Energy Efficient AviationInfrastructure

Made by :-

Gaurav Hirani

“As the aviation industry plans for future

growth, sustainability must be considered

every step of the way. Advances in aircraft

technology and sustainable biofuels will

position our industry to reduce emissions while

maintaining a competitive advantage.”

– Rosemarie S. Andolino, Chicago Department of Aviation

Introduction

• The use of sustainable aviation fuels and other potential alternative energy sources (such as electricity, hydrogen, solar and more) will be necessary to secure supply and further reduce aviation’s environmental footprint in the long term.

• This will allow the extensive introduction of regionally-sourced renewable energy close to airports, feeding both aircraft and infrastructure requirements sustainably.

The Need of Change

Global warming is observed andlargely caused by human drivers

•Commercial air traffic is increasing continuously over several decades (between 1995 and 2005 an increase on average of 5.2 % per year)•Increased Growth rates of Greenhouse gas concentrations (Carbon Dioxide, Methane, Nitrous Oxide) during the last 50 years.•Carbon Dioxide (CO2) increases caused mainly by burning fossil fuels.•Contribution of air traffic to CO2-emissions: world wide = 2%

What Should be the ChangeREDUCING FOSSIL FUEL DEPENDENCE

• Like most types of transport, the aviation industry depends on fossil fuels. However, fuel supplies are becoming uncertain, more expensive and can cause environmental harm.

• In the last 40 years, aircraft fuel consumption and emissions have been reduced by 75 per cent as the result of technological advances and positive steps across the aviation sector.

What Should be the Change EFFICIENT FUEL USE

• In order to meet the industry’s eco-efficiency goals, aircraft manufacturers must ensure every drop of fuel is used efficiently and develop new ecologically-sound alternatives.

• Airlines already are seeing the benefits with jetliners like the double-decker A380, which only produces about 75 grams of CO2 per passenger kilometre – well below the current and anticipated future international limits . However there is always room for improvement.

Energy Systems in Airplane

Alternatives of energy sources

• Hydrogen as a fuel

• Fuel cells

• Solar power

• Alternative Fuel (Biofuel)

• Significant improvements in aircraft fuel efficiency are being achied (1-2% per year).

• However annual air traffic growth (~5%) is leading to an increase in CO2 emissions due to air transportation.

• This, along with aviation’s strong dependency on fossil fuels, is driving research towards development on non-carbon based fuel technologies.

• Within the fuel cell and hydrogen technology sector, aircraft manufacturers are investigating the potential of PEM FC and SOFC systems to power light aircraft or as APUs on-board commercial aircraft.

Hydrogen as a Fuel• Hydrogen as a fuel is too bulky.

• Also it is not available in pure form on earth.

• So, a lot of energy will be required to produce it in the pure form.

• It is a good option to be thought of but not in the near future.

Types of Fuel CellsThe commonly used fuel cells are:-•PEM FC(poly electrolyte membrane)•SOFC(solid oxide Fuel

cell)

How fuel cells work

•Hydrogen and oxygen from air

•Produces Water and Inert gasesAnd ELECTRICITY

Cold Combustion

Chemical reaction

Use of Fuel Cells in Aviation

• Till today it is not possible to drive a passenger aircraft only with the help of fuel cell but surely we can extract the use of fuel cell in small light weight aircrafts and also to power some systems in civil passenger aircrafts.

Use of Fuel cell in small aircrafts

• The first ever flight of a manned aircraft powered by hydrogen fuel cells in February 2008 was both a milestone in flight history and an indicator of the advantages and possible limitations of fuel cells in airborne applications.

Multi Functional Fuel Cell System

• Power provision (APU, emergency power)• Emission free ground operation• Autonomous Taxiing• Maintenance bus supply• Cargo reloading• Electrical Main Engine Start• - EECS supply on ground• - Water generation (potable water• and water for toilets)• Heat generation (icing prevention,• hot water generation)• Explosion and Fire Prevention and• Suppression (inerting of tanks,• cargo and e-bay compartment)

Use in Big airplanes

• They are used to generate the electrical power needed to supply the systems for aircraft control and cabin comfort, and they power the hydraulic and pneumatic systems that operate the aircraft. Fuel cells can generate electrical power much more efficiently than conventional engine-driven generators while silently delivering emissions reductions.

• One of the greatest advantage of using a fuel cell is that the water which is produced after the reaction can be used in galleys and lavatories of the aircraft.

• That reduces the water to be carried during the initial takeoff.

Barriers and Drivers for Fuel Cells

Drivers BarriersReduce emissions Technology needs to be proven

Quiet operation Hydrogen Infrastucture

Low infra red, good for surveillence in UAVs

High Initial cost

Improved fuel efficiency

Weight reduction

By products (Water and heat) produced can be used efficiently

The aircraft industry will not be an early adopter of fuel cell technology. However, given the interest in the technology displayed by two of the world’s major aircraft manufacturers, it is likely that fuel cells will appear in aircraft in the future. The most likely applications are hybrid fuel cell APU systems for commercial aircraft, with products appearing around 2020; and specialised military applications for surveillance.

