ballonet

[¦bal·ə¦nā]

(aerospace engineering)

One of the air cells in a blimp, fastened to the bottom or sides of the envelope, which are used to maintain the required pressure in the envelope without adding or valving gas as the ship ascends or descends. Also spelled ballonnet.

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References in periodicals archive ?

An airship that is going to take off at sea level and climb to 10,000 feet en route must have approximately 30 percent of its total envelope volume taken by air in the ballonets at take off to allow room for the expansion of helium during the climb.

If ballonets are placed tore and aft in the vehicle as illustrated in Figure 2, they may also be used for trimming the aircraft in lieu of aerodynamic trim.

Back to the future: airships and the revolution in strategic airlift: over the next several years the US Department of Defense has some very hard decisions to make regarding strategic airlift. If funding is not available to meet 54.5 MTM/D or more with conventional airlift, either sacrifices in capability must be made or an alternative will have to be found

Hydrogen gas fills internal ballonets, providing the lift necessary to keep the massive craft airborne.

Near space 2015: a conceptual vision of near-space operations

The rigger climbs about in the framework, testing his ballonets and making sure that the ventilators are working properly and letting out the gas forced from the ship in its continual ride.

The observation officer climbs into the interior of the ship, there the rigger is diligently searching all over the ballonets, looking to see whether or not gas is escaping anywhere as a result of damage done by shots.

"Against London:" a Zeppelin officer's account

Also, the airship's altitude, overall response and handling characteristics and flight control utilizes a system of ballonets contained within each individual module, thereby creating a dynamically adjustable airship, WSGI said.