Structure of a Hot Air Balloon
A hot air balloon consists of an envelope, a burner and a basket.
The envelope of hot air balloon is made of special-coated, high temperature resistant and high-strength Polyester or Terylene. It's famous for its features of being light, intensive and airproof.
The Burner is the heart of a hot air balloon, steel in construction, most commonly used fuel is propane. The Burner transforms the liquid propane into a burnable gas, mixing the gaseous propane with air, which spurs the high-temperature air into the balloon envelope with well-burnt gas to create a power of lifting by heating up the air inside the balloon envelope. A hot air balloon usually carries about 200 kilograms liquid fuel.
Balloon baskets are mainly used for carrying pilot, passengers, fuel and flying facilities. To reduce the shock that landing may cause, balloon baskets are made from several firm but flexible rattans that are thick and colorful consistently.
The size of a basket depends on the level of the balloon belonging to. Most of the baskets are rectangular, the smallest baskets carry only one passenger, and the biggest ones, 20 passengers.
To date the balloons used in Taiwan are AX type balloons, including balloon capacities:Level 8, about 2400-3000 cubic meters level 9, about 3000-4000 cubic meters level 10, about 4000-6000 cubic metersAll these three levels are equipped with rectangular baskets, able to carry between 4～6 persons.
Flying Theory of Hot Air Balloon
Taiwans AX balloons, dependent upon the type of the gas being used to fill the balloon, (CIA or FAI) give the required power of lift by heating up the air inside the balloon.Heating up the air inside the balloon with the burner, creates the power of lift, as gas temperatures increase the density of the air in the balloon reduces. Increasing buoyancy and increasing altitude. Controlling the burner is simple making it easy for the balloon to go up or down.
Given that the speed and direction of the wind are different at different altitudes, a Pilots skill is to make the best decisions to fly his balloon according to speed and direction of the wind, meaning that the pilot flies rather than “drives” the balloon.
The speed of a hot air balloon depends on the speed of the wind as it doesn't have any motive power system. However the maximum speed of a hot air balloons descent and ascent can be controlled and is a maximum of 6m/sec and 5m/sec respectively.