Solar Energy

• If solar power is a highly-promising renewable energy source for Earth-based applications, its use on aircraft has been limited because of the way such power is created and stored. While solar energy may be able to help a small aircraft fly, it is unlikely to be a practical solution for enabling larger, commercial airliners into the sky.

How much power can be generated

It has been seen that on a 747 plane, we can apply around 12,000 solar cells.That’s about 200 square meters of solar cells.Power fromsun 250 Watts/square meter.Therfore total power=250 Watts/square meter × 200 square meters= 50,000 Watts.

• The best commercially available solar cells are about 20% efficient at capturing solar power, and then there are further losses in the batteries and the electric motors, total efficiency=12%.

• Power obtained=6000 watt

• A 747 has a glide ratio of around 12.

• From the power formula a plane having wingspan as same as a 747 and having a avg speed of say 12metres/sec should weigh only 6 tons to fly!!! with solar power...

Future of Solar power

• The technology might take a giant leap forward with future advances but today, even if an entire aircraft was covered with the most efficient solar panels available, this still would not be enough to propel it.

Near Future of Solar Power

• For the more immediate future, solar power could provide electricity aboard airliners once they reach cruise altitude, or possibly help with ground operations at airports.

Alternative Fuels

• The industry is exploring reliable alternatives to conventional jet fuel that are sustainable and have a smaller carbon footprint

• Main requirements for sustainable alternative jet fuels:– Should be able to mix with conventional jet fuel, sholud use the same supply

infrastructure and not require adaptation of aircraft or engines (drop-in fuel)– Meet the same specifications as conventional jet fuel, in particular resistance

to cold (Jet A: -40˚C, Jet A-1: -47˚C), and high energy content (min 42.8 MJ/kg)– Meet sustainability criteria such as lifecycle carbon reductions, limited fresh

water requirements, no competition with food production and no deforestation

– Automotive bioethanol and biodiesel are not suitable

• Sustainable aviation bio fuels (“bio jet fuels”) are one of the most promising solutions to meet the industry’s ambitious carbon emissions reduction goals

• Sustainable biojet fuels allow airlines to reduce their carbon footprint, ease their dependence on fossil fuels, and offset the risks associated with the high volatility of oil and fuel prices

Sustainable Sources of Biomass

• Bio fuels should only be made from sustainable, non-food biomass sources. Some examples include:– Camelina is an energy crop that grows in rotation with wheat and other cereal

crops– Halophytes thrive in salty regions where little else grows– Jatropha can be grown on degraded lands and is resistant to drought– Switch grass grows quickly, needs little water and produces a high yield of

biomass– Used cooking oil can be easily collected and recycled– Agricultural and forestry by-products yield valuable biomass without requiring

dedicated land– Municipal waste contains biomass and can be diverted from landfills– Algae are simple, photosynthetic organisms

• Can be grown in polluted or salt water• Can produce up to 250 times more oil per unit area than soybeans

• Lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions from biofuels can be up to 80% lower than traditional fossil jet fuel emissions

The Value Chain

Requisites for producing BiomassFrom Algae

Algae

The Process

• Photosynthesis is a biochemical process, during which algae absorbs light energy from sunlight and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or a industrial (e.g. stackgas) source; utilizes water and critical nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorous and other key nutrients); and undergoes multiple step light and dark phase reactions to biologically produce primarily lipids (fats and oils), carbohydrates (sugars) and proteins subsequently generating oxygen off-gas.

• Algae production basically includes the sourcing of carbon dioxide, water, nutrients and light energy to the photosynthesis system for conversion to algae of a specific composition.

• Carbon Dioxide Source – There are a number of potential carbon dioxide stackgas sources with high CO2 concentrations preferable for algae production, including power plants and energy intensive manufacturing facilities.

• Water Supply – Water provides the critical hydrogen source for photosynthesis. Various algae species thrive in fresh water and/or high salinity water environments. Certain wastewater streams, containing high levels of nutrients, may also be effectively utilized for algae production.

• Nutrient Source – The primary nutrients required for photosynthesis include nitrogen and phosphorous, sourced from conventional N/P fertilizers.

• Light Energy – Sunlight provides the main energy source for conversion of CO2 and water into algae, generally 70% to 85% of the total energy requirements. Only the visible light portion of sunlight is useful for algae production and more specifically certain wavelengths are more efficiently absorbed.

• Algae Composition – The composition of algae product is highly dependent on the specific species utilized and the photo-synthesis operating conditions employed. Algae products contain from 45% up to 80% carbon content in the form of lipids/oils, carbohydrates, proteins and hydrocarbons.

Alternative Fuels in Practice

• Between 2008 and 2011, at least ten airlines and several aircraft manufacturers performed flight tests with various blends containing up to 50% biojet fuel. These tests demonstrated that biojet fuel was technically sound, and the following observations were made: No modifications to the aircraft were required

• Biojet fuel could be blended with conventional fuel

• The engine powered on the biojet mix even showed an improvement in fuel efficiency in some cases

Production and Impact on Net Emissions

• The main challenges to a wide deployment of biojet fuels are not technical, but commercial and political.

