3 ms·
The energy density doesn't work for now. Everybody hoping for that breakthrough, and battery aircraft are moving into certain sectors (drone delivery, air taxis
by qingcharles 8mo ago
The energy density doesn't work for now. Everybody hoping for that breakthrough, and battery aircraft are moving into certain sectors (drone delivery, air taxis etc).
- aunty_helen 8mo agoOne of the trade offs is that engines are actually ridiculously heavy. Compact, extreme high power electric motors are starting to be commercialised. But also, fuel burns so you lose weight as you’re flying whereas batteries stay the same. Electric aviation is interesting but as someone who knows a bit about the industry, biofuels make more sense here.
- Lerc 8mo agoStructural batteries were supposed to be the solution where the density wasn't so important. I don't really have a good understanding of the ration of fuel weight to structural weight in existing aircraft though.
- nomel 8mo agocasing is around 25% of the mass of a cylindrical cell, with the rest being actual battery bits that can't have any stresses applied. is 25% weight saving that significant?
- Lerc 8mo agoThe idea is that you build the aircraft frame out of the battery. If you can get it to work (a big if) you get to subtract the weight of the old frame before you make calculate the pseudo-density,
- nomel 8mo agoI understand, but that's my point. Currently the case is 25% of the battery. Only the case can be removed. If you move the fragile guts of the battery into the frame (in no way reducing their mass or the frame's), you're effectively turning that 25% case to 0%. So, the most you can save is 25% battery weight. That doesn't really nudge the power density needle all that much, especially when you consider that you don't throw batteries out the back as their energy is depleted, as you do with fuels.
- WalterBright 8mo agoJet engine and wing efficiency have increased enormously over the last 50 years.
- nandomrumber 8mo agoWith diminishing results. Turbofans and supercritical airfoils are done to the point of engine manufacturers looking to propfans and alternative materials (carbon fibre) to eke out further efficiencies. Although carbon fibre has significant down sides.
- WalterBright 8mo agoI have patented the idea of replacing the nitrogen in the cabin air with helium. I'm waiting for the money to roll in!
- nandomrumber 8mo agoLooks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue.