Solar balloons are essentially the same as hot air balloons. The solar balloon’s heated air expands, making it less dense than the ambient air. Typically, using a black or dark balloon material, a solar balloon can rise to the surface when heated by the sun’s rays.
Learning about Solar Balloons: What is It?
Different toy industries utilize solar balloons fundamentally. But some researchers have proposed that these balloons have the potential for use in space exploration. Moreover, these are also useful in the research of Mars, Saturn, and Jupiter. The above information can have some weightage with this information that some solar balloons are large enough for human flight.
How is It Made?
The typical solar balloon is made up of three distinct materials. The common building materials behind the build-up of a solar balloon include the following. There is a black section provided for absorbing the heat, a silver section is present for reflecting heat, and a third section introduces insulating double skin for reducing losses due to conduction.
How to Control It?
As this is similar to hot air balloons, the control mechanism is similar too. There is a vent at the top that is controllable. You can control to open or close the vent for releasing hot air which ultimately helps for the descent and deflation of the balloon and vice-versa.
Purpose of Solar Balloon
In solar balloons, the radiation from the sun can directly heat the air in the hot-air flying balloon. With this, the system is comparable to a mixed power system that utilizes both solar radiation and high-altitude winds.
How It Releases Energy
The solar balloon waits for a sufficient amount of time for charging. And, when the balloon is released, that creates a significant amount of energy while the balloon is ascending to a few kilometers.
Why and How Solar Balloons Can Provide Energy
Researchers note that a combination of solar panels (PV Panels), hydrogen production and fuel cells with solar balloons can be a unique and energy-providing system. The deployment of the balloons should be above the clouds for clear and continuous solar radiation. Deploying balloons above clouds is very crucial. This is because clouds move in the sky all around and by obscuring the sun, clouds hamper the solar radiation process.
For example, if there is windy weather or if there is cloudy weather, then clouds will be present and provide obstacles to the sun. But, the deployment of PV cells in solar balloons above the clouds, will help to ensure that no clouds will be there to hamper the process. And everyone knows that the sun is always shining during the daytime. So, a large amount of solar power can be possible for collecting.
And there needs to be a well-designed wire system in place for collecting the required solar energy. But this can be a potential energy crisis-solving problem. If the system helps to collect the energy through battery systems, then this energy will be re-useable. And the solar balloons will be responsible for getting such clear and continued energy.
The solar balloons work because above the clouds, the sun shines all day long and it shines brighter than typically. According to the theory, above 20 km from the earth’s surface, there are not many clouds to cover sunlight. The photovoltaic cell inside the solar balloons will work to collect the energy.
A Unique Energy Providing Solution
Everyone knows that energy production is the key to survival in the modern world. Without energy, everything will come to a standstill. But, unfortunately, resources that are necessary for energy production, are decreasing at an increasing rate. The resources are fuel sources like petroleum, natural gas, etc. So, protecting the resources also helps to protect the environment. Therefore, for solving the energy crisis, people need to have different solutions.
In that instance, solar balloons can be one of the solutions. Close monitoring is necessary for the process of them capturing solar energy and the storing mechanism. Additionally, expert employees should control all the things. Government officials, NGOs, and People with money need to work closely while sitting in the front row. With time, countries worldwide may utilize this project. If every country works to gain solar energy and use less energy from non-renewable sources, the total effect will be something in the significant range.
Conclusion
Energy is the driving fuel of a nation or country. With a suitable amount of energy, a country can develop itself significantly in various sectors. The energy with the resources to produce and save energy the most is the country with the biggest potential for development. So, it is necessary to continue research for more energy-providing solutions. Furthermore, solutions like solar balloons need to be researched and adapted to be workable. And strategies related to the utilization of them and other methods for energy production have to be revised, checked, and updated.
