DEVELOPMENT OF FUELS FOR SUPERSONIC AND HYPERSONIC COMMERCIAL TRANSPORTS

Three different types of fuel are being studied for supersonic flight, with particular attention to their physical properties, methods and costs of production, availability, and design requirements. In most respects, the hydrocarbon fuel required for turbojets operating in the lower portion of the supersonic cruise range differs little from the jet fuel used by current subsonic transports. Hydrogen fuels to absorb airframe and engine heat will, however, require an entirely different and more complex aircraft fuel system. Liquid hydrogen and liquid methane are profoundly different from conventional fuels, and special insulated fuel tanks for these cryogenic fuels would have to be located in the fuselage rather than in the wing. The much greater volume of the fuels necessary for payload and range would require substantially larger fuselages. An entirely new airport fuel system would also be necessary, including complex and expensive on-site liquefaction, storage, and distribution facilities using considerable airport acreage. Tank insulation and fuel pumps present the greatest technical risks for cryogenic fuels. All endothermic fuels will involve a difficult integration of engine fuel demand and use of fuel as a coolant.

• Record URL:
  • https://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trcircular/333/333-006.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00978515
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper appears in Transportation Research Circular No. 333, Outlook for Commercial Supersonic and Hypersonic Transport Aircraft. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Hadaller, O J
  • Momenthy, A M
• Publication Date: 1988-7

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 57-75
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Circular
  • Issue Number: 333
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0097-8515

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Costs; Cryogenics; Fuel systems; Fuel tanks; Fuels; Hypersonic aircraft; Liquid fuels; Liquid hydrogen; Supersonic transport planes
• Old TRIS Terms: Endothermic fuels; Fueling systems
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Energy; Finance; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00470900
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Aug 31 1988 12:00AM