Boeing 747-8 via Boeing
Seeing a trend in aircraft biofuel usage?
Boeing has recently demonstrated the use of a camelina-based biofuel in one of their unmodified 747-8 Freighter airplanes. The camelina biofuel is a mixture of 85% kerosene fuel, called Jet-A, and 15% processed oils from the camelina organic plant. Camelina plant seeds have an oil content in the range of 37-41%, and it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. When the oils are heated in the excess of 450°C in the absence of air (oxygen), it causes the molecules to break forming chemical compounds similar to those found in petrodiesel. This process is called pyrolysis, and sometimes thermal cracking or cracking.
Camelina plant, via Camelina Wiki
The camelina plant was grown in Montana, USA, and Honeywell's UOP processed the plant into the biofuel used in the demonstration. The 747-8 cargo plane made its 4,989 mile transatlantic flight without a single issue. The fuel comes from a 5 year program that Boeing and several other aircraft companies started as a way to develop sustainable biofuels.
Eavesdropper
