Course Layout AE-664: Lighter-Than-Air Systems: Prof. Rajkumar S. Pant

Course Layout
AE-664: Lighter-Than-Air Systems
Prof. Rajkumar S. Pant

Aerospace Engineering Department
IIT Bombay
© Prof. Rajkumar S. Pant, All Rights Reserved
AE-664 Lighter-Than-Air Systems Chapter-00

P G Elective Course in Aerospace Engineering
Institute Elective Course
COURSE DESCRIPTION

Six Capsules
1. Introduction & Historical Perspectives

2. Principles of Aerostatics
3. Airship Technology
4. Aerostat Technology
5. Remotely Controlled Airships & Tethered Aerostats
6. Current Developments & Future Trends

1: Introduction & Historical Perspectives
 Introduction to LTA Systems
 Historical Developments
 Key Subsystems and Components of LTA Systems

2: Principles of Aerostatics
 Variation of Atmospheric Properties
 Static Lift Prediction
 Effect of ambient conditions on Static Lift
 Climb, Descent and Pressure Height

3: Airship Technology
 Methodology for airship conceptual design
 Aerodynamics & Stability analysis of Airships
 Ground Handling and Mooring systems
 Case Studies in Airship Operations
 Design & Development of Remotely Controlled

Airships

4: Aerostat Technology
 Methodology for sizing of Aerostat sub-systems
 Equilibrium and Stability analysis of aerostats
 Design and Development of Tethered Aerostats

6. Current and Future Developments
 Challenges in design of LTA Systems
 Hybrid LTA Systems
 Stratospheric Airships
 Current Trends and Recent Developments

Anticipated Outcomes
 At the end of the course, you should be able to
 Understand the differences between HTA and LTA systems
 Estimate the static lift generated by an LTA system, given its type, size
and operating scenario
 Carry out conceptual layout and sizing of an LTA system
 Comment on the technological challenges in design, development and
operation of an LTA system
 Comment on current developments and future trends of LTA systems

Evaluation Scheme
 In-Semester: 60%
 Attendance 10%
 Assignment s 20%
 Moodle Participation: 10%
 Quizzes: 20%
 Examinations: 40%
 Mid-Sem examination: 20%
 End-Sem examination: 20%

Course Policies
 Course Material on Moodle after class
 Most communication by e-mail from Moodle
 No attendance to latecomers beyond 11:10
 Unless they have a genuine reason !
 Mobile Phones to be switched off (not mute)
 Or else I get to answer !
 Audit requirements
 ≥ 80% attendance
 Submission of all Assignments
 Questions and Interruptions most welcome !
10 Marks for Attendance
 Students with attendance < 50% : Zero marks
 Bonus marks for attendance > 50%
 ≥ 55% = 1
 ≥ 60% = 2
 ≥ 65% = 3
 ≥ 70% = 4
 ≥ 75% = 5
 ≥ 80% = 6
 ≥ 85% = 7
 ≥ 90% = 8
 ≥ 95% = 9
 Missed none or only one class = 10
My Contact Details
 rkpant@aero.iitb.ac.in
 Extn: 7127
 208-F, First Floor, Aero. Engg. Deptt.

 Last Room near CASDE backdoor
 Meetings by prior appointments

 Open Door policy for quick doubts

Recommended Books
 Pant, R. S., Course Material for Design and Development of LTA systems,
Curriculum Development Program, IIT Bombay, 2010.
 Taylor, J. A., Principles of Aerostatics, The Theory of Lighter-Than-Air
Aircraft, ISBN13:978-1-49481-053-5, 2014.
 Khoury, G., Ed., Airship Technology, 2nd Edition, Cambridge Aerospace
Series, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-1107019706, 2012.
 Carichner, G. E., and Nicolai, L. M., Fundamentals of Aircraft and Airship
Design, Volume 2 – Airship Design and Case Studies, AIAA Education
Series, ISBN: 978-1-60086-898-6, 2013, DOI: 10.2514/4.868986

Lets check out !
WHAT IS A LIGHTER-THAN-AIR SYSTEM ?

