Alexander Genel, Guadalupe Figueroa, Jahan Kavi, & Yom-Tov Abramov
(1) Introduction:
Air pollution is one of the major issues that the world is facing currently. Due to its harmful effects on the ozone layer, climate change is becoming an impending threat each day. This later led to the events on April 6th, 2022; where climate scientists protested to get the attention of the public towards their research, which points out how the emissions we generate are taking us a step further towards the “end of the world” (Quackenbush, 2022). Due to this protest, we decided to create an innovation to decrease emissions released in the environment. Since emissions from flights contribute the most to air pollution today, our innovation will be based on aircraft. To be more specific, it will be an engine that will run on fuel based on the chemical reaction between hydrogen peroxide, silver, and potassium permanganate. This fuel will be both lower in cost and emission of pollutants. Due to its frequent use in flights, we will be restructuring the engine of the Boeing 737.
(2) Context of the Boeing 737:
The first Boeing 737 was created by Boeing, one of the leading aerospace companies, in 1967 with the idea of a cheaper twin-engined jet transport (Pisquali, 2020). From this first idea, there have been updates such as increasing seat capacity, increasing its size, and improving wing aerodynamics (Pisquali, 2020). This eventually led to the development of the Boeing 737 NG in the early nineties, NG standing for next generation (Pisquali, 2020). The Boeing 737 NG is basically a group of aircraft that are considered part of the next generation with its redesigning of wings, new engines, and increased fuel capacity (Pisquali, 2020). Airlines such as Air India, Delta Air Lines, China Airlines, and Korean Air operate the Boeing 737 NG (Boeing, n.d.). The new engines being used for the next generation of Boeing 737 are the CFM International CFM56-7B, which is known for being the exclusive single-aisle commercial jet engine (Joestubbs, 2022). It has a simple rugged architecture, which gives it highest reliability, durability, and reparability with the lowest cost of ownership in its class, according to CFM International company itself. It is said to be running on aviation kerosene. This fuel can produce pollutants such as carbon dioxide, nitrous gasses, sulfur oxides, and soot once it is burned. Due to this, it can be said that commercial airplanes and large business jets contribute to 3 percent of U.S.’s greenhouse gas production. (Overton, 2019)
(3) Failed Innovation: Boeing 737 Max Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System:
During the development of the Boeing 737 Max, Boeing was competing with the newer model airplane AirBus A320neo (Vox, 2019). The AirBus A320neo is a single aisle aircraft that had been upgraded to a bigger new geared turbo engine which helped make the plane 15% more fuel efficient (Vox, 2019). Boeing saw this as a threat which forced them to upgrade their aircraft Boeing 737NG to the Boeing 737 Max (Vox, 2019). The Boeing 737 Max had upgraded their single-aisle engines to a bigger size than before(Vox, 2019). There happened to be an issue with the Boeing 737 Max, the aircraft was lower to the ground than the AirBus A320neo (Vox, 2019). This didn’t allow for the aircraft Boeing 737 Max, updated engine to have enough space to guarantee a safer landing and not hitting the engine to the ground (Vox, 2019). Boeing resolved this problem by elevating the engines above the wing, so it could fit on their 737s (Vox, 2019).
Moving up the engine to the wing had its side effect (Vox, 2019). When the aircraft was ready for take off the 737 Max was in full thrust which tended to point the nose of the airplane too high up, leading to a stall (Vox, 2019). Instead of Boeing re-engineering the plane to perform an outstanding job, Boeing decided to install a system called MCAS – Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (Vox, 2019). This system is a software that automatically pushes the nose downward if the plane is at a higher angle (Vox, 2019). This software was installed into the aircraft system which was never mentioned to the pilots before take-off. MCAS was never mentioned on the airplane training which threw off the pilots (Vox, 2019). This problem came to light on October 29, 2018 Lion Air flight 610 took off from Jakarta and the pilots flying the plane had a hard time and when they tried checking for a solution from the reference book they didn’t find anything (Vox, 2019). This led to a struggle to gain back the airplane altitude, but after 12 mins the plane crashed (Vox, 2019).
