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Solar Stirling High Altitude Airship |
Category: Safety and Security |
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Laurens Rademakers
Leuven, BE
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Page Views: 340
Votes: 12
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Entered: 08/12/2008
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The future brings us an innovative solar-electric airship that can stay aloft for long periods of time in the stratosphere. The invention can be used to perform a myriad of tasks, such as monitoring borders and battlefields, establishing wireless communications networks or environmental monitoring.
The high altitude airship is based on a synergy of existing technologies:
-stirling engines are highly efficient; the higher the temperature difference between the engine's hot and cold part, the higher its efficiency. This basic rule forms the core of the airship's energy system. At high altitudes (15 to 25km), the atmosphere's average temperature is between -60 and -40 °C.
-the stirling engines receive heat from a solar concentrating dish. Because the airship resides at high altitudes, above clouds, the dish can capture sunlight constantly throughout the day.
-the dish stirling units are coupled to a solar tracker, allowing for the most optimal capture of solar energy.
-the solar energy is converted either into electricity for storage in a battery, or retained as heat stored in a thermal battery, ready for later use.
-this way, the airship can be powered at night.
-the dish and the stirling engine are housed in a large, transparent shell made from a light-weight material. The shell is filled with a lifting gas.
-the entire airship is (slightly) heavier than air, but vector thrust allows it to lift off vertically.
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Meet the Entrant, Laurens Rademakers
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Profession: Engineer/Designer |
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Number of times entering contest previously: 0
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Design Tools:
Image rendering software
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Software used:
Blender
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Laurens's favorite design tool:
Blender - it's open source, very easy to use, and renders heavy images and animations fast.
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Laurens's hobbies and activities:
Designing and inventing concepts that border on fantasy.
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What role does Laurens believe product design plays in creating a better future?
Well designed products often go beyond mere practical applications. They can carry a symbolic message and a meaning that prompts people to change their behavior.
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Hardware used for design:
Dell
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