Example embodiments may facilitate altitude control by a balloon in a balloon network. An example method involves: (a) operating a balloon in a first mode, wherein the balloon includes an envelope and a fuel cell, (b) while the balloon is operating in the first mode: (i) drawing ambient air from out
Example embodiments may facilitate altitude control by a balloon in a balloon network. An example method involves: (a) operating a balloon in a first mode, wherein the balloon includes an envelope and a fuel cell, (b) while the balloon is operating in the first mode: (i) drawing ambient air from outside the envelope into the envelope through a first opening, (ii) using solar energy to heat the air in the envelope such that a buoyancy of the balloon is increased, and (iii) releasing air from inside the envelope to outside the envelope through a second opening such that the buoyancy of the balloon is decreased; (c) transitioning to operating the balloon in a second mode; and while operating the balloon in the second mode, using a portion of power generated by the fuel cell to heat the air in the envelope such that the buoyancy of the balloon is increased.
대표청구항▼
1. A computer-implemented method for operating a balloon, the method comprising: operating the balloon in a first mode, wherein the balloon comprises an envelope having a first opening and a second opening and containing lifting gas formed from heated ambient air, and a fuel cell contained inside a
1. A computer-implemented method for operating a balloon, the method comprising: operating the balloon in a first mode, wherein the balloon comprises an envelope having a first opening and a second opening and containing lifting gas formed from heated ambient air, and a fuel cell contained inside a bladder within the envelope;in order to control buoyancy while operating the balloon in the first mode:drawing ambient air from outside the envelope to inside the envelope through the first opening, the ambient air outside the envelope being colder than air inside the envelope;using solar energy to heat the air within the envelope such that a buoyancy of the balloon is increased, the air heated within the envelope forming the lifting gas for the balloon; andreleasing air heated within the envelope from inside the envelope to outside the envelope through the second opening such that the buoyancy of the balloon is decreased;transitioning to operating the balloon in a second mode; andin order to control buoyancy while operating the balloon in the second mode:using a portion of power generated by the fuel cell to heat the air within the envelope such that the buoyancy of the balloon is increased,wherein the fuel cell generates power by converting two or more chemical compounds into a derived chemical compound by a process that generates electricity and releases heat, the two or more chemical compounds being stored within the bladder. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transitioning from operating the balloon in the second mode to operating the balloon in the first mode. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first mode is a daytime mode and the second mode is a night-time mode, and wherein using solar energy to heat the air within the envelope comprises passively heating the air in the envelope with solar radiation absorbed through an outer surface of the envelope. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein passively heating the air in the envelope with solar radiation absorbed through the outer surface of the envelope comprises orienting at least a portion of a radiant-heat-absorbing surface on the outside surface of the envelope to be in direct sunlight. 5. The method of claim 3, wherein transitioning to operating the balloon in a second mode comprises: detecting a predetermined day-night transition condition; andresponsively causing the balloon to transition from operating in the daytime mode to operating in the night-time mode. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the balloon further comprises a solar power system that generates energy from absorbed sunlight, wherein the first mode is a daytime mode and the second mode is a night-time mode,and wherein operating the balloon in the first mode comprises using a portion of the energy generated by the solar power system during operation of the balloon in the daytime mode for recharging the fuel cell. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein recharging the fuel cell comprises:using at least some of the energy generated by the solar power system to convert the derived chemical compound into recovered forms of the two or more chemical compounds; andstoring within the bladder the recovered forms of the two or more chemical compounds. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first opening is located at a bottom end of the envelope and the second opening is located at a top end of the envelope, and wherein drawing ambient air from outside the envelope to inside the envelope through the first opening comprises generating a circulation of air through the envelope, inward from the first opening and outward through the second opening. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein releasing air heated within the envelope from inside the envelope to outside the envelope through the second opening such that the buoyancy of the balloon decreases comprises balancing the increased buoyancy from solar heat with the decreased buoyancy to achieve a net buoyancy that causes the balloon to float at a given altitude. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein using a portion of the power generated by the fuel cell to heat the air within the envelope such that the buoyancy of the balloon increases comprises balancing a decrease in buoyancy due to natural cooling of the air inside the envelope with the increased buoyancy from a portion of the power generated by the fuel cell to achieve a net buoyancy that causes the balloon to float at a given altitude. 11. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein instructions that, upon execution by one or more processors of a balloon system, cause the balloon system to carry out functions for operating a balloon of the balloon system, the functions including: operating the balloon in a first mode, wherein the balloon comprises an envelope having a first opening and a second opening and containing lifting gas formed from heated ambient air, and a fuel cell contained inside a bladder within the envelope;in order to control buoyancy while operating the balloon in the first mode: drawing ambient air from outside the envelope to inside the envelope through the first opening, the ambient air outside the envelope being colder than air inside the envelope;using solar energy to heat the air within the envelope such that a buoyancy of the balloon is increased, the air heated within the envelope forming the lifting gas for the balloon; andreleasing air heated within the envelope from inside the envelope to outside the envelope through the second opening such that the buoyancy of the balloon is decreased;transitioning to operating the balloon in a second mode; andin order to control buoyancy while operating the balloon in the second mode:using a portion of power generated by the fuel cell to heat the air within the envelope such that the buoyancy of the balloon is increased,wherein the fuel cell generates power by converting two or more chemical compounds into a derived chemical compound by a process that generates electricity and releases heat, the two or more chemical compounds being stored within the bladder. 