In an average year, worldwide flights produce over 915 million tonnes of CO2. This equates to the aviation industry being responsible for around 2% of the world’s total carbon emissions. With many countries committing to the 2015 Paris Agreement to become carbon neutral by 2050, there is increasing pressure for the transport industry to find solutions that reduce their carbon footprint.
With the pressures the aviation industry faces, lowering carbon emissions has to be balanced with cost-saving measures that also drive efficiency. At Ogab®, we strive to create a brighter future for all, by balancing our environmentally conscious innovations, with pioneering safety features and cost-saving potential.
Our patented sustainable aviation technology can help the aviation industry to reduce its carbon footprint whilst increasing the efficiency of its operations. From reducing flight turnaround times to increasing engine lifespan; Ogab®’s focus is to create a sustainable future for your business and the planet.
One activity that contributes to carbon emissions is with the braking and landing of aircraft. Just a single landing operation causes a vast increase in particulate matter in the environment. In fact, the concentration increases more than ten-fold during the landing operation and continues for at least 60 seconds.
Planes use a number of braking systems to reach a safe landing. This includes spoilers and thrust reversers. The reserve thrust works against the forward travel of the plane in order to decelerate. Air or speed brakes are also available to increase drag and ultimately exert torque on the wheels to enable the plane to stop.
During landing, planes typically start the landing process travelling at around 165mph and have to safely reach 0mph as quickly as possible. The high heat involved in this process can make landing dangerous and can cause tyre explosions, brake seizing and fires. Consequently, looking to reduce these temperatures can not only help increase the safety of the landing process, while also reducing particulate matter.
In addition to this, the introduction of reliable active brake cooling has the potential to decrease the reliance on reverse thrust and therefore reduce the fuel costs that come with this process. This, in turn, cuts the related CO2 emissions, extends engine lifespan and provides a reduced need for maintenance on larger aircraft.
Ogab®’s Sustainable Braking uses patented airflow technology to cool brakes in order to reduce the dangers of landing. By harnessing energy that is otherwise lost, Ogab®’s Sustainable Braking cooling technology helps to quickly stabilise brake temperature. This helps to reduce degradation and burn up of the brakes, which occurs with excessive heat and friction, in order to increase the lifespan of the brake discs.
Our research on light aircraft has shown that our Sustainable Braking technology offers a 33.5% improvement in average volume temperature of rotating discs. Furthermore, our innovation led to a 24.8% improvement in reducing the maximum disc volume temperature during the ten seconds of braking.
However, our studies showed increasingly beneficial results after 30 seconds. With a 77.44% improvement in average volume temperature and an incredible 80.89% improvement in maximum disc volume temperature.
These studies provide significant evidence to show just how Ogab®’s brake cooling systems can make a substantial benefit to aircraft and aviation businesses as a whole.
While our focus is on creating and safer environment for its inhabitants, Ogab®’s innovations offer a multitude of benefits that can make a game-changing difference to aviation firms. Here are just some of the ways that aircraft can benefit from Sustainable Braking with Ogab®.
For most airlines, fuel accounts for almost a quarter of the firm’s total operating costs. As fuel prices look like they will continue to rise, managing fuel efficiency becomes vital for the economic viability of airlines. With Sustainable Braking, it is possible to increase fuel efficiency by reducing the power needed to safely land the plane.
Safe take-offs require brakes to be at cool temperatures. Without brake cooling technology, larger aircraft require external brake cooling, often completed with an extraction fan. This process not only requires a significant workforce but can also take more than 30 minutes to reach safe temperatures. Consequently, a plane has to be grounded (and completely stationary) for long periods while this process takes place.
With Sustainable Braking, brake cooling takes place when the aircraft is taxiing and can reach sufficiently cool temperatures before the aircraft has even reached the terminal. This eliminates the need for external brake cooling, reducing the cost of human resources, equipment, and aircraft parking time.
All of this means planes can benefit from faster turnaround times, allowing planes to increase their schedules and their efficiency.
The heat and friction during brake can lead to significant brake disc degradation. However, by allowing braking to operate at cooler temperatures, this can significantly reduce the wear and degradation of brakes. Consequently, brake discs can remain safer for longer, allowing them to complete more journeys before requiring replacements.
This not only reduces emissions with regards to the production of new brake discs (which can be a significant source of carbon emissions) but it can lower the maintenance requirements and subsequent costs.
Safety is the number one priority for airlines, and high safety records can make all the difference to the success of the airline and the peace of mind of their customers. High brake temperatures can lead to dangerous situations, including brake failure and tyre explosions. When operating the brakes at cooler temperatures through Ogab®’s brake cooling technology, it is possible to significantly lower these landing risks, helping to increase the plane’s safety record and reputation.
Our commitment to sustainability and creating a brighter future for all means that all of our solutions are designed to reduce emissions and limit carbon footprints. Sustainable Braking not only reduces the release of particulate matter from the braking process but also reduces fuel consumption too. As well as this, fewer brake replacements and longer engine lifespans can all significantly reduce an aircraft’s carbon footprint. All the while helping the airline to hit its sustainability targets.
To discover the cost-saving efficiencies that come with safer, effective braking, please get in touch with Ogab® today and see the difference that our innovations can make to your airline.
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