Comments on: Qataris develop artificial cloud to keep pitch cool during World Cup

By: John H

John H — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 13:42:38 +0000

@r2dad The sun is so far away (and big) that sunlight is effectively parallel. So moving the “cloud” further away would not increase the size of the shadow. So this thing would need to be a floating sheet the size of the pitch. It seems unlikely to work.

By: Phil

Phil — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 10:45:54 +0000

Got to say that I am in Ian and Anya’s camp with a more traditionalist view of a ‘roof’ – why re-invent the wheel (or magic-flying-solar-powered-fake-cloud-nonsense-thing), plus, as TO points out, a roof would enable an air conditioned atmosphere within an enclosed environment…

Note to Qatar – ‘Roof’ – look it up, much more simple!!

By: Anya

Anya — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 08:29:43 +0000

This technology’s already been invented, and it doesn’t involve some sort of solar powered magic carpet – it’s called a roof. There are even retractible roofs, if Qatar wants to show off how modern they are. What a waste of money.

By: Ian

Ian — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 04:30:33 +0000

Call me old fashioned but why not just pop a roof over stadium?!

By: Capt Obvious

Capt Obvious — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 02:48:25 +0000

@TO

Have you never been under the shade? It’s many times better than than having your skin roasting by tremendously strong sun rays. Besides, if it didn’t help I am sure they wouldn’t be researching the technology.

By: TO

TO — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 22:32:55 +0000

It’s unlikely that it will fall unless there’s deliberate sabotage. My beef with this thing is, as far as I can see, all it does is provide a shade. That in itself does not reduce the temperature in any way. Even if they install some type of air conditioner on this thing it’ll just disperse and not reallly cool anything unless they make some kind of enclosure

By: whookid

whookid — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 20:59:45 +0000

and then if it gets cloudy….CRASH

i dont think any flying vehicle has ever been powered by solar

By: R2Dad

R2Dad — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 19:55:50 +0000

It would just need to fly at a higher altitude to cover the entire pitch. It’s actually not a bad idea, as long as it’s quiet. I don’t like the droning of blimp engines as they circle the stadium, either. The stadiums themselves would need some sort of evaporative cooling mist over the fans and players if the humidity was not too high. It works in dry environments like Arizona, but maybe not the gulf during the summer. You can still die of heat stroke in the shade!