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Concept
Lifting gas
Summary
A lifting gas or lighter-than-air gas is a gas that has a density lower than normal atmospheric gases and rises above them as a result. It is required for aerostats to create buoyancy, particularly in lighter-than-air aircraft, which include free balloons, moored balloons, and airships. Only certain lighter than air gases are suitable as lifting gases. Dry air has a density of about 1.29 g/L (gram per liter) at standard conditions for temperature and pressure (STP) and an average molecular mass of 28.97 g/mol, and so lighter-than-air gases have a density lower than this.
Heated atmospheric air is frequently used in recreational ballooning. According to the ideal gas law, an amount of gas (and also a mixture of gases such as air) expands as it is heated. As a result, a certain volume of gas has a lower density as the temperature is higher. The temperature of the hot air in the envelope will vary depending upon the ambient temperature, but the maximum continuous operating temperature for most balloons is .
Hydrogen, being the lightest existing gas (7% the density of air, 0.08988 g/L at STP), seems to be the most appropriate gas for lifting. It can be easily produced in large quantities, for example with the water-gas shift reaction or electrolysis, but hydrogen has several disadvantages:
Hydrogen is extremely flammable. Some countries have banned the use of hydrogen as a lift gas for commercial vehicles but it is allowed for recreational free ballooning in the United States, United Kingdom and Germany. The Hindenburg disaster is frequently cited as an example of the safety risks posed by hydrogen. The extremely high cost of helium (compared to hydrogen) has led researchers to re-investigate the safety issues of using hydrogen as a lift gas, especially for vehicles not carrying passengers and being deployed away from populated areas. With good engineering and good handling practices, the risks can be significantly reduced.
Because the diatomic hydrogen molecule is very small, it can easily diffuse through many materials such as latex, so that the balloon will deflate quickly.
Official source
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