• Currently, biojet fuels are significantly more expensive than Jet A/A1, therefore demand is low and risk is high for investment in production infrastructure. Carefully designed policy is needed to foster investment and development of biojet production capacity.

• A three percent volume blend-in of sustainable second generation biojet fuel yearly worldwide would reduce aviation CO2 emissions by about two percent, which would be a reduction of over 10 million tonnes of CO2. This would require investment of around $10-15 billion in production and distribution facilities.

The Five easy steps to growing availableAviation Biofuel Industry

Many of the technical hurdles facing aviation in its move towards sustainable aviation biofuelshave now been overcome and much of this work has been achieved within the industry. Now, commercialisation and scaling up of the supply of aviation biofuels is the most important task.

The role of government in these five steps are:-

First Step:-Foster research into new feedstock sources and refining

processes• There are many different types of feedstockand pathways that enable feedstock tobe converted into biofuel, and importanttechnological developments will unlock stillmore pathways.• The industry is unlikely to rely on a singlefeedstock. Some feedstocks are bettersuited to some climates and locationsthan others.

• Several pathways are being considered for

the development of sustainable aviation

biofuel and these are illustrated below.

Second Step:-De-risk public and private

investments in aviation biofuels

These incremental upfront capital investment costs are a potential barrier to commercialisation. In this context, governments can play a role in reducing this risk through measures such as loan guarantees, tax incentives, grants and co-financing for pilot and demonstration projects. They can also provide a level playing field with biodiesel by providing similar fiscal and price incentives in order to catalyse establishment of the sector.

Third step:- Provide incentives for airlines to

use biofuels from an early stage

Policymakers can foster development of aviation biofuel by recognising the unique role it can have in reducing the aviation’s environmental impacts. Aircraft cannot use alternative renewable energysources available to other sectors such as plug-in, wind, solar or hydroelectric power. Thus, crafting policies that create a level playing field for biofuels vis-à-vis other energy sources, and aviation visà-vis other sectors, is a key element in aviation biofuels commercialisation

Fourth Step:- Encourage stakeholders to

commit to robust international sustainability criteria

The development of an accepted set of globally harmonised standards will help ensure that investment is directed at biofuels that meet acceptable sustainability criteria, thus minimising this form of risk. Criteria need to be mutually recognised around the world. For aviation, global standards are needed wherever possible, due to operational routing of aircraft, common global equipment and worldwide fuel purchasing requirements.

Fifth Step:- Establish coalitions

encompassing all parts of the supply chain

Those seeking to better understand potentials for this industry should engage with the processes identified in this publication to understand next steps in each region.

Advantages of biofuel

• Made from Renewable Resources

• Greener' Output

• No Mechanical Changes Required

• End of Fuel Monopolization

Disadvantages of biofuel

• Energy output: Biofuels have a lower energy output than traditional fuels

• Food shortage may become an issue with biofuel use.

• High cost: To refine biofuels to more efficient energy outputs, and to build the necessary manufacturing plants

• Water use: Massive quantities of water are required for proper irrigation of biofuel crops

Smarter Skies

• The Future of aviation concentrates on just that and the Smarter Skies vision consists of three concepts which could be implemented across all the stages of an aircraft’s operation to reduce waste in the system (waste in time, waste in fuel, reduction of CO2) and would lead us to energy efficient aviation infrastucture.

• The three concepts are:-

1. Eco-climb

• Aircraft launched through assisted takeoffs using renewably-powered, propelled acceleration will allow for steeper climb from airports to minimise noise and reach efficient cruise altitudes more quickly.

• As space becomes a premium and mega-cities a reality, this approach also could minimise land use, as shorter runways could be utilised.

• A continuous "eco-climb" would further cut noise and CO2 emissions, especially if renewable fuels were used, making the process even more eco-efficient.

2. EXPRESS SKYWAYS

• In the future, highly intelligent aircraft would be able to “self-organise” and select the most efficient and environmentally friendly routes (“free flight”) -making the optimum use of prevailing weather and atmospheric conditions.

• High-frequency routes would also allow aircraft to benefit from flying in formation like birds during cruise bringing efficiency improvements due to drag reduction and lower energy use.

In a V formation of 25 birds, each can achieve a reduction of induced drag by up to 65 per cent and increase their range by 7 per cent. While efficiencies for commercial aircraft are not as great, they remain significant.

3. GROUND OPERATIONS

• On landing, aircraft engines could be switched off sooner, runways cleared faster and ground handling emissions could be cut.

• Technology could optimise an aircraft’s landing position with enough accuracy for anautonomousrenewably-powered taxiing carriage to be ready, so aircraft could be transported away from runways quicker, which would optimise terminal space, and remove runway and gate limitations.

Conclusion

• In the near future the use of bio fuel and fuel cell technology will be used at a vast scale, but a lot more research into it is needed.

• It is very important to look at more alternatives for the fossil fuels since they are depleting at very high rate.

• Also, the aviation industry has been successful in bringing the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions down by a great amount in last few decades.

• I am sure this industry will also be successful in the coming decades to lead us to a ‘Energy Efficient Aviation Infrastructure’