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

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

    Spiegel Online International.Retrieved 6 August, 2011, from

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

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

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

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