Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a levitation device and method and, more particularly, to a compressed gas levitation device and method.
Description of the Related Art
Levitation devices are desirable for use in recreational activities, travel, and lifting, as well as a multitude of other uses, for individual consumers, industrial applications, and government functions. Current compressed gas levitation technologies require significant amounts of positive pressure gas in order to produce levitation. An increase in compressed gas required for levitation directly results in an increase in power requirements for compressed air generation, or significant storage volumes of compressed gas. Current compressed gas generation technologies are not feasible for incorporation into a compressed gas levitation device due to size, weight, power requirement, flow and pressure generation, and cost. Large storage volumes are not feasible for a compressed gas levitation device due to size and weight of the pressurized volume required for sustainable levitation. Some technologies have proposed a skirt design to capture and retain the compressed gas in an enclosure to minimize the amount of compressed gas required to sustain levitation; however, these existing technologies have proven inadequate for sustainable compressed air levitation, as well. Therefore, it would be desirable to reduce the amount of compressed gas required for levitation, in turn reducing power requirements for compressed air generation and storage volumes for compressed gas levitation devices.