Helium-3 for Blimps?

Yes, but bear in mind that helium already has 92% of the lifting power of hydrogen....It shows much more promise as a fuel for nuclear fusion...and yes we can make all we want....

"Two types of fusion reactions make use of Helium-3 to produce clean energy. The first uses deuterium (deuterium is hydrogen with a neutron) reacting with Helium-3, to produce helium and a proton. The second type of reactions uses two atoms of helium-3 to create helium and two protons. The protons created during the reaction are the crown jewel of Helium-3 fusion.

One of the best parts of the proposed Helium-3 reaction is the complete lack of radioactive byproducts. No neutrons are emitted, and no isotopes are left as products that could radioactively decay. The proton is a particularly nice side product, since clean energy can be harnessed from this stray proton by manipulating it in an electrostatic field.

Traditional nuclear fission reactions create heat, which is then used to heat water. The boiling water forces turbines to spin and generate energy. In the Helium-3 fusion process, energy is created via the reaction itself, with no nasty radioactive material for future generations to monitor.

The Helium-3 fusion process is not simply theoretical — the University of Wisconsin-Madison Fusion Technology Institute successfully performed fusion experiments combining two molecules of Helium-3. Estimates place the efficiency of Helium-3 fusion reactions at seventy percent, out-pacing coal and natural gas electricity generation by twenty percent."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helium-3

http://io9.gizmodo.com/5908499/could-helium-3-really-solve-earths-energy-problems

http://chem.libretexts.org/Core/Inorganic_Chemistry/Descriptive_Chemistry/Elements_Organized_by_Block/2_p-Block_Elements/Group_18%3A_The_Noble_Gases/Chemistry_of_Helium

"...and yes we can make all we want...."

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This particularly at odds with:

'...One of the best parts of the proposed Helium-3 reaction is the complete lack of radioactive byproducts. No neutrons are emitted, and no isotopes are left as products that could radioactively decay...'

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...or are you aware of an efficient production method that doesn't involve a strong neutron flux?

Well if we are going to pretend then why not fill the whole blimp with a vacuum. Zero mass or media density to deal with plus it costs nothing to make either.

Nothingness is actually fairly expensive.

Nothing is as expensive as a vacuum...

Please, no politics, this isn't the place for it.

But remember: nature abhors a vacuum

My dog certainly abhors it!

When you are cleaning out your vacuum cleaner, you henceforth are a vacuum cleaner.

Gary Larson rocks!

14.7 lb/sq-in could be a problem...

Since the current price is about $2000 per liter, that could be a problem...

What makes any choice better than another choice when one uses the unrealistic luxury of fantasy?

At $2,000/liter,

I know helium-3 is very scarce, but let's pretend we could get all we want.

Well then, the heck with ³HE, I want a transporter instead, like the one on Star Trek.

It makes almost no difference.

The lifting force is created by the difference between the density of the gas and the density of air.

So using rough figures

air at 1250 g/m³

Helium at 180 g/m³

and He-3 at 90 g/m³

The lifting force of a He-3 blimp relative to a Helium blimp is about 1160 to 1070

(g/m³)

Quite

I thought you were going to correct my #13. Should have said density of hydrogen H₂ is 90 g/Nm³. Deuterium D₂ is 180 g/Nm³.

Glad to see you're all awake, which is more than could be said for me when I posted last night ^²

Might be easier to get rid of all the oxygen. Then we could use hydrogen without the fire hazard.