Shock waves can be deadly for airplanes, but Boeing may have found a solution.
The company has patented a plasma ‘force field’ to protect planes from the destructive energy of shock waves. Shock waves can cause severe damage to an airplane, leading to crashes. The force field would create a barrier between the plane and the shock wave, preventing any damage. While this technology is still in its early stages, it could one day save lives and prevent accidents.
What are shock waves, and how do they affect airplanes
Shock waves are pressure waves that travel through the air, or any other medium, after an explosion. They are responsible for the damage caused by explosions and can even be dangerous for airplanes. Boeing’s new system is designed to protect aircraft from the damage that shock waves can cause.
Shockwaves can affect airplanes in a few different ways. The most obvious way is that the shockwave can damage the aircraft itself. The pressure wave can cause the airplane to break apart or damage the engines or the wings. The shockwave can also cause problems for the passengers and crew on board the plane. It can cause ear pain, or it can even cause injuries from the blast wave.
Shock waves can also affect an airplane’s ability to fly. The shockwave can change the air pressure, making it difficult for the plane to stay in the air. It can also create a change in the temperature of the air that can make it difficult for the aircraft to fly. These changes in pressure and temperature can make it very difficult for a plane to take off or land.
How Boeing is working to prevent shock waves from affecting their planes
Boeing’s new system is designed to protect airplanes from these dangers. The system creates an “intermediate medium” between the shockwave and the protected region. This medium is just a region of air with different temperatures, densities, or compositions that can attenuate (reduce) the shockwave, reflecting and absorbing energy as it passes through.
The system has already been tested on a 737 airplane. The tests showed that the system could reduce the shockwave’s force by up to 95%. This was enough to keep the airplane from breaking apart or being damaged by the blast wave. The system also kept the pressure and temperature changes within safe limits, allowing the plane to take off and land safely.
Boeing’s plasma ‘force field’ would create a barrier between the plane and the shock wave, preventing any damage. The force field is created by ionizing air molecules with a high-voltage electrical discharge. This creates a cloud of plasma that can deflect or absorb the energy of a shock wave.
“The general concept is to use an electromagnetic arc to create this intermediate medium in mid-air on very short notice by using a stupendous amount of energy to heat the air into a plasma,” according to Evan Ackerman from IEEE Spectrum.
This technology has been used by Boeing for many years now, originally developed to protect planes from the detonation of a roadside bomb. But it can also be used to protect other vehicles, like buses, trains, or even boats.
The system works by using sensors to detect the shockwave produced by an explosion and then create the necessary intermediate medium between the shockwave and the protected region. This medium can be created in a number of different ways, depending on the situation. For example, if there’s a lot of wind available, the system might use airflow to create the medium. Or, if there’s no wind available, it might use heat to create a thermal boundary layer.
No matter how it’s created, this intermediate medium will help to attenuate the shockwave, reflecting and absorbing energy as it passes through. And while it won’t completely eliminate all damage caused by a shockwave, it will help to reduce it significantly. This technology has already saved countless lives and prevented millions of dollars in damage, and with continued development, it could save even more in the future.
The process resembles the way lenses bend light, Tillotson told Live Science.
“With a convex lens you focus the light,” he said. “A concave lens spreads it out.” Light waves move slower in glass, so when light hits a glass surface it bends. The lens must be concave to spread out that light. Because shock waves move faster in hotter air, a spherical or cylindrical area of hot air will cause the shock wave to bend, this time spreading out just like the light through a concave lens, becoming weaker. In doing so that hot-air shield could deflect shock waves.”
The technology is still in its early stages, but it could one day save lives and prevent accidents. If this technology can be perfected, it could be used to protect airplanes from all kinds of hazards, including bird strikes, hailstones, and even missiles. So far, Boeing’s patent is just a concept, but it’s an exciting one that could make flying safer for everyone.
The potential dangers of shock waves and how Boeing’s solution may help to mitigate them
Shock waves can cause serious damage to an airplane, leading to crashes. The force field would create a barrier between the plane and the shock wave, preventing any damage. While this technology is still in its early stages, it could one day save lives and prevent accidents.
Shock waves are created by many things, including explosions, sonic booms, and even meteorites. When an object moves through the air faster than the speed of sound, it creates a shock wave. The force of the shock wave can damage an airplane, leading to a crash. Boeing’s plasma ‘force field’ would create a barrier between the plane and the shock wave, preventing any damage.
The technology is still in its early stages, but it could one day save lives and prevent accidents. If this technology can be perfected, it could be used to protect airplanes from all kinds of hazards, including bird strikes, hailstones, and even missiles. So far, Boeing’s patent is just a concept, but it’s an exciting one that could make flying safer for everyone.
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