News: Algae-Fueled Jet Takes Flight

[Pylon]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7817849.stm

Interesting article on exploring potential future fuels for airliners.  A Continental Boeing 737-800 made a 90-minute flight with one engine powered by a blend of oils from algae and the jatropha plant, mixed 50/50 with regular jet fuel.  The blend of oils is considered a "drop-in" fuel because no modification to the engine or plane was necessary to use the fuel.

[NIN]

used to be we did things we could to keep algae OUT of the fuel.. (I've seen inside contaminated fuel tanks that had algae growing in them.. gross!)

[JAFO78]

Several airlines world wide are testing other types of fuel. Virgin Atlantic & Qantas come to mind. I will see about finding more on this at ATWOnline. Air Transport World

[JAFO78]

Here is more information on Bio Fuel from Air transport World

Continental Airlines 737-800 took off from Houston Intercontinental yesterday afternoon and flew for approximately 1 hr. 45 min. with the No. 2 CFM56-7B powered by a biofuel blend including algae oil supplied by Sapphire Energy and jatropha oil provided by Terasol Energy. The flight follows Air New Zealand's 747-400 test flight last week that featured one engine powered by a jatropha blend (ATWOnline, Jan. 6).

The CO aircraft burned 3,600 lb. of 50/50 mix of jet fuel and biofuel in one engine and 3,700 lb. of standard jet fuel in the other, officials told the Houston Chronicle. Pilots performed a midflight engine shutdown and restart, among other maneuvers. Flight was conducted in partnership with Boeing, GE Aviation/CFM International and Honeywell subsidiary UOP.


Air New Zealand operated a 2-hr. 747-400 biofuel test flight from Auckland on Dec. 29 using a 50/50 blend of jatropha-based fuel and standard jet fuel to power one of the aircraft's Rolls-Royce RB211s.

The flight was conducted in conjunction with Boeing, Rolls-Royce and Honeywell (ATWOnline, Nov. 12, 2008). "Today we stand at the earliest stages of sustainable fuel development and an important moment in aviation history," ANZ CEO Rob Fyfe said, adding that the flight was the "first to prove the viability of a second-generation biofuel such as jatropha."

Chief Pilot David Morgan, who was onboard the aircraft, said the flight crew conducted "a wide variety of tests under normal and nonnormal operating conditions, designed to test the biofuel to the fullest extent." For example, when the aircraft reached an altitude of 20,000-25,000 ft., the main fuel pump for the engine partially powered by the biofuel was switched off to test the lubricity of the fuel, ensuring its friction did not slow down flow. The jatropha-derived fuel was supplied by Terasol Energy.

Continental Airlines plans to operate a 737-800 test flight this week using a fuel blend including components derived from algae and jatropha (ATWOnline, Dec. 9, 2008).

World's first commercial aviation test flight powered by a sustainable second-generation biofuel is ready for liftoff. On Dec. 30, an Air New Zealand 747-400 will take off from Auckland for a 2-hr. flight with one Rolls-Royce RB211 powered by a jatropha blend (ATWOnline, Dec. 11). The pilot in command, ANZ 747 Fleet Manager Keith Pattie, and his crew will operate the flight predominantly over the wider Hauraki Gulf area. They will undertake a number of fuel tests confirming and measuring the performance of the engine and fuel systems at various altitudes and under a variety of operating conditions.

Japan Airlines said yesterday that it will operate a 747-300 test flight from Tokyo Haneda on Jan. 30 in conjunction with Boeing, Pratt & Whitney and Honeywell. It will use biofuel primarily derived from camelina plants. A blend of 50% biofuel and 50% traditional jet fuel will be tested in one of the aircraft's four JT9D engines. The biofuel will be a mixture of three second-generation feedstocks: Camelina (84%), jatropha (under 16%) and algae (under 1%). The flight will be the first using fuel derived from camelina and the first to use a combination of three feedstocks. It also will be the first biofuel test flight on an aircraft powered by Pratt & Whitney engines. It will last about 1 hr. JAL Environmental Affairs VP Yasunori Abe said, "In the air, we will check the engine's performance during normal and nonnormal flight operations, which will include quick accelerations and decelerations and engine shutdown and restart."


My question is Will the military, Papa Blue, do this also or are they waiting for the private sector to come up with this? I know if the govt does this it will cost A LOT MORE.