Abstract: Based on an analysis of the flight state, control style and working environment of a stratospheric airship, a physical model was established to describe its heat transfer and aerodynamic behaviors during its floating flight, and a visible C++ program was written to solve the governing equations. Numerical simulations and comparisons of their floating characteristics were conducted respectively for the airship covered with/without blackskin, and controlled with/without pumping in/out air. Variations of the temperatures of the film, blackskin, internal helium, and internal air of the airship, and its flying altitude variation with day time were obtained. The results reveal that solar radiation, control style and solar array obviously affect the floating performance of the airship.

Key words: airships, stratospheric, floating, numerical simulation, thermal analysis, flight control