Friday, June 22, 2007
Superconducting Turbojet
The new type of aircraft, currently on the drawing board, could be far more efficient than conventional aircraft, produce less greenhouse emissions, and be quieter.
A superconducting motor would be very lightweight and far more efficient electrically, generating three times the torque of a conventional electric motor for the same energy input and weight. In addition, an electric aircraft would be far quieter than a conventional jet as there are no internal combustion processes involved.
Liquid hydrogen could be used to run an electric fuel cell. Liquid hydrogen is cold enough to make the superconducting magnets work but also has four times as much energy weight for weight than aviation fuel. The team is now looking for an industrial partner to build a prototype of the superconducting "turbofan". Allegedly "The technology is there."
IMO: There may not be any fundamental reason why this will not work, but there could be a lot of development problems. For example they say "The energy needed to produce the liquid hydrogen could come from a remote powerplant". Such a powerplant might be solar or wind powered, but we are left with a lot of things that could work, but in actual practice are not working yet. Possibly OK if sufficient incentive is assumed.
A superconducting motor would be very lightweight and far more efficient electrically, generating three times the torque of a conventional electric motor for the same energy input and weight. In addition, an electric aircraft would be far quieter than a conventional jet as there are no internal combustion processes involved.
Liquid hydrogen could be used to run an electric fuel cell. Liquid hydrogen is cold enough to make the superconducting magnets work but also has four times as much energy weight for weight than aviation fuel. The team is now looking for an industrial partner to build a prototype of the superconducting "turbofan". Allegedly "The technology is there."
IMO: There may not be any fundamental reason why this will not work, but there could be a lot of development problems. For example they say "The energy needed to produce the liquid hydrogen could come from a remote powerplant". Such a powerplant might be solar or wind powered, but we are left with a lot of things that could work, but in actual practice are not working yet. Possibly OK if sufficient incentive is assumed.
# posted by uv : 7:50 PM
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