Zero Emission Hyper Sonic Transport

Last updated
ZEHST (Zero Emission High Speed Transportation)
Role Hypersonic airliner
Manufacturer EADS
DesignerEADS
StatusIn development

The Zero Emission Hyper Sonic Transport [1] or ZEHST [2] is a planned hypersonic passenger jet airliner project by the multinational aerospace conglomerate EADS and the Japanese national space agency JAXA. [3]

Contents

On 18 June 2011, the ZEHST concept was unveiled by EADS at the Le Bourget Air Show. The envisioned vehicle uses a combination of three different types of engines, including relatively conventional turbofans, rocket motors, and scramjets to attain a maximum speed of Mach  4.5 (four and a half times the speed of sound). [4] [5] The ZEHST has been projected to carry between 50 and 100 passengers while flying at very high altitudes for greater efficiency. [4]

Conceptually, the ZEHST has been promoted as a descendant of, or a successor to, Concorde, a supersonic airliner that was withdrawn from passenger routes in 2003. [5] According to projections released, the ZEHST would be capable of flying between Paris and Tokyo in 2.5 hours, or between New York and London within one hour. [6] During 2011, EADS stated its prediction that the ZEHST could be flying by 2050. [4]

Development

Even prior to the introduction of the Concorde supersonic airliner during the 1970s, there has been a desire within elements of the aviation industry to produce further high-speed transport aircraft. Since the 1990s, several collaborative research efforts in the field have been financed in Europe. [7] By the 2010s, both the American aerospace company Boeing and the multinational aerospace conglomerate EADS were reportedly working on separate plans to develop hypersonic aircraft. [4] [5] Such efforts have largely been constrained to theoretical work, however some progress has been observed over the decades; innovations have continued to be patented in the field, such as for a mixed-propulsion arrangement awarded to EADS in 2010. [8] Amongst other aspects, efforts have been made to reduce noise generated by sonic booms, which are commonly produced by aircraft operating at supersonic speeds. [5] [9]

On 18 June 2011, EADS revealed the Zero Emission Hyper Sonic Transport (ZEHST) concept at the Le Bourget Air Show. [10] [11] As originally announced, the aircraft would combine three distinct propulsion systems: two turbofan engines for taxiing/take-off and up to Mach 0.8, then rocket boosters up to Mach 2.5, before switching to a pair of underwing scramjets to accelerate up to its maximum speed of Mach  4.5 (four and a half times the speed of sound). [5] [12] The fuel of these engines is envisaged to be a biofuel primarily consisting of seaweed, [1] along with a combination of oxygen and hydrogen. [4] Largely due to this fuel composition, the aircraft has been referred to as "green" aircraft that generates "almost zero emissions". [13] [14]

Furthermore, ZEHST possesses an unusually high cruising altitude of 32 km above ground level, flying within the outer atmosphere (in comparison, conventional airliners cruise at around 11km above ground level); this height was principally opted for due to the air being thinner and thus generating less drag that would slow down the aircraft and decrease efficiency. [4] The use of conventional turbofan engines during its take off phase of flight would result in the ZEHST being no more noisy than conventional airliners. While the ZEHST's configuration has not been finalised, EADS has commented that believed that Concorde's basic design remains a strong base for the project. [4]

In addition to EADS itself, much of the propulsion-based development work on the ZEHST project had been made in cooperation with the European missile specialist MBDA and the French national aerospace research centre ONERA. [7] International engagement has also secured partners, the cooperative HIKARI R&D project is underway between Japanese and European agencies. [7] The ZEHST is not the only such effort that the company has engaged itself in. By 2015, Airbus Group (to which EADS had rebranded itself as) was reportedly working on two separate hypersonic projects, one in conjunction with Japanese partners and the other with Russian and Australian involvement. [5] That same year, company chief executive Tom Enders publicly stated his enthusiasm for Airbus to complete development of a hypersonic long range passenger transport. [15]

See also

Related Research Articles

Concorde British-French supersonic airliner

The Aérospatiale/BAC Concorde is a British–French turbojet-powered supersonic passenger airliner that was operated from 1976 until 2003. It had a maximum speed over twice the speed of sound, at Mach 2.04, with seating for 92 to 128 passengers. First flown in 1969, Concorde entered service in 1976 and operated for 27 years. It is one of only two supersonic transports to have been operated commercially; the other is the Soviet-built Tupolev Tu-144, which operated in the late 1970s.

British Aircraft Corporation British aircraft manufactuer

The British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) was a British aircraft manufacturer formed from the government-pressured merger of English Electric Aviation Ltd., Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft), the Bristol Aeroplane Company and Hunting Aircraft in 1960. Bristol, English Electric and Vickers became "parents" of BAC with shareholdings of 20%, 40% and 40% respectively. BAC in turn acquired the share capital of their aviation interests and 70% of Hunting several months later.

