Rajan Wilcox
The Concorde was an engineering marvel, offering supersonic flights and impressive speeds. However, its fuel consumption was a significant concern, with estimates ranging from 20,500 kg per hour to 25,629 litres per hour. This high fuel usage was a factor in its eventual retirement, with operating costs becoming too high. The Concorde's fuel system faced challenges due to high temperatures and low ambient pressures at cruising altitudes, requiring innovative solutions to prevent fuel loss and ensure engine performance. Its afterburner system, used during takeoff and to break the sound barrier, contributed to its high fuel consumption, with a rate of 32.5 litres per second during these periods.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Fuel consumption per hour | 20,500 kg or 5,638 Imperial gallons (25,629 liters) |
| Fuel consumption per second | 32.5 liters |
| Fuel consumption during taxi | 2 tons |
| Fuel consumption during takeoff | High due to the use of afterburners |
| Fuel consumption during flight | Half of its total fuel load |
| Fuel type | Conventional kerosene |
| Fuel system design | Conventional with well-tried principles and practices |
| Fuel system challenges | High temperatures, low ambient pressures, high-performance requirements, additional functions for controlling and absorbing surplus heat |
| Fuel economy | Poor due to high thrust and speed requirements |
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What You'll Learn
- The Concorde used 5,638 imperial gallons of fuel per hour
- It consumed 20,500 kg of fuel per hour
- It used afterburners during takeoff, resulting in high fuel consumption
- The Concorde's fuel system had to manage surplus heat from aircraft systems
- Its fuel economy was compromised due to high thrust requirements
The Concorde used 5,638 imperial gallons of fuel per hour
The Concorde was an impressive engineering feat, offering supersonic flights and impressive speeds. However, its fuel consumption was a significant concern, with a rate of 5,638 imperial gallons of fuel burnt per hour. This equates to 25,629 litres per hour or 32.5 litres per second, an incredibly high amount when compared to other aircraft.
Concorde's fuel system was designed along conventional lines, but the aircraft's performance requirements led to novel features. The high temperatures and low ambient pressures at cruising speed meant that the fuel system had to be carefully designed to prevent fuel loss due to boiling. This unique environment also meant that the risk of ignition by lightning strike had to be considered, which could ignite fuel vapours emitted from vent outlets.
The Concorde's fuel economy was a trade-off for its high speed and performance. The aircraft required high thrust to achieve its top speed of Mach 2.02, more than twice the speed of sound. This speed came at a cost, with the aircraft consuming an estimated two tons of fuel during taxi and take-off alone.
The Concorde's afterburner system, used during take-off and to break the sound barrier, contributed significantly to its high fuel consumption. While the afterburners were switched off after initial take-off, they were used again for 15 minutes once the aircraft reached 43,000 feet to help break the sound barrier. This combination of factors led to the Concorde's high fuel usage, a factor that ultimately contributed to its retirement.
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It consumed 20,500 kg of fuel per hour
Concorde consumed 20,500 kg of fuel per hour. This was an incredibly high level of fuel consumption, especially when compared to other aircraft. For example, the Boeing 747-400 averages 14,400 litres per hour, which is far less than Concorde's fuel usage.
Concorde's high fuel consumption was due in part to its design and the conditions in which it operated. The aircraft was designed for supersonic flight, which made ground operations and takeoff particularly fuel-intensive. The high thrust required for high speed meant that fuel economy was not a priority. Additionally, Concorde used afterburners during takeoff, which contributed to its high fuel usage.
The environmental conditions in which Concorde operated also impacted its fuel consumption. At high altitudes and low ambient pressures, conventional kerosene fuel could reach its boiling point. This led to the need for specialised fuel system designs to prevent fuel loss and maintain engine performance.
Concorde's fuel system was designed to address these challenges, but it still faced issues that had not been encountered with other civil transport aircraft at the time. The high performance of the aircraft also meant that the fuel system had to perform additional functions, such as controlling and absorbing surplus heat from other systems.
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It used afterburners during takeoff, resulting in high fuel consumption
Concorde used afterburners during takeoff, which resulted in high fuel consumption. Afterburners are a method of utilising hot exhaust gases by spraying fuel into a ring in the exhaust pipe and burning it to increase thrust. This technique is typically employed during takeoff and acceleration, which are the two most power-demanding phases of a flight.
Concorde's use of afterburners during takeoff significantly increased its fuel consumption. It is estimated that Concorde burned nearly a ton of fuel between the start of a heavyweight takeoff and climbing to 1,000 feet. The afterburners doubled the engine's fuel flow to approximately 20,000 kg per hour per engine. This high fuel consumption during takeoff contributed to Concorde's overall fuel inefficiency.
Concorde's afterburner usage was notably different from other commercial supersonic aircraft, such as the Tupolev Tu-144. While Concorde primarily utilised afterburners during takeoff and acceleration, the Tu-144 employed them for a more significant portion of its flight. This distinction highlights Concorde's unique engineering design and operational characteristics.
