Combustion and Flow Dynamics.
  • Mathematics or Statistics
  • Space Exploration and Orbital Mechanics.