Contrail suppression
AssigneesAirbus Operations GmbH, Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
InventorsMartin Lee, Anthony Denniss, Matthew Stuttard, Martin Agnew
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of suppressing contrails emitted by a propulsion system of an aircraft. A first fuel composition is fed into the propulsion system for a predetermined period. The expiry of the predetermined period is detected with a timer. Upon expiry of the predetermined period, a second fuel composition is fed into the propulsion system. The second fuel composition is more prone to cause contrails than the first fuel composition. Contrails generated by the propulsion system are detected as the second fuel composition is fed into the propulsion system. If a contrail is detected, the steps of the method are repeated.
Claims20
A method of suppressing contrails emitted by a propulsion system of an aircraft, the method comprising:
- feeding a first fuel composition into the propulsion system for a predetermined period of time;
- detecting expiry of the predetermined period of time with a timer;
- on detection of the expiry of the predetermined period of time, feeding a second fuel composition into the propulsion system, wherein the second fuel composition is more prone to cause contrails than the first fuel composition;
- monitoring for a presence or an absence of a contrail generated by the propulsion system while the second fuel composition is fed into the propulsion system;
- in response to the monitoring detecting the presence of a contrail, repeating the feeding of the first fuel consumption, the detecting the expiry of the predetermined period and the feeding of the second fuel, and
- in response to the monitoring detecting the absence of a contrail, continuing the feeding of the second fuel composition to the propulsion system and continuing the monitoring for the presences or the absence of a contrail.
An aircraft comprising:
- a propulsion system;
- a timer;
- and
- a system configured to:
- feed a first fuel composition into the propulsion system for a predetermined period of time;
- detect expiry of the predetermined period of time with the timer;
- on detection of the expiry of the predetermined period of time, feed a second fuel composition into the propulsion system, wherein the second fuel composition is more prone to cause contrails than the first fuel composition;
- and
- monitor a presence or absence of contrail generated by the propulsion system while the second fuel composition is fed into the propulsion system;
- in response to detecting the presence of a contrail, the system is configured to repeat the feeding of the first fuel composition and the detecting the expiry of the predetermined period and the feeding of the second fuel, and
- in response to detecting the absence of a contrail, the system is configured to continue the feeding of the second fuel composition into the propulsion system and the monitoring of the presence or the absence of a contrail.
A method comprising:
- flying an aircraft by generating thrust from an engine mounted on the aircraft, operating the engine by feeding a first fuel composition into the engine for a predetermined period of time;
- upon the expiry of the predetermined period feeding a second fuel composition into the engine, wherein the second fuel composition is more prone to cause contrails than the first fuel composition, and sequentially repeating at least three times the feeding of the first fuel composition and the feeding of the second fuel composition, and generating, by the engine of the aircraft, a segmented contrail comprising three or more vapor segments separated by gaps.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.