The discussion revolves around the feasibility of modifying jet engines to operate on hydrogen and oxygen as fuel. Participants explore theoretical implications, practical challenges, and distinctions between jet and rocket propulsion systems.
Participants express differing views on whether a jet engine can operate on hydrogen and oxygen, with some asserting it cannot due to the definition of jet propulsion, while others explore theoretical possibilities. The discussion remains unresolved with multiple competing perspectives.
Limitations include the dependence on definitions of jet versus rocket propulsion, the practical challenges of cryogenic storage, and the safety concerns associated with hydrogen and oxygen combustion.
The SR-71, as originally conceived was to run on hydrogen and air. The biggest pro is, as Fred said, energy per unit mass, and the biggest con is density, not cryogenics (for the SR-71, anyway - for more mundane use, cryogenics would be an issue too). For the SR-71, cryogenics was a pro because the hydrogen could have been used to cool the airframe. The low density would have resulted in a 300 foot long plane.Yapper said:thinking of a project and was wondering can a jet engine be modified to run on just hydrogen and oxygen as the fuel, or is it too explosive? if not can a pulse jet?