Introduction to Lighter-Than-Air Systems
Prof. Rajkumar S. Pant
Aerospace Engineering Department
Spherical Aerostat IIT Bombay

Lighter Than Air Heavier than Air
Systems Systems
Aerostatic lift + Dynamic Lift No Aerostatic Lift
Highly fuel efficient Fuel inefficient
Less complex operating mechanisms Complex mechanisms
Slow Fast
More susceptible to weather changes Less susceptible to weather changes

Airship Aerostat Hot Air Balloon
• Lift: LTA Gas • Lift: LTA Gas

• Lift: Hot Air
• Powered • Unpowered
• No Directional Control
• Directional Control • Only stabilizing surfaces
• Balloon Direction
depends on wind

Pix: Courtesy Wikipedia
Hot Air Balloon = simplest form of LTA System!

Airships
Lift
Drag
Thrust
Weight
Enclosed volume of Helium provides the aerostatic

lift without any use of additional energy
LB = V(ρa - ρg)

Components of an Airship
ENVELOPE
CONTROL
SURFACES
GONDOLA

Types of Airships
Rigid Semi Rigid
Non Rigid Hot air

Hindenburg…Start of Hibernation
 @ Hindenburg
 Largest airship ever built & launched in 1936
 1,200-H.P. V-16 Mercedes-Benz Diesel engines
 813 ft. long
 16 bags of Hydrogen acquires 7,200,000 Cu. ft.
 ~ 10,000 miles, 5 - 6 days at cruise speed.
 Two 30-kW onboard diesel-powered generators
 Cruising across the Atlantic; 50- 60 hours
 Completed10.5 Germany-USA round trips
 @ Disaster
 Lakehurst/New Jersey, 6th May 1937, 7 pm
 Dashed tower during landing ignited the gas
 35 people died (22 crew, 13 pax)
o 62 people survived !

Revival by Skyship
Skyship 600
Modern Manned Airship

USP of Airships
 Ability to operate from open fields
 Extremely high endurance capability
 Stationary / low-speed flight allows on-board surveillance

systems to operate in high-clutter environment
 Large cabin space and low vibrations reduces crew fatigue
 Low noise, low environment pollution, unobtrusive vehicle
 Varied applications as an aerial platform

Existing Applications of Airships
 Advertisement & Product Promotion
 Aerial Observation & Surveillance
 Tourism and Corporate Hospitality
 Landmine Counter Measures
 Law Enforcement

Advertisement & Product Promotion

Aerial Observation

Tourism

Sports Tracking
from A60+ operated by Metlife

Corporate Hospitality

MINESEEKER in KOSAVO
21/12/2006
Police Surveillance
2004 Olympics, Athens
1996 Olympics, Atlanta
Time Lapse Video

Olympics 2012
Tethered Aerostat Systems

Aerostat: Introduction
Wpay : 10 – 15 lb
 Aerodynamically shaped H : 700 – 2000 ft
tethered LTA platform W : 500 – 750 lb
L : 20 – 30 ft
 Payload: communication and E : < 48 hours
surveillance equipment V : < 45 kt
Ncrew : 1
 Desired Features:
 Higher payload capacity
 Ability to maintain specified
altitude
 Stability in ambient wind
conditions
 Envelope shape affects all
these
Source: http://www.wsgi.com/
Parts of Aerostat
 Envelope (He chamber)
 LTA Lifting gas
 Air ballonet
 Pressure and Buoyancy control
 Tail fins
 Static and Dynamic stability
 Tether
 Attachment to the ground
 Payload
 Radar, camera, transponders, ..
 Ground station
 Winching
 Mooring

Moored Aerostat

Akashdeep Aerostat of DRDO, India

Why Aerostats ??