Jet aircraft Aircraft class powered by jet propulsion engines

A jet aircraft is an aircraft propelled by jet engines.

Supersonic transport Type of commercial airliner (SST)

A supersonic transport (SST) or a supersonic airliner is a civilian supersonic aircraft designed to transport passengers at speeds greater than the speed of sound. To date, the only SSTs to see regular service have been Concorde and the Tupolev Tu-144. The last passenger flight of the Tu-144 was in June 1978 and it was last flown in 1999 by NASA. Concorde's last commercial flight was in October 2003, with a November 26, 2003 ferry flight being its last airborne operation. Following the permanent cessation of flying by Concorde, there are no remaining SSTs in commercial service. Several companies have each proposed a supersonic business jet, which may bring supersonic transport back again.

Boeing Sonic Cruiser Concept high-subsonic jet airliner with delta wing-canard configuration

The Boeing Sonic Cruiser was a concept jet airliner with a delta wing-canard configuration. It was distinguished from conventional airliners by its delta wing and high-subsonic cruising speed of up to Mach 0.98. Boeing first proposed it in 2001, but airlines generally preferred lower operating costs over higher speed. Boeing ended the Sonic Cruiser project in December 2002 and shifted to the slower, but more fuel-efficient 7E7 airliner.

Airplane Powered, flying vehicle with wings

An airplane or aeroplane is a fixed-wing aircraft that is propelled forward by thrust from a jet engine, propeller, or rocket engine. Airplanes come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and wing configurations. The broad spectrum of uses for airplanes includes recreation, transportation of goods and people, military, and research. Worldwide, commercial aviation transports more than four billion passengers annually on airliners and transports more than 200 billion tonne-kilometers of cargo annually, which is less than 1% of the world's cargo movement. Most airplanes are flown by a pilot on board the aircraft, but some are designed to be remotely or computer-controlled such as drones.

Supersonic aircraft Aircraft that travels faster than the speed of sound

A supersonic aircraft is an aircraft capable of supersonic flight, which is an aircraft able to fly faster than the speed of sound. Supersonic aircraft were developed in the second half of the twentieth century. Supersonic aircraft have been used for research and military purposes, but only two supersonic aircraft, the Tupolev Tu-144 and the Concorde, ever entered service for civil use as airliners. Fighter jets are the most common example of supersonic aircraft.

Aerion Corporation was an American aircraft manufacturer based in Reno, Nevada. It was founded by Robert Bass of Fort Worth.

Supersonic business jet Type of business jet

A supersonic business jet (SSBJ) is a business jet travelling above the speed of sound: a supersonic aircraft. Some manufacturers are designing or have been designing SSBJs, but none are currently available. Usually intended to transport about ten passengers, proposed SSBJs would be about the same size as subsonic business jets.

Scramjet programs refers to research and testing programs for the development of supersonic combustion ramjets, known as scramjets. This list provides a short overview of national and international collaborations, and civilian and military programs. The USA, Russia, India, and China (2014), have succeeded at developing scramjet technologies.

SAI Quiet Supersonic Transport

The SAI Quiet Supersonic Transport (QSST) was/is a project by Supersonic Aerospace International (SAI) to develop a "virtually boomless" commercial supersonic business jet. The project was announced around the year 2000 and provided update announcements until 2010. After three years without any updates, the last update was in 2013.

Tupolev Tu-244 1979–1993 proposed supersonic passenger airliner

The Tupolev Tu-244 was a proposed supersonic transport (SST) aircraft, developed from the Tu-144. It implemented novel features such as cryogenic fuel to enable flight distances of up to 10.000 km (6.214 mi) and would have carried up to 300 passengers. The project was cancelled in 1993.

Reaction Engines LAPCAT A2 Hypersonic jetliner concept

The Reaction Engines Limited LAPCAT Configuration A2 is a design study for a hypersonic speed jet airliner intended to provide environmentally friendly, long range, high capacity commercial transportation.

An airbreathing jet engine is a jet engine that emits a jet of hot exhaust gases formed from air that is forced into the engine by several stages of centrifugal, axial or ram compression, which is then heated and expanded through a nozzle. They are typically gas turbine engines. The majority of the mass flow through an airbreathing jet engine is provided by air taken from outside of the engine and heated internally, using energy stored in the form of fuel.

