Problem Analysis
20 Nov 2022
In this project our group was assigned with the following problem:
The dream of electrifying airplanes seems impossible with our current state-of-the-art lithium-ion batteries. However Company X—a battery startup based in Leuven in Belgium—claims to have developed a new lithium-metal battery that has an energy density large enough to power airplanes. To demonstrate their technology, they loaded their batteries onto a small airplane (a brand new Cessna 152 Skyhawk) and flew it from Brussels Charleroi airport to Milan Bergamo airport, recharged the battery during an overnight stay (ca. 12 hours), and flew back to Brussels. The company claims that they modified the engine so that the shaft of the propeller is powered by an electric motor connected to their battery. To shake off suspicions that their flight operated on regular jet fuel, the company claims that the fuel tank was only a third full, which would have allowed for an emergency landing if the electric motor or the battery malfunctioned. The company has not disclosed exact figures for the energy or power density of their battery, but they did mention that only one person was aboard the airplane and that they took advantage of all available passenger and cargo space. After the successful demonstration of their technology, Company X is planning next to power a larger turboprop airplane (a Dash 8-400 acquired from failed British carrier Flybe) in a short intra-European route.
Our task was to use our knowledge on the physics of sustainable energies up to our limits, and fill out the gaps we had with research (in our example, research has been carried out in the aviation in general).
The idea was to try and understand if what “Company X” proposed could have been real, or simply a lie. Point being: should one invest in such a company? Can we blindly trust what we are told? Or should we rather use our knowledge to approach such things?
The report —> Open the report
The presentation —> Open the presentation