British company seeks to save lives of SOF troops...and devises an ingenious solution!

[Carol]

Fascinating article!

The Special Operations Forces from the US, UK and our allies can find themselves in inhospitable environments.

A UK company wondered how to save the lives of SOF troops stranded in a jungle environment.

Their answer was ingenious -- and amazingly simple: a humble orange balloon.


http://news.discovery.com/tech/orange-balloon-military-111117.html#mkcpgn=rssnws1

 

[jks9199]

Neat idea...

But one bit puzzles me:

Helium is a hazardous material -- if shot it could catch fire, the company acknowledges. But BCB contains it safely, and it all comes down to risk assessment

Last time I checked, helium is a noble gas. It doesn't burn, it doesn't react chemically... and I think if things are hot enough to be getting helium to split, a little more help than can be provided by air support is in order! I'm sure the balloon itself or the twine could burn... or even the carbon fiber helium cartridge -- but not the helium itself!

 

[Sukerkin]

Aye, helium is relatively inert and actually used as a flame retarder in come applications I'm given to understand - of course, it has to be admitted, I'm an economist/historian/engineer . But my best mate at university was a chemist, if that helps to add credibility .

 

[Carol]

Aye, helium is relatively inert and actually used as a flame retarder in come applications I'm given to understand - of course, it has to be admitted, I'm an economist/historian/engineer . But my best mate at university was a chemist, if that helps to add credibility .

You are correct though...in transmission lines, helium is used in some lines for its insulating/safety properties. In other situations, nitrogen is used in others for its drying properties. Both are used for their non-flammable/non-reactive properties.

(Side note: For anyone who has been around Manhattan, its fairly common to see tanks of Nitrogen chained to light poles, etc. The reason? ConEdison produces a lot of steam/moisture/condensation. This can wreak havoc with telephone, data, and cable circuits...causing frequent outages. The solution is for service providers to repair the rupture and re-dehydrate line with dry nitrogen.)

I didn't understand the line either. Maybe the risk is from the balloon catching fire? Or the pressurized canister getting shot?

 

[jks9199]

You are correct though...in transmission lines, helium is used in some lines for its insulating/safety properties. In other situations, nitrogen is used in others for its drying properties. Both are used for their non-flammable/non-reactive properties.

(Side note: For anyone who has been around Manhattan, its fairly common to see tanks of Nitrogen chained to light poles, etc. The reason? ConEdison produces a lot of steam/moisture/condensation. This can wreak havoc with telephone, data, and cable circuits...causing frequent outages. The solution is for service providers to repair the rupture and re-dehydrate line with dry nitrogen.)

I didn't understand the line either. Maybe the risk is from the balloon catching fire? Or the pressurized canister getting shot?

We see tanks on poles around here, too... I didn't know why until we had some major phone outages due to some flooding, and I talked with the Verizon guys for a bit. They're still (several months later) having problems, and the pressurize the lines to keep water out.