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Solar Powered Aircraft

  • 03-05-2013 5:14am
    #1
    TommieBoy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,273 ✭✭✭✭


    Has anyone seen the news stories of this fascinating solar powered plane and their designers?

    solar_impulse.jpg

    The Solar Impulse is an ultra-lightweight plane with solar panel-covered wings; purported to be the first aircraft capable of flying day and night without using any fuel. It's made several international test flights and is taking off on a cross-country expedition of the states today! They are planning to circumnavigate the globe in 2015.

    amazing!


Comments

  • #2
    FWVT
    Closed Accounts Posts: 922 ✭✭✭FWVT


    I've always reckoned that there is no excuse for why commercial airliners cannot have solar panels on the wings' upper surfaces. It wouldn't be enough to power flight but it could power the electrical requirements.


  • #3
    Tabnabs
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 15,790 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tabnabs


    FWVT wrote: »
    I've always reckoned that there is no excuse for why commercial airliners cannot have solar panels on the wings' upper surfaces. It wouldn't be enough to power flight but it could power the electrical requirements.

    If you think about the forces involved for the speed a commercial airliner will travel, the panels would have to be exceptionally tough. Would they interfere with aerodynamics of the wings? When flying in cloud and at night, they are of zero benefit.

    Wouldn't the engine manufacturers be better off with increasing fuel efficiency etc.?


  • #4
    lomb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,017 ✭✭✭lomb


    Would cost too much for the benefit. Aviation by defination is hugely wasteful, I think a 747 burns quarter of a million liters of kerosene in 16 hours. A solar panel on a 747 is like polishing a turd. Might give the silly humans on board a warm fuzzy feeling that they are saving the planet though:)


  • #5
    brandon_flowers
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,657 ✭✭✭brandon_flowers


    lomb wrote: »
    Would cost too much for the benefit. Aviation by defination is hugely wasteful, I think a 747 burns quarter of a million liters of kerosene in 16 hours. A solar panel on a 747 is like polishing a turd. Might give the silly humans on board a warm fuzzy feeling that they are saving the planet though:)

    Yet a 747 is about 4 times more fuel efficient than a normal car in terms of litres per km per person.

    As far as I know the only "transport" that use solar effectively are boats/barges for nav lights and telemetry and buoys purely for lighting/telemetry.

    And as someone who works in the oil industry I really shouldn't be saying this but fuel/energy efficiency is what needs most looking at rather than renewable energy.


  • #6
    FWVT
    Closed Accounts Posts: 922 ✭✭✭FWVT


    Tabnabs wrote: »
    If you think about the forces involved for the speed a commercial airliner will travel, the panels would have to be exceptionally tough. Would they interfere with aerodynamics of the wings? When flying in cloud and at night, they are of zero benefit.

    Wouldn't the engine manufacturers be better off with increasing fuel efficiency etc.?

    Solar panels don't need direct sunlight to work so they will produce energy even from the diffuse energy within cloud. The name "solar" powered is a misleading choice of words. And as most planes are sitting on tarmac for much of the night then that doesn't come into it either. Every point on the planet averages 12 hours of light per day over the year, all of these centred around the planes' predominantly daytime workshift.

    The panels that are available are very smooth and thin so the effects on aerodynamics are not be a problem. They could be incorporated into some of the alumimium upper surface and therefore could give a weight saving. The concept has already been proven in the fully solar-powered aircraft so it could be incorporated into mainstream aircraft if the will were there.


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