Briggs Aerospace Technologies
 

The Shaneen hydrogen program

Shaneen4 and Shaneen5 will be the first airliners in the world to offer commercially available hydrogen fuel versions. 

The production program features a research and development program to provide a production variant using hydrogen fuel. The types are being designed for areas such as Europe where environmental standards are becoming more strict.

The Aceson program will pioneer the fuel use in commercial aviation, establising the initial rules and laws for manufacturing and operation for all future manufacturers. The design also includes conventional jet fuels including new bio-fuels for customers wanting this conventional fuel.

The DC and DJC Shaneens production development budget includes funds to develop a production integrated conformal tanks for liquid hydrogen fuel. This cryogenic super-fuel has zero carbon emissions, exempting it from the carbon tax. Currently each airline passenger in Australia and Europe is subjected to carbon taxation of around $10 per flight, or €5 per passenger. 

Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. This fuel is easily able to integrate with current infrastructure, with substantial benefits to aviation:

  • The fuel is lighter than kerosene based fuels – even with heavy insulation required – making substantial improvements to the aircraft’s performance improve in both economy, rate of climb and outright speed.
  • It is easy to truck to airports, unlike the problems hydrogen fuels would face as a fuel for the automotive industry: of supply.
  • Hydrogen is safer than more volatile kerosene based fuels.
  • Occupational health and safety laws and standards for employees mean the process of refuelling is done in complete safety, despite the extreme cold of the fuel.
  • Hydrogen has more development potential than kerosene/bio fuels; hydrogen aircraft engines could use the both the extreme cold and higher burn efficiencies of hydrogen fuel to reap much better fuel economy, greater engine power and life-span: development has peaked for conventional aircraft jet engines.
  • Hydrogen produces much more power and burns more efficiently than kerosene based fuels.
  • Hydrogen use as an aviation fuel yields less condensation, meaning smaller or fewer contrails (or vapour trails), reducing climate change.
  • Zero carbon emissions also reduce the greenhouse effect.
  • Airlines (and passengers using airlines) using hydrogen fuelled Shaneens will not have to pay carbon tax, since hydrogen has no carbon emissions.

The program will not just develop hydrogen technology for Shaneen types, technology will be available for all aviation once completed.

This will mean pioneering development of guidelines, laws and standards for International levels of compliance (predominantly the F.A.A. and ICAO) for all future commercial cryo-fuel powered airliners.


 
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