[ELI5] how do hot air balloons even work? How do they know where they’re going without steering?
In: 846
To quote invincible,
“That’s the neat part, you don’t”
One of my college classmates worked on hot air balloons. According to him, Careful planning in regards to winds and weather. They would also release balloons before launch and see where they do.
You can kinda control altitude, but that’s it.
To quote invincible,
“That’s the neat part, you don’t”
One of my college classmates worked on hot air balloons. According to him, Careful planning in regards to winds and weather. They would also release balloons before launch and see where they do.
You can kinda control altitude, but that’s it.
[Albuquerque box effect.](https://youtu.be/OEf8T28yTik?si=zkBNvxaK4FUBKXYt)
Here’s a video on one areas use of air currents.
[Albuquerque box effect.](https://youtu.be/OEf8T28yTik?si=zkBNvxaK4FUBKXYt)
Here’s a video on one areas use of air currents.
So the balloons get laid out on the ground and fans fill them with air to get them in the right shape, with the basket laying on its side. They turn on the burners which shoot fire into an opening in the bottom, and as the air in the balloon gets hotter it gets less dense so it wants to rise, and pulls the balloon with it. Once it’s standing up, more fire = more up, and you just sorta wait and let it cool off to get closer to the ground. You also have a rope you can pull to let air out of the top to fall faster, and some of the special shaped balloons have ropes that you can pull to turn the balloon (not steering, just to make it face a different direction). You mostly go where the wind takes you, but good pilots (with predictable weather) can go up and down to catch wind in different directions. You have radios to talk to a ground crew who are driving on roads to follow you and meet you when you land.
So the balloons get laid out on the ground and fans fill them with air to get them in the right shape, with the basket laying on its side. They turn on the burners which shoot fire into an opening in the bottom, and as the air in the balloon gets hotter it gets less dense so it wants to rise, and pulls the balloon with it. Once it’s standing up, more fire = more up, and you just sorta wait and let it cool off to get closer to the ground. You also have a rope you can pull to let air out of the top to fall faster, and some of the special shaped balloons have ropes that you can pull to turn the balloon (not steering, just to make it face a different direction). You mostly go where the wind takes you, but good pilots (with predictable weather) can go up and down to catch wind in different directions. You have radios to talk to a ground crew who are driving on roads to follow you and meet you when you land.
I’m surprised I haven’t read this answer yet.
There’s a term saying “hot air rises” and that’s because of physics.
If you turn on your air conditioner, the air temperature at your feet is going to be colder that the one on the ceiling (that’s why it’s best to have AC vents at the top not bottom).
It’s the same with hot air balloon. It’s a big balloon and they fill the air inside the balloon with hot air. Since the air inside the balloon is hot, then the balloon goes up. If you want it to go down, there’s an opening in the balloon to let some of the hot air out.
I’m surprised I haven’t read this answer yet.
There’s a term saying “hot air rises” and that’s because of physics.
If you turn on your air conditioner, the air temperature at your feet is going to be colder that the one on the ceiling (that’s why it’s best to have AC vents at the top not bottom).
It’s the same with hot air balloon. It’s a big balloon and they fill the air inside the balloon with hot air. Since the air inside the balloon is hot, then the balloon goes up. If you want it to go down, there’s an opening in the balloon to let some of the hot air out.
I haven’t seen anyone mention this, but there are also thermal airships as well. You can think of them as a blimp but one that uses hot air instead of helium.
These are technically “hot air balloons” but they do have a fan that lets them steer themselves.
They have two controls in your hands, up and down.
Everything else is up to the wind. A knowledge operator may know certain elevations and conditions were certain directional winds take place, but other than that, it’s all up and down.
If you add a propeller of some sort, you have become a blimp.
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