3 ms·

Airbus has dangled the hydrogen jet concept, but hydrogen presents a lot of problems (low density, cryogenic, leaks through solid metal causing embrittlement).

• tombert 5y ago
  > It probably makes more sense to just synthesize longer hydrocarbons. Sorry, ignorance on my end is showing again; wouldn't a longer hydrocarbon still emit CO2 as a by-product since carbons are part of its makeup? Or does a longer hydrocarbon mean that there's a higher hydrogen-to-carbon ratio and therefore the pollution is less horrible?
  • Someone 5y ago
    Yes, but to make the hydro-carbon, you need to put carbon in. If you extract that from air you’re carbon-neutral. You can also be carbon-neutral by making that cycle larger: extract carbon from trees, create fuel, burn it, and let new trees you planted convert the CO2 back into wood.
  • zardo 5y ago
    It would mean adding carbon. In order to be carbon neutral that carbon would need to extracted from the carbon cycle.
• ncmncm 5y ago
  Embrittlement is a product of high-pressure high-temperature storage. LH2 has its own difficulties, but they don't worsen with time.