Oasis in the Sky

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OASIS IN THE SKY (OITS)

Somewhere over the rainbow / Skies are blue / And the dreams that you dare to dream /

Really do come true. ~ Over the Rainbow

Introduction

Booming air travel is the worlds fastest growing source of greenhouse gases. Aviation

releases more than 600 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and contributes

more than 3% of global carbon emissions. Planes also give off nitrogen oxide (NOx) and

water vapour which will magnify the global warming effect of aviation. The solution lies in

technology. We present you the plane of the future Oasis in the Sky (OITS).

Algae Fuel + Jet Fuel

The Fuel of the Future.

OITS will be powered by 50% algae fuel and 50% jet fuel. Algae convert carbon dioxide into

oil under sunlight. Algae can grow faster and produce more oil per acre than conventional

crops. It is also ready for harvest in a very short time frame, and can be grown on arid land.

This minimises the issue of forests being cut down or farmland being converted for biofuel

production, which results in less greenhouse gases produced. Algae oil also contains about 10

percent more energy than jet fuel, so OITS will be able to fly farther with the same amount of

fuel in its tank.

Power from Takeoffs and Landings

Re-using energy.

As OITS cruises on the runway for takeoff or landing, it gives off large amounts of energy in

the form of wind and noise which can be utilised. During takeoff, a series of small wind

turbines, with blades no longer than 1m, along the sides of the plane makes use of the wind

power from the planes engines to charge its high-capacity batteries. When the plane is up in

the air, the small turbines retract into the fuselage to maintain the planes aerodynamics.

During landing, the turbines protract out to make use of this wind energy again, in the process

helping slow the plane, saving even more fuel. The blades of the turbines will be coated with

Piezoelectric Thin Films to convert noise to electricity.


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Solar Power

Free energy from the Sun.

OITS will also be powered by solar energy. The wings will be embedded with thousands of

thin-film solar panels that soak up sunlight required to power OITS during the day and charge

its high-capacity batteries during the night.

Transparent Cabin

Maximum pleasure.

OITS will have a transparent cabin for passengers to have a panoramic view. Passengers will

be able to see everything to the sides, in front of and behind them. The wall membrane, or the

planes skin, changes its transparency according to light conditions and also controls air

temperature. The skeleton of the cabin will be made of carbon fibre, increasing fuel

efficiency.

Green Canopy

Literally green.

OITS will have a second skeleton in the cabin itself along the aisles, walls and ceiling,

which will support vines and other climbers. The transparent cabin will act like a greenhouse,

allowing sunlight to reach the plants while keeping the cabin warm. The plants will also

absorb waste heat from the plane. The plants will be grown in wastewater from the plane, inthe process purifying it. The treated water can then be reused on the plane.

There is also no need to worry about plants competing for oxygen during nighttime flying as

the aisle lights will be on. Instead, the plants will provide additional oxygen for the

passengers through photosynthesis. Dead plant matter can be used as compost for the other

plants, together with food waste from the plane, eliminating the need for artificial fertilizers.

Furthermore, this green canopy can have a positive impact on both the physical and mental

wellbeing of the passengers as it helps to relieve pressure. As the vines are grown only on the

thin skeleton frame itself, it will not obstruct outside view.


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Dimpled Fuselage

Biomimicry.

In a golf ball, the dimples on its surface cause the boundary layer on the upstream side of the

ball to transition from laminar to turbulent. Laminar flow is prone to separation. Once

separation of a laminar boundary layer occurs, drag rises dramatically because of eddies thatform in the gap. Turbulent flow has better adhesion, and therefore is less prone to separation.

Thus, dimples on golf balls cause a reduction in pressure drag, allowing the ball to travel

farther. This concept is similar to a sharks skin. The interlocking scale-like denticles on the

sharks outer skin layer create a smooth hydrodynamic surface, making swimming much

more efficient by reducing friction.

Using these two concepts, the fuselage of OITS will be covered with mini-dimples, with

diameters of not more than 1cm. But what if the fuselage develops tiny tears and cracks or is

damaged by bird strikes? Well, the fuselage of OITS will be made of self-healing plastic that

uses the concept of platelets which clump together to plug the wound when we cut ourselves.

The plastic is made from tiny hollow fibers filled with epoxy resin. When a tear or crack

appears, the resin leaks out and seals the break like a scab, returning it to 80 90% of its

original strength. Slight damage incurred during flight would be fixed in the time it takes a

small cut to stop bleeding. Besides reducing the cost of repairing the dimpled fuselage, this

will make OITS lighter, more fuel efficient and safer.

But what if ice, dust and other contaminants filled up the dimples and affect their efficiency?

Well, we have to look to the lotus. The surface of lotus leaves is bumpy, and this causes

water to bead as well as to pick up and remove surface contaminants in the process. The

surface of OITS is chemically treated to evoke the same effect. This can also be used to de-

ice the engines of OITS. In the air, de-icing requires heat; on the ground, de-icing fluidscontain toxic chemicals. If there is a material where ice does not stick, none of these would

be needed.

(1000 words)


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References:

y Daily Mail (2011, June 14). How will they keep the bugs off the windscreen? Airbus

unveil the transparent plane we'll be flying around in come 2050 (but maybe not those

with a fear of flying).Retrieved 6 August, 2011, from

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2003052/Airbus-unveil-transparent-

plane-flying-come-2050.html

y Gerald Traufetter (2010, July 15). Aviation Industry Harnesses Algae for Biofuel.

Spiegel Online International.Retrieved 6 August, 2011, from

http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/0,1518,706473,00.html

y Wikipedia (n.d.).Algae fuel.Retrieved 6 August, 2011, from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algae_fuel

y HowStuffWorks (n.d.). Why do golf balls have dimples? Retrieved 20 August, 2011,

from http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/sports/golf/basics/question37.htm

y ScienceDaily (2007, December 1). ExploringEnergy Conservation Through Shark

Research.Retrieved 20 August, 2011, from

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071130155548.htm

y Dave Demerjian (2008, May 20). Airplane Heal Thyself? Self-Repairing Aircraft

Could Improve Air Safety.Autopia.Retrieved 20 August, 2011, from

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2008/05/airplane-heal-t/

y Prachi Patel (2008, October 15). Water-Repelling Metals. Technology Review.

Retrieved 20 August, 2011, from

http://www.technologyreview.com/communications/21530/?nlid=1428&a=f

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Oasis in the Sky

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