Thermodynamics analysis of a stratospheric airship with hovering capability

A new fixed-point adjustment method for an airship is proposed to solve the problem of height instability due to dramatic daily-temperature swings. The airship membrane was discretized into a triangular element in this paper to enhance the computing accuracy of the method, and the multi-node thermodynamic model of the airship is established. The thermal performance of the airship is obtained using the Runge-Kutta method. The influences of season and latitude on the membrane, helium temperature and exhaust/inflation performance were investigated. The effect of the film elements on thermal performance is also discussed in detail. These results are helpful for the optimal design and operation of stratospheric airships.