Can Vacuum Airships Overcome Structural Challenges for Feasible Flight?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the feasibility of vacuum airships, specifically addressing the structural challenges they face for practical flight. Participants explore theoretical concepts, potential designs, and the implications of using lighter-than-air gases in conjunction with vacuum conditions.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant proposes a design where a vacuum airship starts with a lightweight rigid structure filled with hydrogen or helium, suggesting that this could alleviate some structural load.
  • The same participant raises concerns about the structural strength required as the airship rises and gas is vented, indicating a need for careful control to avoid excessive forces on the structure.
  • Another participant references previous discussions on the topic, suggesting that the question has been explored multiple times on the forum.
  • A later reply mentions a general consensus from past threads that vacuum airships are considered both impossible and a poor idea, although this is not universally accepted.
  • One participant notes that calculations related to the structural requirements of vacuum airships are available in other threads, implying that there is existing analysis on the topic.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the feasibility of vacuum airships. While some suggest that structural challenges can be addressed, others assert that the concept is fundamentally flawed. There is no consensus on the viability of vacuum airships.

Contextual Notes

Participants have not provided detailed calculations or analyses to support their claims, and there are references to previous discussions that may contain relevant information. The discussion remains open to interpretation and further exploration.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to those exploring innovative airship designs, structural engineering challenges, and the theoretical limits of buoyancy in aviation.

Joes12
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TL;DR
Are vacuum airships possible without unobtanium materials?
I was thinking about the vacuum airship concept that was conceived a long time ago. For example:



I think the main problem is the required structural strength of the container, and also being light weight.

I have not run any numbers, what do you think the potential issues with the following concept could be?

At ground level you start off with an airship with a lightwight rigid structure but it is filled with hydrogen or helium, so that the structure does not have to take all the load as if there was a vacuum.

As the ship rises, you slowly vent the helium/hydrogen in a controlled way so that there is still boyancy but this is balanced so that the structural forces do not beome too great. I suppose you might also just be able to compress it for more control and reusability, but that might require a compressor that is too heavy - haven't done any analysis or calculations on that.

The fixed rigid structure means that the internal density is decreasing as you vent the gas. As the ship rises, you can approach a vacuum type condition without exposing the structure to excessive forces. After the gas has been released (as much as possible) the ship would remain in place. You could then intermittently turn on the compressors to maintain the condition.
 
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If you look at the bottom of this page, you will see a list of other PF threads on this same question. It has been discussed multiple times here on PF. Read those threads first, then if you still have questions, post again here.
 
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They seem to be the same area of discussion, but I don't think the same question from what I have seen.
 
...the general.consensus from those past threads is that it is both impossible and a terrible idea.
 
Joes12 said:
Summary: Are vacuum airships possible without unobtanium materials?

I think the main problem is the required structural strength of the container, and also being light weight.
And one of those threads has exactly that calculation. I just checked, and it is still there.

Seek, and you shall find.
 
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