The globalisation of the engineering workplace has elevated the importance of preparing engineeri... more The globalisation of the engineering workplace has elevated the importance of preparing engineering students for an international working environment. This paper reports on the development and results of an international aerospace design exercise, organised for students from Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland, and Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. Six years of experience has demonstrated that if properly managed, taking into account learning styles and cultural dimensions, international design exercises such as these are extremely worthwhile and provide students with a number of additional competencies not readily encountered in most engineering degree courses, such as the abilities to work with teams of different cultures/learning styles, and to deal with the challenges of long distance communication.
Airlines are entirely dependent on fossil fuels to power aircraft. Alternative renewable fuels ca... more Airlines are entirely dependent on fossil fuels to power aircraft. Alternative renewable fuels can solve issues in depleted fossil fuels and carbon dioxide emissions. Several studies and test flights with alternative fuels were performed in the last couple of years. Macro algae are a possible feedstock for biofuel. Macro algae are widely produced in South East Asia. It grows quick, does not use fresh water or compete with food supply from land. This feasibility study in the end-to-end chain researched the energy balance, carbon dioxide balance and economical viability of bio jet fuel from macro algae. The economical viability is the biggest problem. Several actions can increase the demand in bio jet fuel. This will reduce the production costs of the fuel.
Prior to being used in aviation, alternative fuels have to be tested thoroughly to ensure safe op... more Prior to being used in aviation, alternative fuels have to be tested thoroughly to ensure safe operation. At Delft University of Technology, a test programme was performed to evaluate the safety, performance and emissions of synthetic fuel blends. During test preparations, compatibility of the synthetic fuel with the aircraft, a Cessna Citation II equipped with Pratt & Whitney Canada JT15D-4
International jet fuel specifications permit up to 50% volume Fischer-Tropsch synthetic paraffini... more International jet fuel specifications permit up to 50% volume Fischer-Tropsch synthetic paraffinic kerosines (FT-SPKs), such as Gas-to-Liquids (GTL) Kerosine, in Jet A-1. Higher SPK-content fuels could, however, produce desirable fuels: lower density, higher SPK-content fuels may have benefits for Payload range (P/R) performance and their chemistry should improve many engine emissions. Two sets of GTL-containing Jet A-1s, with 0-50% GTL,
TU Delft in the Netherlands is performing research into the effects of the use of synthetic keros... more TU Delft in the Netherlands is performing research into the effects of the use of synthetic kerosene in aircraft. The research program consists of both desk research and tests. In the desk research gas turbine simulations will be combined with payload range performance calculations to show engine effects and fuel consumption changes. Ground and flight tests will be performed to show safe operation on synthetic fuel and to validate the calculations. Measurements during the ground tests will show the changed emissions as a result of the synthetic fuel.
Sustainable drives produce low quantities of local emissions or even zero emission, and become mo... more Sustainable drives produce low quantities of local emissions or even zero emission, and become more and more important in the propulsion of vehicles. Superbus is a new and different ¿green¿ transport vehicle with a sustainable drive system. It can cruise at 250km/h, deliver point-to-point service to 20 to 25 passengers with distance between 50 and 200 km. It has low aerodynamic drag, a light weight structure, an intelligent navigation system, and a proactive suspension system etc. This paper will comprehensively investigate viable solutions to the sustainable drive system for Superbus. Feasibility of different sustainable drive-trains will be analyzed and compared.
The globalisation of the engineering workplace has elevated the importance of preparing engineeri... more The globalisation of the engineering workplace has elevated the importance of preparing engineering students for an international working environment. This paper reports on the development and results of an international aerospace design exercise, organised for students from Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland, and Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. Six years of experience has demonstrated that if properly managed, taking into account learning styles and cultural dimensions, international design exercises such as these are extremely worthwhile and provide students with a number of additional competencies not readily encountered in most engineering degree courses, such as the abilities to work with teams of different cultures/learning styles, and to deal with the challenges of long distance communication.
Airlines are entirely dependent on fossil fuels to power aircraft. Alternative renewable fuels ca... more Airlines are entirely dependent on fossil fuels to power aircraft. Alternative renewable fuels can solve issues in depleted fossil fuels and carbon dioxide emissions. Several studies and test flights with alternative fuels were performed in the last couple of years. Macro algae are a possible feedstock for biofuel. Macro algae are widely produced in South East Asia. It grows quick, does not use fresh water or compete with food supply from land. This feasibility study in the end-to-end chain researched the energy balance, carbon dioxide balance and economical viability of bio jet fuel from macro algae. The economical viability is the biggest problem. Several actions can increase the demand in bio jet fuel. This will reduce the production costs of the fuel.
Prior to being used in aviation, alternative fuels have to be tested thoroughly to ensure safe op... more Prior to being used in aviation, alternative fuels have to be tested thoroughly to ensure safe operation. At Delft University of Technology, a test programme was performed to evaluate the safety, performance and emissions of synthetic fuel blends. During test preparations, compatibility of the synthetic fuel with the aircraft, a Cessna Citation II equipped with Pratt & Whitney Canada JT15D-4
International jet fuel specifications permit up to 50% volume Fischer-Tropsch synthetic paraffini... more International jet fuel specifications permit up to 50% volume Fischer-Tropsch synthetic paraffinic kerosines (FT-SPKs), such as Gas-to-Liquids (GTL) Kerosine, in Jet A-1. Higher SPK-content fuels could, however, produce desirable fuels: lower density, higher SPK-content fuels may have benefits for Payload range (P/R) performance and their chemistry should improve many engine emissions. Two sets of GTL-containing Jet A-1s, with 0-50% GTL,
TU Delft in the Netherlands is performing research into the effects of the use of synthetic keros... more TU Delft in the Netherlands is performing research into the effects of the use of synthetic kerosene in aircraft. The research program consists of both desk research and tests. In the desk research gas turbine simulations will be combined with payload range performance calculations to show engine effects and fuel consumption changes. Ground and flight tests will be performed to show safe operation on synthetic fuel and to validate the calculations. Measurements during the ground tests will show the changed emissions as a result of the synthetic fuel.
Sustainable drives produce low quantities of local emissions or even zero emission, and become mo... more Sustainable drives produce low quantities of local emissions or even zero emission, and become more and more important in the propulsion of vehicles. Superbus is a new and different ¿green¿ transport vehicle with a sustainable drive system. It can cruise at 250km/h, deliver point-to-point service to 20 to 25 passengers with distance between 50 and 200 km. It has low aerodynamic drag, a light weight structure, an intelligent navigation system, and a proactive suspension system etc. This paper will comprehensively investigate viable solutions to the sustainable drive system for Superbus. Feasibility of different sustainable drive-trains will be analyzed and compared.
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Papers by J. Melkert