View Full Version : The new aircraft fuel of times to come....what, coal?...
Yeoman_dai
23rd Jan 2009, 18:33
I couldn't believe it either. Not sure how true it all is lol but if you're bored...
Flying the Coal-Fired Skies | Popular Science (http://www.popsci.com/node/31142?page=1)
sisemen
24th Jan 2009, 04:18
As always PPruNe is ahead of the times....you heard it here first!
http://www.pprune.org/jet-blast/335187-what-next-big-thing-aviation.html#post4265591
Coal burning aeroplanes. It will open up a whole raft of new employment categories: In Flight Stoker and Carbon Composite Boiler Maker to name but two.
Mind you I suppose that the thieving flight deck crew will make off with half the nutty slack given half the chance.
A few years ago I met a jet engine manufacturer design engineer, who said, basically, if you can get any combustable material into the combustion chambers of a jet engine, you can use it for fuel. And that includes extremely finely powdered coal dust.
Last time I saw an RN Wasp, under the fuel filler cap was a list of fuels you could use, inc diesel, central heating oil, any octane petrol and a few others besides. There were limitations about servicing the fuel system, etc, but it could be done.
So maybe it is not so far fetched...
hunterboy
24th Jan 2009, 07:35
The UK sits on 200 years worth of coal reserves. You would think that the UK would be at the forefront of technologies to convert it to climate friendly fuel.
Brewster Buffalo
24th Jan 2009, 09:30
As the article says this is not new idea but I suspect it is still cheaper - especially as prices have been falling - to get it out of the ground as oil...
birrddog
24th Jan 2009, 12:42
South Africa have been doing it for years, out of necessity rather than any other reason...
As for 'climate friendly' according to PopSci the energy and CO2 output from the CTL process (Coal to Liquid) is as much as burning the jet fuel so double the environmental impact.
Razor61
24th Jan 2009, 13:49
The same goes with the Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot, apparently it can run on almost any type of fuel found locally around it's dispersed area on the battlefield (petrol etc).
mr fish
24th Jan 2009, 13:53
as BIRDDOG rightly says SOUTH AFRICA have been doing it for years.
in 1992 SASOL sponsored JORDON in f1 supplying petrol and oils synthesized from coal.
mind you, as these were used to fuel and lube a piss poor yamaha engine,
they only scored a single point (for a sixth) all year:(:(
minigundiplomat
24th Jan 2009, 14:10
Both Air New Zealand & Virgin Atlantic have recently carried out trials using Bio-Fuels developed from naturally occuring algae.
Bit greener than coal -Literally!
chiglet
24th Jan 2009, 16:30
In 1944/45 several German aircraft were being designed to run on coal dust....:ok:
harrym
24th Jan 2009, 17:08
Have an idea that trials were done (sorry, no details) using powdered coal in an industrial gas turbine, it worked fine but turbine blade life was very limited due to the ash content eroding the blades.
harrym
ShyTorque
24th Jan 2009, 18:42
The same goes with the Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot, apparently it can run on almost any type of fuel found locally around it's dispersed area on the battlefield (petrol etc).
Nothing too unusual nowadays. The helicopter I fly can do the same. Any turbine fuel, diesel, AVGAS, albeit with a requirement to limit the latter to a not inconsiderable 150 hours between engine overhauls.