The use of afterburners was essential for Concorde to achieve the necessary thrust during takeoff and acceleration. The afterburners increased the engine's thrust by about 20%, enabling Concorde to overcome the challenges of breaking the sound barrier. However, this high thrust requirement during the initial stages of flight contributed to the aircraft's high fuel consumption.
Concorde's fuel consumption rate was significantly higher compared to other aircraft. For example, it consumed 20,500 kg of fuel per hour, while the 787-9 and A350-900 consumed 5,400 kg and 5,800 kg per hour, respectively. Concorde's high fuel consumption, particularly during takeoff due to afterburner usage, was a contributing factor in its eventual retirement.
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The Concorde's fuel system had to manage surplus heat from aircraft systems
The Concorde consumed a significant amount of fuel, with estimates ranging from 18,000 litres per hour to 25,629 litres per hour. This high fuel consumption was a factor in its eventual retirement, as it contributed to high operating costs. The afterburners used during takeoff and when accelerating to break the sound barrier, for instance, carried a fuel consumption of 32.5 litres per second.
The Concorde's fuel system was designed along conventional lines, but it had to address several new problems that had not been encountered with other civil transport aircraft at the time. One of these challenges was managing the surplus heat from the aircraft's systems.
The Concorde's environment involved high temperatures and very low ambient pressures when cruising at Mach 2.0 at 60,000 feet. At these conditions, conventional kerosene fuel could be highly supersaturated with dissolved air and near its boiling point. This raised several concerns. Firstly, there was a risk of losing fuel due to boiling-off, which could also lead to high transient pressures in the tank and rapid de-aeration of the fuel. Additionally, the tank pumps needed to be designed to ensure they could deliver the required performance under these challenging conditions.
To address these issues, the fuel system usage sequence was arranged to minimise heat intake through the wing skin, thereby keeping temperatures as low as possible. This required extensive research to understand fuel vapourisation and aeration characteristics. The design and development of the fuel tank pumps were particularly challenging, as they had to perform effectively with low inlet pressure and fuel near its boiling point.
Furthermore, the Concorde fuel system had to manage the surplus heat rejected by other aircraft and engine systems. The fuel served as a heat sink, absorbing and controlling surplus heat from various sources, including the air conditioning, hydraulic systems, constant speed drive, generator, and engine lubricating oil. This additional function contributed to the complexity of the Concorde fuel system compared to subsonic aircraft.
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Its fuel economy was compromised due to high thrust requirements
The Concorde was an engineering marvel, but its fuel economy was a significant issue that contributed to its eventual retirement. With a fuel consumption rate of 5,638 Imperial gallons (25,629 litres) per hour, it used four times as much fuel as the Boeing 747, and its fuel economy was compromised due to high thrust requirements.
The Concorde's engines generated tremendous thrust, enabling it to achieve a maximum speed of Mach 2.02, more than twice the speed of sound. This high speed came at a cost, as the aircraft sacrificed fuel efficiency. The Rolls-Royce engines were so powerful that it was challenging to move the aircraft on the ground during taxiing, and pilots often used only two of the four engines during this phase of flight.
To achieve supersonic speeds, the Concorde utilised afterburners during takeoff, resulting in an extremely high fuel consumption of 32.5 litres per second. This fuel consumption was significantly higher than that of comparable aircraft such as the 787-9, A350-900, and A380. The afterburners were also used for 15 minutes after reaching 43,000 feet to break the sound barrier. While the afterburners were crucial for supersonic flight, they contributed to the Concorde's compromised fuel economy.
The Concorde's fuel system was designed to handle the high-performance requirements of the aircraft. It faced challenges due to the high temperatures and low ambient pressures experienced during cruising at 60,000 feet. At these conditions, conventional kerosene fuel could be near its boiling point, leading to potential fuel loss and high transient pressures in the tank. To address these issues, measures were implemented to minimise heat intake and prevent fuel boiling-off, but these challenges further emphasised the high thrust requirements and the resulting impact on fuel economy.
In summary, the Concorde's fuel economy was compromised due to the high thrust requirements necessary for supersonic speeds. The use of afterburners during takeoff and the need to manage extreme temperatures and pressures at high altitudes contributed to its high fuel consumption. While the Concorde was an impressive engineering achievement, its fuel efficiency challenges were a significant factor in its eventual retirement.
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Frequently asked questions
The Concorde used 20,500 kg of fuel per hour.
The Concorde consumed 5,638 Imperial gallons (25,629 liters) of fuel per hour, which is four times the amount of fuel consumed by the Boeing 747. When compared to more modern aircraft, Concorde's fuel consumption is even higher; for example, the 787-9 consumes 5,400 kg of fuel per hour.
Concorde required high thrust for its high speed, compromising fuel economy. Its design, including the delta wing and movable nose portion, was optimized for supersonic flight, making ground operations and takeoff particularly fuel-intensive. Additionally, Concorde's fuel system had to manage surplus heat from other aircraft and engine systems, contributing to overall high fuel usage.
