Lift Mass and Then Drop It
At the fundamental level, let's note that "dropping" is a function of
available lifting power (the primary tool). Lets also never forget that
Mass at Altitude is Storage, potentially on a grand scale.
Minimum Sink Rate (in the absence of sustaining lift) is an important
operational number.
At a more specific method level, at the AWE Encampment this summer, many
of us trained lofting masses under a sport parafoil using a PTO. This is a
good method for moving materials up and over obstacles. A DIY
bambi-bucket could irrigate or recycle hydro.
The first finding from testing was that the swinging mass must harmonize
with the sweeping, but this is very natural and easy to learn. The second
lesson is that the mass can be placed with natural precision toward the
side and top (margin) of the kite window, but its hard to keep station, or
place a mass down, neatly, when stalled or sweeping fast in the power
zone. Good four-line technique can manage a normal backwards landing
direct downwind.
Overall, flying a loaded kite is not much harder, but good piloting
is highly favored. The pilot quickly learns to stay away from dynamical
sticky-states, where the kite stalls under influence from the mass, with a
sudden loss of control likely. At least its usually possible to recover
some and make a safe forced-landing.
DaveS
Comment and development of this topic will be occurring here.
All, send notes, links, drawings, papers, videos, plans, safety-critical
findings, and photographs!
- Terms and aspects:
- Related links and concepts:
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Water reservoirs at altitude store energy
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- Commentary is welcome:
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This topic is partly old matter. DaveS in
some prior post also did some calculations on this topic of lifting
mass and then dropping the mass. This thread invites revisiting the
sector and furthering it also.
There are many ways to have kite systems lift mass and then drop the
mass. The mass could be strictly lifted by the tether set by lifting
wings of a kite system; and then drop the mass. The dropped mass may
be shaped for niche purposes which we may visit soon. Or the lifted
mass might be inside wings of a kite system.
Or the mass lifted by be on a hillside on rails while the kite system
causes the mass to go up the hillside rail to some high point. And the
purposes of doing such may vary widely to fulfill niche purposes, even
to let the mass drop to low potential while driving an electric
generator via cable.
Others may describe more lift-and-drop scenes.
Now for a pause on the dropped mass:
The mass has been given potential energy derived from the kite
system's mining the wind's kinetic energy. How to spend that potential
energy? Here is a short list to be expanded by adventuring workers:
1. Let the dropped mass be a powered aircraft. Let the powered
aircraft go on its way for its mission.
2. Let the dropped mass be glider with handsome L/D; let the glider be
on its way to fulfill its mission.
3. Let the dropped mass be a skydiver or a team of skydivers.
4. Let the dropped mass be a hang glider. Let the hang glider be on
its way to fulfill various missions.
5. Let the dropped mass be fire retardant shaped as a glider with
remote release as the mass glides over target areas.
6. Let the dropped mass be seeds or treeling darts for planting in
special lands.
7. Let the dropped mass be rescued persons that had been lifted out of
tight spaces or confined spaces.
8. Let the dropped mass be water for wetting or misting or cooling or
cleaning or reformation, etc. purposes.
9. Let the dropped mass be shaped in a way that will hammer something
upon impact. Hammer piling. Hammer things to be broken, Hammer soils
to compact the soils.
10. Let the dropped mass be connected to a line which line is held up
by an aerostat; and then as the mass drops let the dropping action
drive a generator or pump or cause a towing of a vehicle, say a lauch
of an AWES wing or a hang glider or a stuck car.
11. Let the dropped mass be connected to a thrill-seeker's bungee
line.
12. Let the dropped mass have a turbine aboard itself; during the drop
let the turbine make electricity to run onboard instruments or/and
charge batteries.
13. Let the dropped mass be atmosphere-altering particles for specific
purpose.
14. Let the dropped mass be that which a fire-fighting commander would
use to help set fires that help him or her to finally contain the fire
being fought.
15. Let the dropped mass be water to set into a high reservoir for
various reasons including hydroelectric generation, potable water
works, industry, recreations, recharge streams, etc.
16. Let the dropped mass be a line buggy for entertainment.
17. Let the dropped mass be live fish to populate remote ponds.
18. Let the dropped mass be food, prizes, tools, clothing, medicine,
rescue gear, shelters, blankets.
19. Let the dropped mass be fuel for the fetch of extant powered
aircraft.
20. ?
After dropping lifted mass, then the kite system might go lift some
more mass. Again and again.
~ JoeF, 28 Oct 2013.
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Have a loop held by a kite system; let that loop dip in a ground-level
pond. Let the upper winds drive the loop. Let the the wetted part of
the loop be taken upwards; at the upper pulley there will be
compression on the wetted string and water will drip to a holder or to
the atmosphere. This process takes water up to to
altitude. If the drip falls to an upper reservoir then energy is
stored. ~ JoeF, 28 Oct 2013
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Have a loop held by a kite system; let that loop be wetted in the
clouds. Let the wet loop be a provider of water wanted on the ground.
There are other ways to get cloud water to the ground from use of a
kite system; e.g., collect water and then drop the water. Have the
kite system operate to maximize water collection from cloud and then
drop the water down the lines in packets or down a hollow line or by
glided packets. ~ JoeF, 28 Oct 2013
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Note that a bambi-bucket may have a very long line that may be
operated in different ways while a main lifter kite system stays
flying in upper winds; that is, the wings of the kite system need not
return to the ground during cycles of bambi-bucket retrieves and
let-outs occur. ~ JoeF, 28 Oct 2013
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AirborneWindEnergy/conversations/messages/11161 Dropping
items from kites
27Jan2014
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Hold a drone in a kite system until the drone is wanted for special
mission; then drop the drone.
~JoeF 27Jan2014
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