BOEING, ALTERNATIVE FUELS, AND BIG-OIL. Part II.

If it ain't Boeing, I ain't going...that use to be the saying before we merged with the solar cooked turkeys we call McDonnell.... Now the saying could be said...if it is oil powered, Boeing ain't going!!!

Boeing is in a complete state of denial over the price of oil. Airplanes can run on other fuels, made from other energy sources.

Sometime ago I developed a cargo insert that allows existing aircraft to run on alternative fuels. The concept of a dual fuel aircraft is very feasible. As a general rule alternative fuels are bulkier and heavier than traditional mineral-oil, but are cleaner....and can be made from other energy sources besides geologic oil.

Alcohol and Biodiesel are now the two favorites candidates. I developed a version of a cargo insert container (installed in the cargo bay).
Secret to this are inerting gases, used to keep oxygen out of the tank.
I developed a pump less design that used the inerting gas to blow the liquid fuel out. Just like a pop bottle with Carbon Dioxide dissolved, the shook up gas pressurizes and fills the other tanks. This pump less design is safer. Pumps and electrical circuits can fail on an aircraft.
Plus, inerting gases like Argon, Nitrogen, or CO2, all have known fire fighting capabilities. Biodiesel fuels and alcohol fuels are in someway safer than traditional JP, in that the 'window' of combustion is smaller. Alcohol flames you can walk through.

Few know this, but inerting gases (which are cold) can also be injected into the jet engine, adding more trust. Key is not to stuff out the fire, but existing aircraft engines can, with work, be modified to accept dual fuels. The aircraft could takeoff from alternative fuels, and once at altitude, convert over to traditional Jet Petroleum...thus making for a clean and green jet.
The inerting gases can also be used as a 'fuel'. The expansion of the cold inerting gases give more 'mass flow' or more stuff thrown out the back for more thrust.

There is a bonus. The turbines of the jet engines do not 'rev' so much, have a lower R.P.M. The slower rotation speed reduces the chance of the turbine 'flying' out of it's housing. During takeoff, that is when the turbines rotate the fastest.

As a general rule, something like 10% of all fuel is used on takeoff, another 5% is used in taxi. Alternative fuels are ideal for this phase of flight. If we can make alternative fuels cheaper (and I say safer) it will save the airlines a bundle.

Besides Biodiesel/Alcohol, the other three alternative fuels often promoted are propane, natural gas, and hydrogen. Hydrogen actually has more BTUs per pound, but takes up four times the volume. It is lighter weight. Boeing actually did design a natural gas 747 for the gas industry. The tanker was to airlift natural gas from Northern Canada.
Propane is highly underrated.

Key again to making these fuels safe rest with inerting gases. I have proposed a dual tank, with the cryogenics (H2, NG, Propane) surrounded by another high pressure tank with the inerting gases (Ar, N2, CO2).
This exterior tank pushes the cryogenic fuel out to the engine, making for a pump less design. The gases aren't entirely liquid. The gases are stored at the 'triple point'...that point where the cryogenic fuel is liquid, solid and gas at the same time. Believe it or not General Dynamics now makes such light weight tanks, capable to storing gases up to 10,000 psi...more than enough pressure to inject into the jet engines. A cargo insert can be designed for existing aircraft.

When an aircraft takes off, the aircraft could use these alternative fuels. By the time the aircraft is at altitude, these fuels are used up, making for a safe cruise and landing...using traditional JP.

Got an idea for an airline that uses alternative fuels! I have long been an advocate for an airline that just flies luggage from airport to airport. It is a little known fact, but statistically speaking, the lighter weight a passenger airplane is, the safer it is. Separating luggage from passenger flights can make the airline industry safer. Put passenger luggage on the cargo airlines. If you can get it to the airport, we will get it to your final destination. Free home delivery.
Setting up a new airline focused on passenger luggage, and alternative fuels just may be the place to start.

Airlines are screaming over the high price of fuel. They want answers NOW! Some nation's upon this planet just don't have oil, but do have other energy sources. Bolivia has Natural Gas. Nepal has huge hydropower sources that could make hydrogen. We can make inerting gases, from electricity...simply taking Argon, Nitrogen or Carbon Dioxide from the atmosphere. Boeing will tell you the infrastructure for such a fuel cargo insert are huge....but so are the investments for oil-drilling in Alaska. If Boeing wants to know why they are losing aircraft sales, got a piece of advice...look at the fuel tank. Stop blaming Airbus. Each day, Boeing management drive nice oil-powered S.U.V's thru the gate....ah, try alternative forms of fuel and transportation instead. At what price will fuels have to become before management get's the wakeup call?

Boeing can do more to pull the nation off foreign oil....if they only tried.

About the Author. Martin Nix is a laid-off engineer from the 777 program. He has an Associate of Applied Science in Construction/Engineering/Drafting, a Certificate of Achievement in Information of Technology, and a Bachelor's of University Study, with primary emphasis in Architecture, Planning and Engineering Technology.
He is founding Secretary for Solar Washington.