Hydrogen Powered Regional Aircraft?
#11
While my dreams of becoming a Electrical Engineer are shot. I wanted to put forth the notion that maybe we’re barking up the wrong tree. Sure H2 has 3 times the energy on a per mass (weight) unit. However it’s the volume that’s the issue. So in the mean time how about developing hybrid aircraft, at least until the H2 storage and production method & technology mature.
Current turbofan engines are sized for takeoff at MGTOW... with the other engine failed. That's a lot of motor that you almost never need, but still have to haul it around the skies.
The devil of course is in the details... by the time you add the weight of the batteries, generator, electric motor, controllers and power cables you've eaten up a lot of the weight savings. There are various concepts to chip away at that problem, but right now it's hard to make the case.
Also one thing most people don't think about... as we burn jet fuel, the plane gets lighter and that has a significant positive impact on overall flight efficiency (especially on longer flights). But batteries never get lighter.
#14
For clarity, "converting" the fleet would mean scrapping all of the existing aircraft and building all-new ones designed for H2. You *might* be able to repurpose existing engines, but I'm sure you'd have to modify the combustion chambers.
Also... there is some concern that jet airplanes injecting moisture into the (normally dry) stratosphere creates a greenhouse effect of it's own. Water is a byproduct of all IC engine operation... it's the ONLY byproduct of H2 combustion. SAF might actually be better for greenhouse purposes than H2.
#15
Banned
Joined APC: May 2017
Posts: 2,012
Sure it’s a big infrastructure project. But it’s vastly simpler than using hydrogen for cars or trucks. Even if every big airport has a plant offsite and it’s own two mile pipeline.
For a 50 year project, it is quite technically feasible
and used a380’s are probably viable for conversion
For a 50 year project, it is quite technically feasible
and used a380’s are probably viable for conversion
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