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Boeing plans demonstration flight using Biofuel
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By Wolfgang Gruener
Friday, September 28, 2007 12:43
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Seattle (CA) - Boeing is exploring second-generation biofuel testing to identify renewable alternative fuel sources for aviation uses. A first flight of a biofuel-driven 747-400 passenger plane is scheduled for the second half of 2008.
Boeing said that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Air New Zealand and Rolls-Royce to collaborate on the development of viable and sustainable alternative fuels for commercial aviation uses. According to the company, "second-generation" biofuel feed stocks reliable enough to be used in airplanes will contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
"Our near-term goal in this pioneering effort is to identify sustainable alternative bio-jet fuel sources for the planes that are flying today," said Craig Saddler, president of Boeing Australia. A significant first step is identifying progressive fuel sources that will provide better economic and environmental performance for air carriers, without any change to aircraft engines or the aviation fuel infrastructure." Boeing noted that it is "in discussions to identify potential biofuels that are available in suitable quantities for laboratory and jet-engine performance testing and in compliance with stringent aviation requirements."
Freeze-point testing on jet fuel samples at the Boeing Commercial Airplanes Fuels and Lubricants Test Laboratory in Seattle
In a first demonstration, Boeing plans to use a Boeing 747-400 from Air New Zealand sometime in the second half of next year. The development of the biofuel that could be used in this demonstration - referred to as "bio-jet fuel" – will differ from traditional biofuels available today.
Without providing details, Boeing said that these bio-jet fuels will incorporate "second-generation methodologies relative to sustainable feedstock source selection and fuel processing, which are uniquely suited for aerospace applications." The company believes that bio-jet fuels can be blended with traditional kerosene fuel (Jet-A) to reduce dependency on petroleum-based fuels, while "sustainable bio-jet feedstock sources avoid deforestation practices and potential competition with global food resources."
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Im pretty sure i read an artical in Air and Space magazine that Richard Branson is doing the same and investing a big chunk of cash each year to te same research. It would be great if we could get a cheap fuel that would lower prices of tickets and increase profits.
Sometimes I feel higher fuel prices help aviation. Airlines can up the price of tickets to adjust. They are flexible. The higher gas prices make people more willing to fly than drive. I use to drive from Houston to Dallas but now I'd fly as it's cheaper.
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I'm glad that Boeing is doing this. I'm very concerened about the envrionmental future, but i'd hate to see aviation the last ones to develop this wonderful technology. I don't want my kids, and future grandkids to suffer the consequences of OUR actions towards the environment, but still want to see aviation have a strong position in the world's economic, and technological area.
I'm glad that Boeing is doing this. I'm very concerened about the envrionmental future, but i'd hate to see aviation the last ones to develop this wonderful technology. I don't want my kids, and future grandkids to suffer the consequences of OUR actions towards the environment, but still want to see aviation have a strong position in the world's economic, and technological area.
Don't get too excited...bio jet fuel is slightly cleaner than petroleum based kerosene (due to fewer contaminants), but fundamentally it is pretty much a very similar chemical mixture. It is just produced by a different process. If it weren't similar, it would not work in our current aircraft...they are designed for fuel with a very specific set of properties. Anything too different won't work, for a wide variety of reasons. I think the biofuel does have less energy density, which means shorter range.
The big advantage to bio-fuel is you can get it from some nice folks in Nebraska...no need to sup with screaming, psychotic, arab fanatics.
Last edited by rickair7777 : 10-03-2007 at 01:02 PM.
Rick a jet engine is one of the most forgiving engines out there. You can run everything from jet fuel to diesel to car gas. Diesel could be substituted with bio-diesel. They could use ethanol as well.
It's not uncommon for people to run a few hundred gallons of gas through an jet engine a year to clean the lines of algae that grew in the tanks of a jet. I believe they've put an additive in the fuel now where it isn't an issue but I know people who did it until recently. They still might.
I've personally flown a turbo-prop with avgas because jet fuel was not available in New Mexico when their pumps broke. The main disadvantages of running a jet engine on avgas or car gas is that it's more flamable. Your temps run higher easier so you can't get near the power out of your engine without over temping it.
Military vehicles even are designed to be able to run on JP8 if necessary which can be used in things from Humvees to jets. The main difference between Jet-A and diesel is the lubricants. You can take a VW with a diesel engine and fill the entire tank up with Jet-A and run it all day long if you add oil directly into the fuel tank with the jet-a. Jet-A/Diesel is slower burning and runs at lower temps which makes it more suitable for jet engines. Gas just burns them up too fast.
The engines can already run diesel so running bio-diesel shouldn't be that hard and bio-diesel is much cleaner and very easy for factories to produce and for us to farm.
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Rick a jet engine is one of the most forgiving engines out there. You can run everything from jet fuel to diesel to car gas. Diesel could be substituted with bio-diesel. They could use ethanol as well.
It's not uncommon for people to run a few hundred gallons of gas through an jet engine a year to clean the lines of algae that grew in the tanks of a jet. I believe they've put an additive in the fuel now where it isn't an issue but I know people who did it until recently. They still might.
I've personally flown a turbo-prop with avgas because jet fuel was not available in New Mexico when their pumps broke. The main disadvantages of running a jet engine on avgas or car gas is that it's more flamable. Your temps run higher easier so you can't get near the power out of your engine without over temping it.
Military vehicles even are designed to be able to run on JP8 if necessary which can be used in things from Humvees to jets. The main difference between Jet-A and diesel is the lubricants. You can take a VW with a diesel engine and fill the entire tank up with Jet-A and run it all day long if you add oil directly into the fuel tank with the jet-a. Jet-A/Diesel is slower burning and runs at lower temps which makes it more suitable for jet engines. Gas just burns them up too fast.
The engines can already run diesel so running bio-diesel shouldn't be that hard and bio-diesel is much cleaner and very easy for factories to produce and for us to farm.
Turbine engines can generally burn a variety of fuels, but not necessarily effeciently, or for very long without heat damage. The army ran an M-1 Abrahms on peanut butter once just to prove the point (creamy I presume). For regular line service an airplane needs a fuel that is VERY similar to jet A...otherwise you need a re-designed engine and possibly a different fuel storage and delivery system.
It'd be nice to see the development of new fuels from readily available sources such as old cooking grease (from KFC or a number of Chinese restaurants) or farm animal/zoo animal manure. Our former tenant farmer used to tell us his problems getting rid of manure from 8000 pigs. It's a stinky, dirty job!
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