Conceptual Design of an Airship using Knowledge Based

The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the benefits of Knowledge Based Engineering (KBE) in conceptual design of an airship. The design methodology helps calculate the envelope volume required to carry a user-specified payload, and arrives at the mass breakdown by incorporating the optimum usage of multiple fabric and performance estimates. Alternatively, the payload that can be carried by an airship of a specified envelope volume under a given set of operating conditions can also be estimated. The first half of the paper discusses the basics of KBE beginning with the concept of Engineering Design. The later half of the paper discusses in detail the process of KBE as applied for designing an airship. I