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jdmgto t1_iy47q2c wrote

Reply to comment by [deleted] in 'Landmark achievement': Rolls-Royce and easyJet hail successful hydrogen jet engine test by Wagamaga

It’s only strange if you have no clue how modern jetliners function, are built, or how hydrogen storage works. Fuel is stored in the wing because fuel is a liquid and can fill odd shapes that are inefficient for anything else. Wings are necessary for aircraft and by their construction have a lot of odd unusable space for cargo. They’re easy to use for fuel storage. Storing fuel in the wing structure is popular because it’s effectively weightless, you had to build the structure regardless. The work to turn them into fuel tanks is pretty trivial and largely what you’d have to do for a single purpose tank. Second, it frees up the fuselage for passengers and cargo, the stuff that makes money. Fuel storage in the fuselage is taking up space that you now can’t sell to make money. And no, there isn’t enough room in the wings for cylinder storage, at least not useful storage. The structure of the wings, the part that holds the fuel is made up of various box girders which are rectangular. The only pressure tanks you could fit in them would be many long, thin, incredibly wasteful tanks that add a lot of points of failure for not a lot of fuel storage.

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[deleted] t1_iy48zr3 wrote

[deleted]

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jdmgto t1_iy4eywf wrote

It’s condescending because you don’t understand the fundamental reasons why aircraft are built the way they are, how hydrogen storage works, or just basic concepts but you speak authoritatively as if you do. Do you know why the tank in the 737’s wing is that shape? Because the slats and flaps and their equipment take up the leading and trailing edges of the wing. The fuel is contained in the long, rectangular structural box that runs down the center of the wing. That’s what I’m talking about, you don’t understand even the basics of how airplanes work. It’s got nothing to do with balance. 

And no, it couldn’t be used for cargo. Aside from the structural problems of opening that up enough to pack it full of bags which are just horrifying. Do you know how cold that space would be? I doubt passengers would be ok with having their bags frozen solid. Never mind the bag handling issues as you’ve gotta individually Jenga the bags into the wing every time you load it versus chucking it in the hold.

There is a reason about the only place hydrogen is regularly used as a fuel is rockets, and even that’s not universal. Could you build a hydrogen powered aircraft? Sure, but you’ll also see the cost of air travel increase dramatically. Like it or not, baring governments just outlawing conventional jets entirely in favor of hydrogen ones, no ones gonna buy them. 

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