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Air Force to Begin Testing Synthetic Fuel in C-17
11 September 2007
With the B-52H now certified for a 50:50 JP8:FT fuel mix (earlier post), the US Air Force is turning to tests to certify Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft to use an alternative fuel mix. The Air Force plans to test and certify every airframe to fly on a domestically produced synthetic fuel blend by 2010.
The C-17 tests will be important because it’s a newer aircraft with newer materials and systems. Our goal is to have a standard protocol—a methodology to establish a military standard for the fuel. (The C-17 tests) will validate the methodology we’ll use to certify other aircraft.
—Dr. Don Erbschloe, Air Mobility Command's chief scientist
Although the Fischer-Tropsch process generates excess carbon dioxide, Erbschloe says he remains confident technologies will emerge soon to capture and store the carbon dioxide generated by the process.
Until more research is done, the Air Force will stick with a blend for synthetic FT fuel and JP-8 to ensure the fuel contains adequate aromatics. FT fuels are virtually void of aromatics.
Aromatics might be a factor in preventing fuel leaks. It turns out aromatics might help various seals and o-rings expand and seal properly in aircraft engines during operation.
—Don Erbschloe
Commercial aviation already is working with the Air Force to certify more aircraft to use the fuel blend, according to Erbschloe.
(A hat-tip to PD!)
September 11, 2007 in Brief | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
Comments
Posted by: Egeek | September 11, 2007 at 03:16 PM
Yes! It's so important that people are murdered in a fuel efficient manner.
Posted by: Domenick | September 11, 2007 at 05:50 PM
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Folks,
This is may be bigger than you think. The military is under a NATO directive to have all small engines in the fleet be able to run on one fuel type (JP8 JP5) by 2010.
This fuel blend comes in at that same date. So like the Internet and Ike's Interstate Highway system, are we getting an ipso facto (one fuel) standard going forward influence more by Mil Spec than the bloviaters in Congress?
Time will tell....