Evening star., 1933-06-22

N YAVAL experts on submarine ven
N tilation, working in co-opera-
ton with Lieut. Comdr. Thomas
G. w. Settle, noted Navy bal
loonist, have arranged to pro-
vide for the Settle Picard stratosphere
balloon flight in Chicago three weeks
hence. a new method of submarine air
publication that is expected to aid in
establishing a new world altitude record
for balloons.
Lieut.. Comdr. Settle has been in
conference over a period Of weeks with
Frank Hobson, co-inventor OF the
Navy's submarine escape device, Tho
lung" and DR.. Perry Borgstrum OF tn
Naval Research Laboratory at Bellevue,
d c., both of whom are experts on
submarine air reconditioning.
Settle, accompanied by either Jear
Picard, twin brother of Prof. Auguste
Picard. Belgian stratosphere explorer
or a University of Chicago student Oh
cosnic rays, will take OF about July
IS at midnight in an attempt to attain
heights never before reached by man
The goal is at least 10000 feet-nforc
than a mile higher than Piccards 10
mile record.
Will Sit in Open Air.
The naval flyer and his companion
will sit in the open air on little deer
at the top of a 7-foot metal spherical
gondola until they reach atmospher.
too rarified for comfort, when they VII
climb down inside the ball, seal them
selves in and start the air-condltionlnt
apparatus to work.
Preparations are being made to main
tain a respirable atmosphere In the
air-tight gondola for period OF "a
hours, which is about twice the length
of time probably required Tor the nignt.
The balloonists will attempt to land on
one of the Great Lakes.
Emergency individual breathing de-
vices modelled after the submarine
lung" will be carried, along with para
chutes, so that if the occupants are
forced to abandon the balloon in the
stratosphere, they will be able to
breathe during their plunge through
rarifled air.
The gondola's air reconditioning will
be effected by application OF recently
improved methods of air publication
perfected by the Navy for its subma
rines, it was learned today. If previous
processes were employed, the weight OF
the paraphernalia would be approx
mately 40 pounds, whereas the new
device will weight about Az pounds.
The globular gondola, built of new
type of light steel alloy known as
dowmetal, is being completed In Detroit.
At the top of the ball Is an air
tight hatch with a quartz window, de-
cir IN CTR nf n
rays-the scientific objective of the
daring flight, which is sponsored by
the Worlds Fair There will be eight
other small windows in the globe for
observation purposes.
Largest Ever Made.
The balloon itself will be the largest
ever constructed, with a maximum gas
capacity of 100000 cubic feet. Hy-
drogen will be used instead Of helium
because of it's greater lifting power
The bag will be attached to the gondola
by means of ropes tied to a special
harness.
When Prof Picard made his previ-
Gus flights in Europe he was sealed
inside the gondola before he left the
ground. In the Chicago flight, how
ever, the aeronauts will either sit on
inside the open hatch as the ascension
begins. They will save the air recon-
ditioning equipment as long as possible,
the present plan being to stay atop
Of the gondola from midnight until
sun-up the next day unless atmospheric
conditions become unbearable. BY this
time the balloon should have risen to
a height of about 10000 feet. it is
estimated
The hatch will be sealed when the
air pressure outside Is about 6 of an
atmoSphere-or a little more than half
of atmospheric pressure on the earth.
From then on the air in the ball will
be maintained at from 6 to Z of an at
mosphere, irrespective of the decreasing
pressure outside as the ascent continues.
This will be achieved by venting excess
air through valve as necessary and
replenishing the oxygn from, the supply
carried in the gondola.
1t is probable that liquid oxygen will
form the source of supply during the
flight, as considerable weight will be
saved over the usual method of COM
pressing gaseous oxygen in heavy metal
TASKS
Interior to Be Warmed
Although the outside temperature at
10000 feet will be about 60 degrees
below zero, Fahrenheit, this will not
affect the occupants of the gondola
during the day, as the interior will be
warmed by radiation of the suns ray
on the ball and by internal heat gene
rated by bodies of the men. Picard re-
ported temperature inside the gon-
dola on his European flight of 104 de-
greeS while the outside temperature was
hoi orl
had half of his original gondola painted
aluminium to reflect the suns rays and
the other half back to absorb the rays,
with an arrangement to ievo.ve the ball
to heat it or cool it Off as needed The
twisting device failed to function, how
ever. The new gOndola will not be
painted in this way. and Settle is study
ing adaptability of special chemical
heat-generating process to the gondola,
in case artificial heat is needed. Other
chemicals will absorb moisture, to pre-
vent clouding Of the observation win
doWs.
In the bottom of the globe will be a
sp1cial exhaust trap for expulsion of
pressure This will consist of funnel
/ mouthed pipe with double gates op-
Grating on the canal-lock principle.
Small shot probably will be used for
ballast. Material expended in the air
reccnditioning arpar atus also may be
dropped though the exhause trap.
Modified Navy Lungs.
The emergency individual brea hing
devices to be carried on the flight will
be modified Navy lungs" just like
these on submarines, except that they
have been fitted with an integral oxy-
gen supply contained in a specially
made oxygen bottle of alloy steel, about
! inches long, charged with oxygen a!
| 1000 pounds per square inch pressure
| The lungs" complete will weigh about
pounds each. Enough oxygen will be
available to sustain life during a drop
/! from so 900 to 25 900 feet.
The gondola will weigh about 40C
: y,r,tpSe eYc'usjye of IFS human freipht-