Researchers Seek Alternative Jet Fuel
Biodiesel, Hydrogen, Others Considered As Oil Prices Increase
-
Play CBS Video Video Airfares Are On The Rise Passengers can expect to see higher air fares for the summer travel season, as gas prices continue to skyrocket and demand for airline seats rise. Bob Orr reports.
-
Video Jet Lands Without Nose Gear WBBM's Kristyn Hartman reports on how an American Airlines jet made an emergency landing at Chicago's O'Hare Airport without its nose gear.
-
Video Summer Air Travel Tips Cheapseats.com's Terry Trippler speaks to Julie Chen about the upcoming summer travel season at the airport, which is expected to have fewer flight attendants and higher air fares.
-
Dennis Huff, left, chief of the acoustics branch, and project scientist for the subsonic fixed wing project, and Chi-Ming Lee, chief of the combustion branch, pose for a photo at their tank farm, where they store alternative fuels which they are experimenting with for use in jet engines, at the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Friday, June 16, 2006. (AP)
-
Interactive Gas Prices State-by-state averages, tips to improve mileage and a look at what fuels prices at the pump.
-
Interactive Oil and Gas:
Fossil FuelsLearn more about energy costs and usage in your state and get the latest prices for gasoline.
-
Interactive Industry Turbulence See how the country's top airlines are faring
Hydrogen burns cleanly, releasing water as a combustion product. But Glover said that actually could be a concern: the amount of water released by a high-flying, hydrogen-powered jet could turn it into a cloud-making machine.
"The dynamics of the upper atmosphere are pretty complex, so you wouldn't want to do that without understanding that that was actually a good thing," he said.
Another option, which is in limited use today, is to run airplanes on synthetics, made by turning coal, oil shale or natural gas into a liquid that can act like traditional jet fuel. Chi-Ming Lee, chief of the combustion branch at NASA Glenn Research Center, said rising oil prices mean synthetics could be a cheaper alternative.
But Glover said synthetics currently require more resources to produce than traditional jet fuel.
Still, Lee says synthetics could be used in ultra-efficient jet engines that are under development today, potentially saving energy. Another advantage is the U.S. has large coal and natural gas reserves.
Although research into commercial jet fuel alternatives is still in the early stages, some expect quicker success in using alternative fuel for specialized aircraft.
AeroVironment Inc., based in Monrovia, California, is at work on the Global Observer unmanned surveillance aircraft that would be powered by liquid hydrogen. Spokesman Steven Gitlin said liquid hydrogen allows the aircraft to fly about four times longer than traditional jet fuel, although it is two to four times more expensive.
AeroVironment also developed — and successfully flew — a solar-powered aircraft, although the Helios Prototype crashed in later flight tests because of structural problems.
In the immediate future, the focus remains on making traditional airplanes more fuel-efficient. Boeing says its new 787 jetliner, scheduled to enter service in 2008, promises to be as fuel-efficient per person as a hybrid car traveling with two passengers.
"We try to build the most fuel-efficient airplane, so we need as little as possible fuel to meet the demand," Glover said.
By Allison Linn
©MMVI The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
More From SciTech
Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."