Aerostat v/s Aircraft
Aerostat Aircraft
Needs good weather Can work in bad weather
Remains Stationary Can achieve high speeds
Zero fuel consumption Massive fuel Consumption
Max. Endurance ~30 days Max. Endurance ~16 hours
Can be launched from any Requires specific terrain to be
terrain launched

Aerostat v/s Satellite
 Aerostats are highly cost effective
 Aerostats are portable and can be re-located
 Aerostats provide greater detail as they are closer

to the surveillance area

Various Applications of aerostats
 Surveillance & Communication
 Border, Wide Area Land & Event Coverage
 Sea-Based Deployment, Military Intelligence
 Wireless, Long Range, High Speed, Last mile
 Local aerial surveillance
 Aerodrome protection
 Balloon Barrage System
 Communications platform during emergencies
 Airborne Early Warning Radar System

Raytheon JLENS Aerostat
 Joint
 Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense
 Elevated
 Netted
 Sensor system

Other Examples of aerostat
 Used by meteorological department
Source: British Meteorology Centre

World’s Largest Aerostat
Used during Commonwealth Games 2010, New Delhi
AE-664 Lighter-Than-Air Systems 40m X 80m X 12m Chapter-01

AE-664 Lighter-Than-Air Systems
www.ltascorp.com/bib.html 3
Chapter-01
Oblate Spheroid with Sail
Picture: Courtesy ALTAVE, Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil,

www.altave.com.br
Rapid Elevated Aerostat
Platform


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Course Layout

AE-664: Lighter-Than-Air Systems

Prof. Rajkumar S. Pant

AE-664 Lighter-Than-Air Systems Chapter-00

AE-664 Lighter-Than-Air Systems Chapter-00

1. Introduction & Historical Perspectives

AE-664 Lighter-Than-Air Systems Chapter-00

 Introduction to LTA Systems

 Key Subsystems and Components of LTA Systems

AE-664 Lighter-Than-Air Systems Chapter-00

 Variation of Atmospheric Properties

 Static Lift Prediction

 Effect of ambient conditions on Static Lift

 Climb, Descent and Pressure Height

AE-664 Lighter-Than-Air Systems Chapter-00

 Methodology for airship conceptual design

 Aerodynamics & Stability analysis of Airships

 Ground Handling and Mooring systems

 Case Studies in Airship Operations

 Design & Development of Remotely Controlled

AE-664 Lighter-Than-Air Systems Chapter-00

 Methodology for sizing of Aerostat sub-systems

 Equilibrium and Stability analysis of aerostats

 Design and Development of Tethered Aerostats

AE-664 Lighter-Than-Air Systems Chapter-00

 Challenges in design of LTA Systems

 Hybrid LTA Systems

 Current Trends and Recent Developments

AE-664 Lighter-Than-Air Systems Chapter-00

and operating scenario

 Carry out conceptual layout and sizing of an LTA system

 Comment on the technological challenges in design, development and

operation of an LTA system

 Comment on current developments and future trends of LTA systems

AE-664 Lighter-Than-Air Systems Chapter-00

 Moodle Participation: 10%

 End-Sem examination: 20%

 208-F, First Floor, Aero. Engg. Deptt.

 Meetings by prior appointments

AE-664 Lighter-Than-Air Systems Chapter-00

Curriculum Development Program, IIT Bombay, 2010.

 Taylor, J. A., Principles of Aerostatics, The Theory of Lighter-Than-Air

Aircraft, ISBN13:978-1-49481-053-5, 2014.

 Khoury, G., Ed., Airship Technology, 2nd Edition, Cambridge Aerospace

Series, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-1107019706, 2012.

 Carichner, G. E., and Nicolai, L. M., Fundamentals of Aircraft and Airship

Design, Volume 2 – Airship Design and Case Studies, AIAA Education

Series, ISBN: 978-1-60086-898-6, 2013, DOI: 10.2514/4.868986

AE-664 Lighter-Than-Air Systems Chapter-00

AE-664 Lighter-Than-Air Systems Chapter-00

AE-664 Lighter-Than-Air Systems Chapter-01

Aerostatic lift + Dynamic Lift No Aerostatic Lift

Highly fuel efficient Fuel inefficient

Less complex operating mechanisms Complex mechanisms

More susceptible to weather changes Less susceptible to weather changes

AE-664 Lighter-Than-Air Systems Chapter-01

• Lift: LTA Gas • Lift: LTA Gas

AE-664 Lighter-Than-Air Systems Chapter-01