Alternative Sources of Energy for Aircraft

From time to time we publish submissions from websitsite visitors.  This one is from Mark Sorne, the Marketing & Business Development Officer at Aerosup Inc.

ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF ENERGY FOR AIRCRAFT

Due to increasing fuel costs, a lot of organizations in the aircraft industry are researching and investigating ways to come up with a solution. There are many major airlines around the world that reportedly incurred net losses already in the first quarter of the year 2008 compared to their previous revenues last year.

The use of alternative sources of energy may be the answer. Different companies are trying to develop alternative fuels to address its rapid rate of increase, which is a major problem globally.

The following might just be the answers:

a.. Hydrogen Fuel
b.. Biofuel
c.. Liquid Fuel Oil (GTL)
d.. Electric Power
e.. Fuel Cell

Hydrogen Fuel

Boeing has announced last April 03, 2008 that it has successfully managed to fly a manned airplane powered by hydrogen fuel cells.

It was the first time in the history of aviation. What was used is a lithium-ion battery pack and PEM hydrogen fuel cell, which was developed by Boeing Research and Technology Europe. Hydrogen is not considered an energy source rather a energy carrier because it takes huge amount of energy to extract it from water.

The plane which flown 3,300 feet for 20 minutes was a two-seat Dimona motor-glider with electric motor and conventional propeller. At one point during the course of the flight, the plane managed to reach a speed of 62 mph.

Boeing is not yet certain If this can be applied to a large passenger airplane but they would continue to research for the probability.

Biofuel

Last February 25, 2008, Virgin Atlantic successfully flown an airplane with biodiesel. This made them the first airline to have a breakthrough on this.

Biofuel can either a solid, liquid, or gas fuel derived from recently dead biological material. The use of it has a big potential to reduce our dependence on petroleum. Different types of biofules re vegetable oil, biodiesel, bioalcohols, biogas, syngas, cellulosic, and algae.

The company’s Boeing 747-400 flew from London to Amsterdam. One of its four fuel tanks has a 20 percent mix of biofuel derived from coconut and babassu oil. These were chosen because they are environmentally and socially sutainable and can be found in usual cosmetic products. No modifications were done to accommodate the biofuel.

Virgin Atlantic said that they are willing to share the results of its analysis to other organization also wanting to cut their carbon emissions.

But there might be a problem for flying planes with biodiesel, the fuel my freeze at high altitudes.

On October 19, 2007, Biodiesel Solutions and Green Flight International successfully completed a test flight in Nevada using a Czechoslovakian-made L-29 aircraft that has reached 17,000 feet during the course of the flight.

Liquid Fuel Oil

February 5, 2008. For the first time, an Airbus A380 aircraft has managed to fly using liquid fuel from gas, also known as GTL (Gas to liquids). It can be defined that GTL is a refinery method that transform natural gas or other gaseous carbons hydrocarbons into longer-chair hydrocarbons or liquid fuels. The resulting fuel then can only be blended with Diesel fuel. Shell International Petroleum provided the jet fuel used. The aircraft has flown from Filton UK to Toulouse France for three hours.

Electric Fuel

July 30, 2007. Sonex and Aeroconversions introduced an electric sports aircraft at the AirVenture OshKosh trade show. The aircraft was runned by electric engines and a high-output battery.

An electric aircraft is one, which runs on electric motors instead of combustion engines. The electricity can either come from fuel cells, solar cells, ultra capacitors, power beaming, or batteries.

Some of the advantages are decreased change of mechanical failure resulting to an increase in safety, lesser noise, greater torque from electric motors, and lesser risk of explosion or fire.

Fuel Cell

May, 2008. With the collaboration of German Aerospace Center and Airbus, the first commercial aircraft using fuel cells was introduced at the ILA Berlin Air Show 2008. The aircraft was an Airbus 320.

In the meantime, Sandia National Laboratories and Boeing are working together on a project for a possibility of using fuel cells to provide power backup for aircraft. The purpose is to provide alternative power for emergency situations when the main power shuts down. Also, Israel Aerospace Industries is currently developing an inter-city aircraft that will use fuel cells.

A fuel cell is electrochemical conversion equipment. It converts fuel and an oxidant to electricity, which reacts with the existence of electrolytes.

Mark Sorne
Marketing & Business Development Officer
Aerosup Inc.
E-mail: marketing@aerosup.com
Website: www.aerosup.com