12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the functions further include transitioning from operating the balloon in the second mode to operating the balloon in the first mode. 13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the first mode is a daytime mode and the second mode is a night-time mode, and wherein using solar energy to heat the air within the envelope comprises passively heating the air in the envelope with solar radiation absorbed through an outer surface of the envelope. 14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein passively heating the air in the envelope with solar radiation absorbed through the outer surface of the envelope comprises orienting at least a portion of a radiant-heat-absorbing surface on the outside surface of the envelope to be in direct sunlight. 15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein transitioning to operating the balloon in a second mode comprises: detecting a predetermined day-night transition condition; andresponsively causing the balloon to transition from operating in the daytime mode to operating in the night-time mode. 16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the balloon further comprises a solar power system that generates energy from absorbed sunlight, wherein the first mode is a daytime mode and the second mode is a night-time mode,and wherein operating the balloon in the first mode comprises using a portion of the energy generated by the solar power system during operation of the balloon in the daytime mode for recharging the fuel cell. 17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein recharging the fuel cell comprises:using at least some of the energy generated by the solar power system to convert the derived chemical compound into recovered forms of the two or more chemical compounds; andstoring within the bladder the recovered forms of the two or more chemical compounds. 18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the first opening is located at a bottom end of the envelope and the second opening is located at a top end of the envelope, and wherein drawing ambient air from outside the envelope to inside the envelope through the first opening comprises generating a circulation of air through the envelope, inward from the first opening and outward through the second opening. 19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein releasing air heated within the envelope from inside the envelope to outside the envelope through the second opening such that the buoyancy of the balloon decreases comprises balancing the increased buoyancy from solar heat with the decreased buoyancy to achieve a net buoyancy that causes the balloon to float at a given altitude. 20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein using a portion of the power generated by the fuel cell to heat the air within the envelope such that the buoyancy of the balloon increases comprises balancing a decrease in buoyancy due to natural cooling of the air inside the envelope with the increased buoyancy from a portion of the power generated by the fuel cell to achieve a net buoyancy that causes the balloon to float at a given altitude. 21. A balloon system comprising: a balloon having an envelope with a first opening and a second opening and containing lifting gas formed from heated ambient air, the first opening being configured to draw ambient air from outside the envelope to inside the envelope, the ambient air outside the envelope being colder than air inside the envelope, and the second opening being configured to release air from inside the envelope to outside the envelope,wherein the envelope is configured to use solar energy to heat the air within the envelope such that a buoyancy of the balloon is increased, the air heated within the envelope forming the lifting gas for the balloon,and wherein the envelope is further configured to release air heated within the envelope from inside the envelope to outside the envelope through the second opening envelope such that the buoyancy of the balloon is decreased; anda fuel cell contained inside a bladder within the envelop and configured to heat the air within the envelope such that the buoyancy of the balloon is increased when solar energy is not available in sufficient quantity to heat the air within the envelope,wherein the fuel cell generates power by converting two or more chemical compounds into a derived chemical compound by a process that generates electricity and releases heat, the two or more chemical compounds being stored within the bladder. 22. The balloon system of claim 21, wherein the use of solar energy to heat the air within the envelope comprises passive heating of the air in the envelope with solar radiation absorbed through an outer surface of the envelope. 23. The balloon system of claim 22, wherein passive heating of the air in the envelope with solar radiation absorbed through the outer surface of the envelope comprises orienting at least a portion of a radiant-heat-absorbing surface on the outside surface of the envelope to be in direct sunlight. 24. The balloon system of claim 21, wherein the use of solar energy to heat the air within the envelope and the release of air from inside the envelope to outside the envelope through the second opening comprise operations of a first operating mode of the balloon system, wherein use of the fuel cell to heat the air within the envelope comprises an operation of a second operating mode of the balloon system,and wherein the balloon system is configured to transition between the first and second operating modes. 25. The balloon system of claim 24, wherein the first operating mode is a daytime mode and the second operating mode is a night-time mode. 26. The balloon system of claim 25, the balloon system is further configured to transition from operating in the daytime mode to operating in the night-time mode in response to occurrence of a predetermined day-night transition condition. 27. The balloon system of claim 24, wherein the balloon further comprises a solar power system configured to generate energy from absorbed sunlight, wherein the first operating mode is a daytime mode and the second operating mode is a night-time mode,and wherein the balloon system is further configured to use a portion of the energy generated by the solar power system for recharging the fuel cell while the balloon system is operating in the daytime mode. 28. The balloon system of claim 27, wherein the fuel cell is configured to be recharged by using at least some of the energy generated by the solar power system to convert the derived chemical compound into recovered forms of the two or more chemical compounds, and then storing within the bladder the recovered forms of the two or more chemical compounds. 29. The balloon system of claim 21, wherein the first opening is located at a bottom end of the envelope and the second opening is located at a top end of the envelope, and wherein the envelope is further configured to contain a circulation of air through the envelope, inward from the first opening and outward through the second opening. 30. The balloon system of claim 21, wherein the release of air from inside the envelope to outside the envelope through the second opening envelope such that the buoyancy of the balloon is decreased comprises balancing the increased buoyancy from solar heat with the decreased buoyancy to achieve a net buoyancy that causes the balloon to float at a given altitude. 31. The balloon system of claim 21, wherein use of the fuel cell to heat the air within the envelope such that the buoyancy of the balloon is increased when solar energy is not available in sufficient quantity to heat the air within the envelope comprises balancing a decrease in buoyancy due to natural cooling of the air inside the envelope with the increased buoyancy from a portion of power generated by the fuel cell to achieve a net buoyancy that causes the balloon to float at a given altitude.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.