When Orville Wright traveled to Cleveland for the dedication of the Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory in the 1940s, he had already witnessed the advancement of aircraft from his Kitty Hawk model to the winged machines that fought in World War II. Today, the lab, now known as NASA Glenn Research Center, has engineers and scientists engaged in an agency-wide effort to develop alternative aircraft designs using low-carbon propulsion technology for larger passenger aircraft that Wright may have never dreamed of. Since the beginning, commercial planes have been powered by carbon-based fuels such as gasoline or kerosene. While these provide the energy to lift large commercial jets into the world’s airspace, electric power is now seen as a new frontier for providing thrust and power for flight. Just as hybrid or turboelectric power has improved fuel efficiency in cars, boats and trains, aeronautical engineers are exploring how planes can be redesigned and configured with electrical power. One of NASA’s goals is to help the aircraft industry shift from relying solely on gas turbines to using hybrid electric and turboelectric propulsion in order to reduce energy consumption, emissions and noise. “Aircraft are highly complex machines,” says Jim Heidmann, manager for NASA’s Advanced Air Transport Technology project. “Moving toward alternative systems requires creating new aircraft designs as well as propulsion systems that integrate battery technologies and electromagnetic machines like motors and generators with more efficient engines.” Glenn researchers are looking at power systems that generate electricity in place of, or in addition to, thrust at the turbine engine and then convert that electricity to be converted into thrust using fans at other places on the aircraft. “These systems use electric motors and generators that work together with turbine engines to distribute power throughout the aircraft in order to reduce drag for a given amount of fuel burned,” says Amy Jankovsky, subproject lead engineer. “Part of our research is developing the lightweight machinery and electrical systems that will be required to make these systems possible.” In addition to designing better motors, generators and integrated electrical system architectures, Glenn engineers are also researching the basic materials that go into those components. Research is being performed on the conductors inside, and the insulation around the wires. Along with studying the design of motors and the architecture of power electronics, engineers are improving magnetic materials and semi-conductors to make these motors and electronics lighter and more efficient. “Our work is laying a foundation for planes that will require less fossil fuel in the future,” says Glenn Engineer Cheryl Bowman, a technical lead on the project. “Considering that the U.S. aviation industry carries over 700 million passengers every year, making each trip more fuel efficient (by up to 30 percent) can have a considerable impact on the nation’s total use of fossil fuels.” Nancy Smith Kilkenny, ATS NASA's Glenn Research Center

Comments

1. If a plane flies on chicken oil, does it become carnivorous?
2. ace combat 3
3. no more gasoline planes yah
4. there's a better way using compressed air and electric system and solar will ensure no engine failure. Harry up already.
5. What's with the white smoke coming from the back
6. yep <3
7. t
8. 13:30 So what, you are saying perpetum mobile ?? yeah sure...
9. GODDAMMIT I THOUGHT OF THAT DESIGN FIRST! I had an idea about putting engines on the fuselage and now nasa is doing what I THOUGHT OF FIRST
10. the example of the prius us just bullshit.. electricity is not a source of energy unlike fuel
11. The plane on the thumbnail looks ugly
12. This is not about future aircraft.  It's a desperate attempt to justify continued taxpayer funding of whatever nerdy project these guys have in their wind tunnels right now, since they know space travel is dead.
13. The Magnesium Injection Cycle engine or MAGIC has no carbon dioxide emissions or any other harmful emissions. This could be a leap in technology for aircraft engines. It is used with a water reaction but perhaps a nitrogen assist in the burn sequence would generate more heat energy also. Magnesium is extremely abundant on Earth and the universe as is nitrogen which burns at extremely high temps (such as in lightning or @ 30k degrees) but in this case is used to further the ignition of another element magnesium.
14. Are they using gas or electricity in the future?
15. nasa lo creo que lo dicimula
16. 'This is so cool
17. I would like to have internship in this amazing place.
18. NASA is full of shit, just consuming 50 million $ a day to give the goyim CGI!
19. I'm studying to become a pilot and in 2019, I'll be graduating. Hope aviation get better and better;
20. Give this ten years and you will be flying in electric aircraft. At least for short and mid-hauls.