Technology
Aeronautics /
Europe
Airplane with shark skin
Lufthansa and Basf develop technology that reduces drag and saves fuel
Boeing 777 cargueiro com a pele de tubarão
Divulgação/Lufthansa
Rafael Ramos
5/4/2021
The Boeing 777 aircraft of Lufthansa Cargo will receive, next year, a highly technological surface imitating shark skin. The technology allows to reduce aerodynamic drag, also reducing fuel consumption, as announced by the company yesterday, 05/03.
If air resistance is lower, fuel consumption is also reduced, ensuring greater efficiency and lower operating costs. The great inspiration of the industries to reach this greater efficiency has been the nature. Research on how to reduce aerodynamic drag has been going on for years.
Lufthansa Technik and the German chemical industry BASF have called the new breakthrough AeroShark, which consists of a thin film of riblets of around 50 micrometers imitating thin shark skin and its properties, thus reducing even emissions.
Boeing 777F with AeroShark
Image: Lufthansa Cargo
Lufthansa Technik estimates a drag reduction of more than 1% for Boeing 777F freighters. Applying this logic to the entire fleet of ten aircraft, the reduction would be about 3700 tons of kerosene and more than 11000 tons of CO2, which is equivalent to 48 individual cargo flights from Frankfurt to Shanghai.
In late 2019, this technology was used by Lufthansa Technik and BASF to cover the bottom of the fuselage of a Lufthansa Boeing 747-400. It was 500 square meters of the jointly developed surface. This modification has been certified by EASA.
The aircraft validated the technology's potential and reduced about 0.8% of its emissions. However, it is estimated that the reduction with the Boeing 777F is greater, as the application areas are larger due to the absence of rows of windows on a freighter. Fuel consumption analysis software validates reductions. This software also allows you to evaluate a series of changes.
Boeing 777F
Lufthansa Cargo
Image: Lufthansa Cargo
“Responsibility for the environment and society is a fundamental strategic issue for us. We have always played a leading role in the introduction of environmentally friendly technologies. The new shark skin technology for aircraft shows what strong and highly innovative partners can collectively achieve for the environment. This will help us achieve our goal of climate neutrality by 2050. ” Says Christina Foerster, Member of the Executive Board of Deutsche Lufthansa and with responsibility for sustainability.
Markus Kamieth, a member of BASF's Board of Executive Directors, sees the aviation industry and the chemical industry as facing similar challenges and continued progress must be made with climate protection, despite high energy requirements.
“By collaborating closely and successfully combining our know-how in surface design and aerodynamics, we are now able to take a big step forward. This is an excellent example of sustainability in practice, achieved through collaboration based on partnerships and innovative technologies ”, says Markus.
Lufthansa Cargo's CEO, Dorothea von Boxberg, says that everyone in the company is proud to operate the freighter fleet more efficiently, thus contributing to the United Nations' commitment and sustainable development goal for climate action.
Johannes Bussmann, CEO of Lufthansa Technik, says the company always uses its experience to help reduce the ecological footprint of the aeronautical industry and that the extremely constructive partnership with BASF chemistry is an example of intersectoral cooperation to contribute to the sustainability of the industry aviation.
The plane's external surfaces are exposed to several factors, such as sunlight, UV radiation, strong changes in pressure and temperature. For this reason, BASF concentrated its development on extremely resistant and durable surfaces, with easy application, handling and repair, if necessary.
“As surface specialists, we implement tailor-made solutions for our customers. Innovative shark skin technology allows us to support Lufthansa in achieving its sustainability goals and making the aviation industry a little more environmentally friendly, ”says Dirk Bremm, head of BASF's Coatings division.
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Rafael Ramos
Aviation enthusiast from an early age, he had his first contacts with the area developing that good old habit of spending dozens of hours in front of the screens of Micrsoft Flight Simulator and other simulators. With a solid background in various technological areas, including engineering and chemistry, Rafael has rejoined aviation as editor and author of articles and materials on our portal, providing invaluable help to the dynamics and expansion of the website and the aeronautical community, bringing us the news and updates so indispensable for us to remain current in our area of operation.
   
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