For the failed innovations we chose to present the MCAS to compare with our innovation because it held a similar purpose of diminishing the costs of handling aircrafts, but it was approached differently. Their focus was to lower costs through the training of people, but our focus was to lower the cost through fuel. In turn, our innovation is said to be better since it is beneficial for our environment by reducing air pollutants, compared to the MCAS which has caused the death of many people.
(4) Technical Description:
The Boeing 737’s measurements were taken into account when building the engine. The accompanying schematic depicts the proposed engine layout, which will mostly be built of aluminum and aircraft-grade stainless steel, (63.5 cm x 508cm x 236.22). An outlet reservoir that is connected to mixing valves distributes a catalyst to two potential chemical reactants before departure. One of the chemical processes will involve the high energy reaction between H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) and KMnO₄ (potassium permanganate) suitable for high impulse flight (stages of flight that require more thrust such as takeoff). The second more mild chemical process involves silver and hydrogen peroxide. Because this reaction produces lower impulse thrust (less energy that is spread over a longer period of time), the process is used for cruising and for generating power in onboard electrical systems.
Figure 1: Overhead view of main engine assembly (Alexander Genel, 2022)
Figure 2: Reaction Exhaust (Alexander Genel, 2022)
Figure 3: Weight distribution valves and tanks (Alexander Genel, 2022)
(4.1) H2O2Tank:
With a 250-gallon capacity, the hydrogen peroxide tank permits 10 hours of continuous flight at an average speed of 503.7 km/h (based off of simulation). Tank is connected to the switching system that regulates the flow of chemicals to different compartments in the engine. With an average fill cost as of 4-Jul-2022 of $4,960, operating the engine is 65% less expensive than its combustion-driven counterparts.
(4.2) Mixing valve:
Switching valves move Hydrogen peroxide between a silver tank or potassium permanganate tank at a variable rate (determined by avionics not built into the engine). Internal check valves allow gasses formed by chemical reactions to pass through reaction exhaust to supply thrust to airplane duct fans on the wing.
(4.3) Generator:
Gasses produced within the mixing valve can be routed into the generator when not used for thrust. Silver decay chamber (white elongated section) contains an impeller connected to a stater that when turned generates power. Gasses produced by chemical reactions will turn the impeller blades similar to how a wind turbine works. Six onboard batteries (Nickel Cadmium in this version) store electricity produced by the generator within the mixing valve. The stored energy can be used to power avionics or electric motors and hydraulic systems. Black and yellow boxes are emergency cells installed for redundancy.
(4.4) Ballasting System:
Engine will use onboard accelerometers, gyroscope, and IMU data to determine how to distribute weight (the plane’s built-in sensors will feed data to a controller board built into the electronics bay of the engine). Chemical reaction causes fluid and mass to move from one part of the tank to the other. Wastewater from the chemical reaction is pumped through blasting tanks to compensate for unwanted shifts in mass. Full assembly will sit around the center of gravity of the aircraft and will be used to maintain the center of gravity. Refill vent for hydrogen peroxide is also included in the assembly.
(5) Process of Innovation:
Silver will be stored in an elongated chamber in the center of the engine. On the other hand, the potassium permanganate will be stored in the two chambers on either side of the silver one. The gas produced by the chemical reactions is allowed to flow through the stainless steel tube, which in the schematic is depicted on top of the assembly (fig 2:Reaction Exhaust). The gasses are sent directly to the motors to generate thrust, where sustained flight speed is the only requirement. The aqueous and gaseous byproducts are cycled through an impeller and a generator that is located inside the silver chamber, which is used to charge high-powered batteries.
(6) Process of Building Innovation:
(6.1) Materials:
In this section we will be going into depth on the materials we will use for the innovation. First material is silver which is a key component that many industries depend on (The Silver Institute, n.d.). It is almost impossible to replace due to its special qualities, and it has a wide range of uses. For covering electrical contacts, it is the ideal material (The Silver Institute, n.d.). The second material is hydrogen peroxide, or H2O2. Silver functions as a trigger when it comes in contact with it (HowStuffWorks, 2020). In addition to producing water by releasing the extra oxygen atom, the process produces a lot of heat. The heat transforms the water into steam, which the engine can eject through a rocket nozzle at a very high speed (HowStuffWorks, 2020). The third material is potassium permanganate which is a common chemical compound that combines manganese oxide ore with potassium hydroxide (Hecht, 2018). In the chemical industry and laboratories, potassium permanganate is frequently employed as a potent oxidizing agent, as well as a dermatitis treatment, a wound cleaner, and a general disinfectant (Hecht, 2018). The last material is fuel. General fuels are used to generate electricity in power stations, power engines, and heating systems in buildings (World Nuclear Association, n.d.). It is also used to generate heat used in industrial activities such as using fuel for a boiler to produce steam or hot water for heating industrial processes and energy production (World Nuclear Association, n.d.).
