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Up, Up and Away
| Content Provider | Semantic Scholar |
|---|---|
| Author | Criss, Sonny Webb, Jimmy Lynn Ronell, Ann Tapscott, Horace Hebb, Bobby Parker, Charlie O. Farlow, Tal Walton, Cedar Cranshaw, Bob McBrowne, Lenny |
| Copyright Year | 2009 |
| Abstract | Weather balloons are launched around the world on a daily basis to collect atmospheric data such as pressure, temperature, humidity, and wind speed and direction. With approximately 800 different locations in some of the most remote areas of the world, meteorological organizations conducting upper air observation rely on gases such as hydrogen and helium to elevate weather balloons so they can capture data. There has been much recent debate about which type of gas should be used and what to do so that it is readily available when needed. The hydrogen/helium debate Many organizations in the weather balloon market, from the military to civil government to meteorological users, typically resort to using helium due to concerns over hydrogen’s safety. However, hydrogen generation has changed dramatically since the advent of Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) technology. This technology means that pure hydrogen can be produced safely and reliably on-site – using only water and electricity – at an affordable price. The Proton Exchange Membrane electrolyzers that are sold worldwide are used in a variety of applications outside the meteorological field, including heat treating, electronics manufacturing, cooling of power plant turbine generator windings, and gas chromatography. These electrolyzers have demonstrated high reliability in a wide range of environments and duty cycles. Having used helium for the last 40 years, many meteorological agencies, such as Environment Canada and the US National Weather Service, are now allowing some sites to fill their balloons with hydrogen. These organizations are switching for two main reasons: price and availability. Many sounding balloon sites are in remote areas where delivering gas is difficult. Additionally, the delivery of either hydrogen or helium in high-pressure cylinders poses certain risks. Through the deployment of on-site hydrogen generation systems, observations in remote locations can be made without the dangers and logistical difficulties associated with the transportation and storage of these gases in high-pressure cylinders. Helium availability is limited but hydrogen can be made anywhere at any time using only water and electricity. An unreliable supply of helium ties the hands of the organizations in the balloon market and limits their ability to capture data. With their limited budgets, meteorological agencies are not readily willing to risk upper air data collection on an expensive and unreliable supply of helium. |
| File Format | PDF HTM / HTML |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://ms-access.yolasite.com/resources/Up,%20Up%20And%20Away.pdf |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://www.protononsite.com/sites/default/files/2016-08/Up%20Up%20and%20Away.pdf |
| Language | English |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Article |
