HOT AIR BALOON STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING, AUGUST 19, 1957

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-03642A001300030022-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 2, 2012
• Sequence Number: 22
• Publication Date: August 19, 1957
• Content Type: MEMO

^ ~t
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/02 : CIA-RDP78-03642A001300030022-0
?
CONFIDENTIAL
! >"~
19 August
HOT AIR }b JAWH SIRING Oa4IIT`iT E FETING' AUGUST 19, 19A
Present:
meetinf the Hot Air ]3alloon Steering Committee was held to discuss progress
to datcelong the following lines of endeavor:
I I n a. pri ntal testing of ", y t . balloons for dote. rmination of f 1lm
v cc'iguration yielding minimum overall .'eat transfer.
`vJ
average internal j.llo on temperature 220-2j&F.) and unit lift in the run e
or double wall poly ba.loons with plain film. With J t in the range
looms with plain, internally metallized and externally metallized fim and
b. IrN:stiiption of materials having increased temperature resistance
as compared to polyethylene.
C. Development of a burner suited to the space and hating requirements
of the system.
d. ]l veloptnent of a compact, lig atwcight, direct readirn tennperature
measuring system with the sensiz ; element mounted at the apex of the
balloon .
's far, `U" values have been determined experimentally for' single wall poly
O1 U-.Ol i /f't.~, the resulting 'U" values -tre:
? n
U (13TU./hr.-ft. ?oF. )
Single wall - plain l ?,
- internally metallized 1..0
' - externally metallized 1.09
It to - double baffle l.uU
Double wall - plain (95% wall separation) 1.0
- plain (perforated . ft .
down f r= apex)
These tabulated "U" values must be taken a.s relative rather than
absolute since ventilation loss i.s not taken into account in
arriving at these n ers.
It should be stated that the 'Last value (1. >l) was obtained with poor wall
separation, effectively an estimated dO+ of the surface was acting as a
single wall balloon. Further testing will continue to obtain a ''U' value
for a. double wall balloon with an internally rsetal lized inner film end a
plain outer film.
25X1
25X1
Ask
U 1i 17A r
fEY SL4S3 a..~i. -.,--
AsTHI Hi 19.4
I JUSt KIT REV
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/02 : CIA-RDP78-03642A001300030022-0
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/02 : CIA-RDP78-03642AO01300030022-0
C NFIDENTIAL
e 2
As for the 'vials investigation phase, Plant a has contacted several film
manufacturer* among them DuPont and Dobeckmun, and have requested specifica-
tions, przct,>and samples of such films as A.rmalon, Urethane foam and Teflon.
To date no lies have been received, however, they are expected in the near
future. An4on is a glass coated fabric available in metallized laminated
form and t been known to resist a temperature of `1000?. i`or 24+ hours.
Urethane fcA is available in the form of a heat sealable film and has tem-
perature c4pacteristies up to 45001. Teflon is temperature resistant to
about 60ocli and more information on films, laminates and improved heat
sling metiode has been requested.
A redesigi of the 200 rt.3/hr. Buzzer burner incorporating a right angle
burner bed and with 150 ft.i/hr. gas rate as been completed, the idea
ing to place two of these burners side by side with the venturi mixing clamber
in a ho3jzontal position. Further progress on the burner has been halted
pending envelopment of a satisfactory balloon design.
veral t,perature monitoring' systems have been looked into, however, a maai-
xeig of approximately three pounds has been arbitrarily established and
a her, ruled out most possibilities. Information has been requested for a
ct 'eading indicating pyrometer made by Assembly Products, Inc. of
besteriand, Ohio. Models with various ranges are available with a full scale
deflection of 3000F. and a full scale accuracy of 2%. "These units are ther-
tpistor c pencated for ambient temperature chimes.
he plan for the im diate future is to:
a. Continue heat loss tests on a double wall internally metallized
inner and plain poly outer balloon.
b. Run temperature, strength and sealability tests on new materials,
some of these tests to include melting of 'j ft. balloons.
c. Investigate a temperature monitoring system with maximum effort being
expended on items "a and "b ' .
CONFIDENTIAL
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/02 : CIA-RDP78-03642AO01300030022-0