How To Blow up An Airship

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The major concern of the rapidly growing industry for lighter-than-air vehicles, balloon systems, flexible inflatable structures and pressure vessels is not usually leaks!  Helium has the smallest molecular diameter of any gas –so it diffuses through the fabric of the envelope much faster than any other gas – for example, some twenty times faster than Hydrogen! This seepage through the fabric is usually a bigger problem than leaking.  This "permeability" problem extends far beyond the aerospace industry to include anyone manufacturing with plastics, textiles and indeed most modern materials. It is vital to not only to choose the best materials, but also to keep a strict eye on quality control.

The answer to these issues is the latest version of Versaperm's permeability meter, which gives a fast and repeatable measurement that is accurate in the Parts Per Million range (PPM), PPB for some gases and materials. 

The instrument can optionally be configured to measure permeability for a variety of gases including hydrocarbons, solvents, oxygen, carbon dioxide, helium and water vapour, so you can check the rates at which atmospheric gases actually permeate into the envelope as well.  The equipment is both easy to use and highly automated.

The system is around 100 times faster than conventional gravimetric techniques. (Versaperm also manufactures gravimetric equipment built amount the ISO Textile standard as it depends on this technique).

The equipment is designed to cater for the needs of both rapid product development and quality control.

Where a company's throughput is not high enough to warrant a dedicated instrument, Versaperm also offers a fast turnaround laboratory measurement and consultancy service.

ENDS

Please send any sales enquiries to Christopher Roberts, Versaperm Limited ,
10 Rawcliffe House, Howarth Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire, SL6 1AP, UK, Tel: +44 1628 777668,
e.mail info@versaperm.co.uk Web http://www.versaperm.co.uk

For further Press Information please contact Gerry Palmer @ the Palmer & Rose Partnership. Tel 01494 637499, fax 0871 900 3898 e.mail gerry@palmer-rose.co.uk.