HyperStar is a proposed supersonic jet airliner designed by HyperMach CEO Richard H. Lugg. Lugg said, in a 2016 Altitudes Aviation interview and at a 2014 presentation at the Global Aerospace Summit in Abu Dhabi, that he plans to have the hypersonic transport airborne by June 2028. The HyperStar is expected to reach speeds of up to Mach number 3.6 and fly at an altitude of 80,000 feet (24,380 m). Its propulsion is projected to be 30 percent more fuel efficient than the Rolls Royce/Snecma Olympus 593 Engine which flew the Concorde. Hypothetically, the HyperStar would fly three times faster than the speed of the Concorde. It is planned to be powered by two engineered 157,700 thrust SonicBlue HYSCRAM hybrid hypersonic 6500-X series engines. Sonic boom is expected to be eliminated over land, through electromagnetic drag reduction technology currently under development.

Fuel economy in aircraft Aircraft fuel efficiency

The fuel economy in aircraft is the measure of the transport energy efficiency of aircraft. Efficiency is increased with better aerodynamics and by reducing weight, and with improved engine BSFC and propulsive efficiency or TSFC. Endurance and range can be maximized with the optimum airspeed, and economy is better at higher altitudes. An airline efficiency depends on its fleet fuel burn, seating density, air cargo and passenger load factor, while operational procedures like maintenance and routing can save fuel.

Saenger (spacecraft)

Saenger or Sänger was a West German concept design for a two-stage-to-orbit spaceplane. It is named after Eugen Sänger, who had been a key figure in the development of the concept for aerospace company Junkers.

Aerion AS2

The Aerion AS2 was a proposed supersonic business jet that was being developed by Aerion Corporation. In May 2014, it was announced that the Aerion AS2 would be part of a larger Aerion SBJ redesign, which aimed for release after a seven-year developmental period. Aerion partnered with Airbus in September the same year. In December 2017, Airbus was replaced by Lockheed Martin. Its General Electric Affinity engine was unveiled in October 2018. In February 2019, Boeing replaced Lockheed Martin. Development stopped when Aerion ceased operations in May 2021.

Boom Technology, Inc. is an American company designing a Mach 1.7, 55-passenger supersonic airliner. Named the Boom Overture, the airliner is planned to have a range of 4,250 nmi (7,870 km) and to be introduced in 2030.

Boom Overture Proposed supersonic airliner

The Boom Overture is a proposed Mach 1.7, 55-passenger supersonic airliner with 4,500 nmi (8,300 km) of range, which is planned to be introduced in 2029 by Boom Technology. The company claims that with 500 viable routes, there could be a market for 1,000 supersonic airliners with business class fares. It had gathered 76 commitments by December 2017. It is planned to have a delta wing configuration. It would be powered by three dry (non-afterburning) 15,000–20,000 lbf (67–89 kN) turbofans.

References

  1. 1 2 Jones, Bryony (21 June 2011), "Race to be first with 'son of supersonic", CNN , retrieved 21 June 2011
  2. ↑ "Concorde 2.0: New York to London in an hour?". theweek.com. 8 May 2015.
  3. ↑ Lichfield, John (20 June 2011), "London to New York in 90 minutes: is this the Concorde of the future?", The Independent , UK , retrieved 25 June 2011
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Concorde's successor revealed at Paris Air Show", The Independent , 20 June 2011, retrieved 21 June 2011
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Wakefield, Jane (7 May 2015). "Could we fly from London to New York in an hour?". BBC News.
  6. ↑ Chen, Stephen (4 August 2015). "Proposed Airbus hypersonic jet could fly from London to New York in one hour". scmp.com.
  7. 1 2 3 "ZEHST: A model for future flight". ec.europa.eu. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  8. ↑ "US Patent 9079661: Ultra-rapid air vehicle and related method for aerial locomotion". Google =. 2010.
  9. ↑ Clarke, Chris (24 November 2015). "11 Outlandish Attempts To Build The Next Concorde". popularmechanics.com.
  10. ↑ "EADS unveils Concorde of the future". imeche.org. 20 June 2011.
  11. ↑ "Cet avion va révolutionner le transport aérien" [This airplane will revolutionise aerial transport]. Le Parisien (article) (in French). Paris, FR. 18 June 2011.
  12. ↑ Kaminski-Morrow, David (19 June 2011). "PARIS: EADS details near-hypersonic transport concept". Flight International.
  13. ↑ "Green 'hypersonic' jet could fly to New York in 90 minutes". businessgreen.com. 20 June 2011.
  14. ↑ "Hypersonic passenger jet to run on clean fuel is unveiled at Paris Air Show". latimesblogs.latimes.com. 21 June 2011.
  15. ↑ Trimble, Stephen (3 March 2015). "Airbus chief flags interest in future high-speed aircraft". Flight International.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.