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Hydrogen embrittlement leads to hydrogen leaks. Unless there are advanced alloys that resist it, any aircraft part that comes into contact with the hydrogen wi
by liability 6y ago
Hydrogen embrittlement leads to hydrogen leaks. Unless there are advanced alloys that resist it, any aircraft part that comes into contact with the hydrogen will be subject to accelerated 'wear'.
Frankly hydrogen planes are nonsense. Even if it works on paper, it's not realistic to expect all the extant planes to be rapidly phased out with brand new planes with exotic designs that aircraft manufacturers, pilots, and airlines don't have any experience with. On the other hand, old planes can be retrofitted to burn biofuel and new production planes of old proven designs can be made to burn biofuel from the get-go.
'Concept planes' like the ZEROe are basically just science fiction meant to wow shareholders and give the public the impression that legislative reform isn't necessary because corporations are already taking the problem seriously. I don't think these are serious proposals, it's just corporate propaganda. Car companies pushed hydrogen cars for years for the same reason. Hydrogen fuel cell cars were never going to happen for a myriad of practical reasons and car manufacturers knew it but promoted the concept anyway for PR reasons. ZEROe is Airbus doing the same.