Metallic sodium as prospective aviation fuel
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From: temporarily unsure ...
Metallic sodium as prospective aviation fuel
Hat-tip to Reuters Science for drawing attention to a paper just released by a team at the MIT :
Link to the synopsis :
https://www.sciencedaily.com/release...0527124115.htm
The full text in the journal Joule is not paywalled, and contains a very interesting technoeconomic comparison of the proposed technology with JET A-1, synthetic aviation fuel and other ‘green’ fuels. However, it is anticipated that aviation use would be confined to short-to-medium applications because the energy/weight still falls short of that of conventional fuel.
One expects that a long, hard road must lie ahead before the technology is available in practical form for aviation use, especially with so reactive a metal which has to be kept hot to do its stuff.
Still, those wannabe ‘flying taxi’ manufacturers using lithium-based batteries may presently want to do some rethinking ..... and I’ll not be rushing to invest in lithium stocks.
New fuel cell could enable electric aviation
Date:
May 27, 2025
Source:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Summary:
Engineers developed a fuel cell that offers more than three times as much energy per pound compared to lithium-ion batteries. Powered by a reaction between sodium metal and air, the device could be lightweight enough to enable the electrification of airplanes, trucks, or ships.
Date:
May 27, 2025
Source:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Summary:
Engineers developed a fuel cell that offers more than three times as much energy per pound compared to lithium-ion batteries. Powered by a reaction between sodium metal and air, the device could be lightweight enough to enable the electrification of airplanes, trucks, or ships.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/release...0527124115.htm
The full text in the journal Joule is not paywalled, and contains a very interesting technoeconomic comparison of the proposed technology with JET A-1, synthetic aviation fuel and other ‘green’ fuels. However, it is anticipated that aviation use would be confined to short-to-medium applications because the energy/weight still falls short of that of conventional fuel.
One expects that a long, hard road must lie ahead before the technology is available in practical form for aviation use, especially with so reactive a metal which has to be kept hot to do its stuff.
Still, those wannabe ‘flying taxi’ manufacturers using lithium-based batteries may presently want to do some rethinking ..... and I’ll not be rushing to invest in lithium stocks.
Joined: Jul 2013
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From: Everett, WA
And the reaction between sodium metal and water is often called an explosion 
The 'failure modes' of careless handling of sodium metal makes Jet A look positively benign.
And you don't even want to contemplate the consequences of a crash with a large quantity of the stuff...
The 'failure modes' of careless handling of sodium metal makes Jet A look positively benign.
And you don't even want to contemplate the consequences of a crash with a large quantity of the stuff...
Joined: Sep 2022
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From: Perpetually circling OCK for some reason
And the reaction between sodium metal and water is often called an explosion
The 'failure modes' of careless handling of sodium metal makes Jet A look positively benign.
And you don't even want to contemplate the consequences of a crash with a large quantity of the stuff...
The 'failure modes' of careless handling of sodium metal makes Jet A look positively benign.
And you don't even want to contemplate the consequences of a crash with a large quantity of the stuff...
Joined: Jan 2025
Aviation Qualifications: Non-Aircrew
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From: New Zealand
Fuel cells also tend to be very, very, very FOD sensitive. I expect you would want a proper air filtration system similar to those used for piston engines or ground/ship-mounted gas turbines.