(6.2) Costs:
When it comes to costs, it can be said to be cheaper than the original innovation. First, 220 lbs of silver, at a cost of $73,954.33 US dollars (USD), are needed. Fortunately, pure silver does not have to be changed after each flight so this is considered a one time cost. Other than that, every flight requires a replacement of the hydrogen peroxide, which requires approximately 248 gallons and costs about $4,960 USD in total. In addition, it would cost $450 USD to buy the 200 pounds of potassium permanganate needed. To put this into perspective, the fuel cost for a single flight on a conventional aircraft is $10,733.81. The overall cost of production is roughly $90,098.14 based on the wholesale pricing available on the internet for each component utilized in the engine’s manufacture. From this, it is clear that silver is the most expensive item.
Table 1: Cost Analysis of Materials
| Element | Quantity | Total price |
| Silver | 220 Ibs | $73,954.33 |
| Hydrogen Peroxide | 248 gallons | $4,960 |
| Potassium Permanganate | 200 pound | $450 |
| Fuel | 6,875 gallons | $10,733.81 |
(7) Conclusion:
In short, our innovation involves creating an engine that will run on fuel based on the chemical reaction between hydrogen peroxide, silver, and potassium permanganate; very similar to previous cold rocket fuel engines. To do this, the internal structure of passenger airliners was evaluated such that a unibody assembly could be designed to accommodate the new engine module.The commercial jet airline in question was the Boeing 737 and its engine CFM56-7B. This innovation will lead to a decrease in emissions as well as costs, which are very important issues to solve. Since aircrafts are a major contributor to emissions released, our innovation is set on solving this by changing the fuel being used currently. As the costs of the engine we designed is lower, it will lead to more frequent use in our society. To be able to maintain the modern standard of living without compromising the environment, as many planes as possible need to move away from the use of kerosine. This engine enables carriers to not only keep existing planes in service, but make a positive environmental impact that will be seen for generations.
Reference:
Boeing. (n.d.). Boeing Next-Generation 737. Boeing: Next-Generation 737. Retrieved July 3, 2022, from https://www.boeing.com/commercial/737ng/#/design-highlights/
Hecht, M. (2018, March 13). How Do I Use Potassium Permanganate? Potassium permanganate uses and side effects for eczema and more. Retrieved July 3, 2022, from https://www.healthline.com/health/potassium-permanganate-uses#:~:text=Potassium%20permanganate%20is%20a%20common,skin%20conditions%2C%20including%20fungal%20infections
HowStuffWorks. (2020, June 30). Can you make a rocket engine using hydrogen peroxide and silver? Retrieved July 3, 2022, from https://science.howstuffworks.com/question159.htm
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Quackenbush, C. (2022, May 24). The climate scientists are not alright. Climate scientists are turning to protest in desperation. Retrieved July 3, 2022, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/05/20/climate-change-scientists-protests/
The Silver Institute. (n.d.). Silver in industry. Retrieved July 3, 2022, from https://www.silverinstitute.org/silver-in-industry/
Torchinsky, J. (2019, March 19). Recent Boeing 737 MAX crashes may be the result of a single faulty sensor. Recent Boeing 737 MAX Crashes May Be The Result Of A Single Faulty Sensor. Retrieved July 3, 2022, from https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2019/03/recent-boeing-737-max-crashes-may-be-the-result-of-a-single-faulty-sensor/
Vox. (2019, April 15). The real reason Boeing’s new plane crashed twice. Retrieved July 3, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2tuKiiznsY
World Nuclear Association. (n.d.). Where does our electricity come from? Retrieved July 3, 2022, from https://world-nuclear.org/nuclear-essentials/where-does-our-electricity-come-from.aspx
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