Ballast

As a heavy burden, but as good as worthless charge is referred to in the seafaring, to contribute to the stability of the ship, if the actual freight is too light. A merchant ship that is traveling without cargo which therefore moves in the maritime usage under ballast.

In sailing water ballast is used to increase the righting moment of the ship. Water is pumped into tanks to windward to sail so the ship upright can. Thus weight can be saved in the keel. However, this technique requires some space in the ship ( tank and pump technology ). Therefore, it is almost exclusively used in racing boats.

For sail boats can - even without sail trim sporting ambitions - water ballast be used to make a boat easier to transport; the ballast is then loaded only when launching the boat.

In vehicles (balloon, airship ), which are lighter than air, ballast is used to compensate for buoyancy losses. Most sand or water ballast is carried to, which can be discarded if necessary to make the aircraft easier.

For large military and commercial airships earlier ballast water production plants were used to compensate for the buoyancy gain occurring during the journey through the consumption of the fuel. Part of the Zeppelins has it cooled the exhaust gases from the engines by means of the high-altitude very cold outside air and the condensed water is used as a counterbalance for the spent fuel.

Gliders use ballast to increase their ground speed at the wind conditions, since the maximum glide ratio, and thus the range in gliding flight, regardless of the weight of the aircraft.

Water ballast

Is used for:

• Funiculars as a drive - water ballast train
• Cargo ships
• Glider
• Sailing ships

Also

• Submarines and
• Ships and airships of any type use water as ballast to control the situation