Nimbus
Airship for humanitarian aid
Fall 2023
Yuanxiang Huang, Drake Zahara, Katherine Lee
Airship designed for providing humanitarian aid and water to those who have experienced a natural disaster .
The airship is must contain a multitude of features such as living amenities as well as necessary equipment. The airship holds an in unit water filtration system to allow water to be filtered at the disaster site.
After catastrophic events like the 2011 Tōhoku Earthquake and Tsunami, survivors struggle to access clean water, worsening health risks and hindering recovery. Existing relief efforts struggle to provide quick effective solutions.
Reverse Osmosis Water Filtering
A water purification process that uses a semi-permeable membrane to remove impurities, contaminants, and particles, producing clean and potable water.
Airship appropriate
In disasters such as tsunamis and earthquakes it can be difficult to provide quick relief efforts by plane or ground transport due to limited landing and road space. Helicopters also have a limited carry capacity when wide spread relief is needed.
Project Goals
Supply
Distribute clean water and containers to survivors upon arrival.
Filter
Provide a consistent water supply until a permanent solution can be provided.
Comfort
Cater to the new members who will live within the airship for an extended period of time.
Main Cabin Layout
Cockpit
Seating/Storage
Shower
Beds
Ladder
Right Side
Cockpit
Left Side
Equipment Rack
Restroom
Kitchen
Door
Personal Storage
Main Cabin Components
Crew members
Pilot + Copilot, Sanitation Expert, Water Specialist, and Cultural Liaison. Including all necessary amenities for long period of stay such as dining spaces, lab spaces, kitchen, shower, bathroom, and beds.
Equipment
Include items such as water testing equipment, water sample drones and other necessary equipment to provide support to survivors.
Storage Space
Providing adequate and easy to access storage space for equipment and personal belongings.
Interior Cabin Space
Cockpit
Cockpit seats rotate to become seating in the lounge area. This transformation allows for more communal seating options.
Water Testing Lab
The lounge space doubles as a lab, with water testing equipment and drone charging within the sliding storage cabinet.
Water Testing Drone
The water testing drone scopes out the environment, searching for areas of safer water.
A natural sponge integrated into the water retrieval basket ensures the water collected does not exit the container
Kitchen
The kitchenette provides the crew with food storage and amenities needed in preparing food. The drop down cabinets enable easy access to the needed supplies.
Shower
The Nimbus incorporates a small shower with a dedicated changing area.
Restroom
The Nimbus references restrooms used in air travel that has been proven to work. The restroom incorporates in-wall storage and a hidden door that slides into the wall of the module
Storage
Storage is provided for the crew members personal belongings and equipment.
Lounge
The lounge space is where the crew gather for collaborative work. This area can also be a communal rest area providing seating and storage for every member aboard.
Beds
The crew members individually rest in sleeping pods. These pods supply adequate comfort and privacy with sliding fluted blinds.
Cargo area
Hopper System
Generator + Water Filtration
Cargo Components
Water Storage
Designated rack too hold pre filled water jugs to provide to survivors upon landing.
Hopper System
A hopper system allows water jugs to be easily accessed from the exterior of the airship to provide immediate aid upon landing.
Water Filtration
Using a PureAqua System that allows for brackish water to be pumped and filtered to become safe drinking water which can then be provided to survivors by exterior hoses.
Cargo Entrance
Climbing up the ladder from the gondola leads to the cargo hold. Behind the ladder holds the hopper system.
Water Filtration
RO system can produce 12,000 GPD (8.3 GPM) to be directly dispensed or stored in the water reserve.
Community Water Distribution
Exterior Access
The exterior of Nimbus incorporates a communal water distribution module for community members to fill their personal and provided containers.
Bottle Dispenser
The pre-filled bottles and dropped from the hopper system and allow survivors to be supplied with clean water on arrival.
Process
