Are hybrid jet engines a real possibility?

Question

Like hybrid cars that utilize battery and petrol, will a similar setup be possible for aircraft - possibly short-haul airliners?

Answer 1

yes,it`s possible

Answer 2

No

Hybrid engines on cars are radically different in concept to a turbine engine.  Using electricity to spin a turbine would not do any good, as the thrust required to move the aircraft forward is still the result of the expansion of burned fuel.  The power that results from a turbine engine is not generated simply by turning the axle, but by the movement of accelerated airflow.

Also, most hybrids get that extra electricity through the sue of normal physical forces.  i.e. When you put on the brakes, the kinetic energy of your car is converted into electricity and stored in a battery.  They are not typically much more efficient than a normal car under standard driving conditions like being on a highway.  They only see dramatic increases over standard engines in stop-and-start driving conditions.

There is no analogous acceleration/deceleration cycle in an aircraft's normal operations.

Also, batteries are extremely heavy and hauling them around would be prohibitve to an aircraft.

Answer 3

Always a possible...already on props , and solar recharge panels as well...for a jet hybrid much energy is required...but after reaching level speed then hybrid can maintain without much trouble...they will never admit it but a company (starts with "B" sounds like bow-ing)has been working on this technology for awhile but most of it is classified by the top of the food chain...suits with sunglasses...and I don't mean blues brothers...

Answer 4

Any thing is possible, and does not always make sense.  No real value would come from this combination, unless we fully redesign the jet engine, good luck.

The future will be Hydrogen powered jet engines, just wait and see.  Hydrogen is also the future of the automobile, as soon as oil gets to expensive.  The real trick will be to get the energy for the hydrogen directly from the sun.

Answer 5

Gas/electric hybrid...no.

Non fossil fuel engine...yes.

Purdue University is working on bio fuel for a turbine engine.  

Virgin Atlantic just flew a 747 with bio fuel.

http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/02/virgi...

Answer 6

Probably not, jet engines spin very, very fast. Like 50,00 RPM. Plus they can be run on renewable clean biodiesel, so why bother attaching heavy electronics to them?

Answer 7

No. Jet engines are already very efficient, and adding a generator would only weigh the airplane down, and cause more drag.

The generator would have to be about the same size as the jet engine to be useful.