Expert Predicts Nuclear-Powered Aircraft By End Of Century
The leader of a British government-funded project to reduce the environmental impact of aviation believes nuclear-powered planes will be a reality by the end of the century.
Such nuclear-powered flights would transport millions of passengers around the world, and would allow for longer-distance non-stop flights since aircraft would no longer need to land to refuel. These flights would also have zero carbon emissions.
Ian Poll, who heads the Omega project, is calling for a large research program to help convert the aviation industry from fossil fuels to nuclear power. During a speech at Britain’s Royal Aeronautical Society, Poll, a professor of Aerospace Engineering at Cranfield University, said Cold War experiments have already shown there are no insurmountable barriers to developing such an aircraft.
Indeed, during the 1950s, the U.S. and the U.S.S.R both began developing nuclear-powered bombers in hopes these aircraft could remain airborne for extended periods of time, within striking distance of their targets.
The U.S. got as far as testing a nuclear-powered jet engine on the ground, and even conducted flight tests over New Mexico and Texas with a B-36 jet including an onboard nuclear reactor and lead-lined cockpit. The reactor "ran hot" during flights, although the engines were powered by kerosene. The test flights were intended to show that a crew could be safely shielded from the reactor, and each was accompanied by another aircraft full of Marines prepared to respond to a crash.
However, despite the initial success, the test programs were abandoned in the early 1960s after it was decided that intercontinental ballistic missiles made nuclear-powered flights superfluous.
"We need to be looking for a solution to aviation emissions which will allow flying to continue in perpetuity with zero impact on the environment," said Professor Poll in an interview with The Times.
"We need a design which is not kerosene-powered, and I think nuclear-powered airplanes are the answer beyond 2050. The idea was proved 50 years ago, but I accept it would take about 30 years to persuade the public of the need to fly on them."
Professor Poll said it would be a significant challenge to demonstrate that passengers and crew could be properly protected from the reactors.
"It’s done on nuclear submarines and could be achieved on aircraft by locating the reactors with the engines out on the wings," he said.
"The risk of reactors cracking open in a crash could be reduced by jettisoning them before impact and bringing them down with parachutes."
The worst-case scenario would be if the reactor’s armor plating became pierced, in which case there would be a risk of radioactive contamination over a few square miles, Professor Poll said.
"If we want to continue to enjoy the benefits of air travel without hindrance from environmental concerns, we need to explore nuclear power. If aviation remains wedded to fossil fuels, it will run into serious trouble."
"Unfortunately, nuclear power has been demonized but it has the potential to be very beneficial to mankind."
One alternative to onboard nuclear reactors would be to develop aircraft fuelled by hydrogen taken from seawater by nuclear power stations, Poll said. However, it would be challenging to develop a long-range aircraft capable of carrying adequate amounts of fuel since hydrogen’s energy density is much lower than kerosene’s, Poll said.
Rob Coppinger, technical editor of Flight International magazine, told The Times that a more likely scenario would involve nuclear reactors being installed on unmanned air vehicles, used in combat or for reconnaissance, because there would be less need for heavy shielding than on a civilian aircraft.
Professor Poll will soon present research into new measures to increase the efficiency of short-haul aircraft such as the Boeing 737 and the Airbus A320. Replacements for these aircraft are likely to fly more slowly and to have open-rotor engines that, although noisier, require 20 per cent less fuel.