E-Jet synthetic fuel for the US Air Force
The main novelty from Twelve is a special electrochemical reactor. Still from the Twelve commercial
The US Air Force is interested in Twelve's new E-Jet synthetic fuel technology. This type of aviation kerosene is produced without the use of minerals, is carbon-neutral and requires only renewable resources. In addition, new technologies open up the theoretical possibility of producing fuel anywhere in the world, which could simplify the supply of remote bases.
Technology and ecology
The American company Twelve (formerly Opus 12) has been researching the production of synthetic liquid fuels over the past few years and looking for ways to obtain it without the use of fossil resources. At the same time, special attention was paid to aviation fuel. The full transition of airplanes and helicopters to electric propulsion is not possible, and therefore Twelve is trying to find an acceptable solution.
The promising project received support from the Air Force in the person of the Air Force Operational Energy. Last year, it became known about the completion of research work, and the manufacture of a pilot plant for the production of fuel began. For the near future, it was planned to receive the first volumes of new kerosene.
Preparations for such tests were completed this summer, and in August, the unit delivered the first batch of clean fuel E-Jet. The prototype system continues to work in the first phase of testing, which will last until December. Based on its results, the Air Force wants to receive a voluminous report reflecting all aspects of the new technology, its capabilities, as well as the prospects for full-scale deployment in the troops.
Disassembled reactor
Upon receiving positive results, the E-Jet project will move to a new stage. Production complexes will be developed that are suitable for full-fledged work and capable of producing large volumes of fuel. The possibility of creating mini-fuel plants for deployment in remote areas and simplifying their supply is also being considered.
Out of water and air
Twelve has already disclosed the main features of its technology and announced its benefits. Its production method is based on the well-known and mastered Fischer-Tropsch process. At the same time, fundamentally new means have been introduced into the production line, due to which environmental benefits are provided.
The Fischer-Tropsch process, created in Germany in the 50s, uses fossil raw materials such as coal. From it get the so-called. synthesis gas is a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, which is then processed into a mixture of hydrocarbons and liquid fuel. There are many variants of this technology with different characteristics, and some of them are still used today. For example, the US Air Force has certified 50/XNUMX mixtures of "conventional" and synthetic aviation kerosene.
Twelve has found a way to ditch fossil raw materials. To do this, her project uses an electrochemical reactor of an original design based on a catalyst of her own design. The raw material in the form of carbon dioxide from air and water is converted into synthesis gas with the help of a catalyst and electricity. Subsequent processes for obtaining liquid fuel are similar to existing technologies.
B-52H bombers are real kerosene fighters. The tanks of one such aircraft contain 181 610 liters of fuel.
Environmental friendliness of production should be achieved through the use of energy from "green" power plants. The necessary carbon dioxide and, in the long term, water are proposed to be extracted directly from the air. As a result, a virtually zero "carbon footprint" is ensured: when the E-Jet is burned, the carbon that was previously extracted from it is emitted into the atmosphere.
The production volumes of the pilot plant were not specified. However, it is clear that a laboratory "production line" cannot cover the needs of even a single aircraft, let alone entire subdivisions. Nevertheless, in the future, it is planned to reach a new level, corresponding to the needs of consumers. In addition, the proposed technology makes it possible to obtain not only aviation kerosene, but also other types of fuel.
Tasks to be Solved
Twelve promotes its development as a profitable way to reduce the negative impact of aviation on the environment. The US Air Force also intends to take care of the environment, but they are interested in other possibilities of the E-Jet. The military is predictably attracted by the potential savings and simplified logistics.
The US Air Force is critically dependent on fuel supplies. They are provided with a complex transportation system, including tankers, tank trucks, etc. With its help, a constant supply of the entire range of fuels and lubricants to all parts and bases is carried out. However, in a conflict situation, any element of this system can become a target for an enemy strike, which will have the most serious consequences for the troops.
A KC-10 tanker aircraft transfers fuel to a B-2 bomber
The Pentagon expects that in the future, Twelve or another contractor will be able to create a mobile system for the production of synthetic fuels - kerosene, gasoline, etc. By deploying it at a remote base, it will be possible to reduce or even eliminate the need for the supply of fuel from the outside. This will reduce risks and losses, as well as reduce the cost of the remaining traffic.
The issue of fuel cost and delivery is of particular importance to the Air Force. Every year, aviation makes hundreds of thousands of sorties, which consume millions of cubic meters of fuel. For example, in 2019, approx. 800 million cubic meters of kerosene. Several billion dollars are allocated annually for aviation fuel alone.
Any new developments that can reduce the cost of fuel or reduce the cost of transporting it are of great interest to the Pentagon. Whether the E-Jet synthetic kerosene will be cheap enough to compete with the fossil fuel remains to be seen. But the ability to produce fuel anywhere can simplify logistics, which will also be an important advantage.
Technological challenges
With all the expected benefits, the new technology from Twelve is not mature and ready for full implementation. Moreover, until the completion of the first stage of the project and tests, it will be impossible to talk about its real prospects. However, it is already clear what tasks the developers have to solve in order for the project to go beyond the laboratory.
Air refueling of the latest F-15EX fighter
First of all, it is necessary to develop a full-fledged installation for the production of fuel, the characteristics of which will correspond to practical operation in the interests of real consumers. It should show a fairly high performance, but at the same time consume a reasonable amount of resources and energy.
Setting up a mobile plant for deployment to remote sites is particularly challenging. So, the installation needs power supply and water supply. The necessary infrastructure may not be available in the place of its deployment, and therefore you need to provide your own systems. Naturally, they should not need a fuel supply, otherwise the production of the E-Jet loses its meaning. Perhaps, in parallel with mini-fuel plants, compact power plants, such as atomic ones, will be developed.
It cannot yet be ruled out that Twelve will meet the technical challenges and create a full-size plant for the production of a new type of aviation fuel. However, the project is very complex, which can make the finished product prohibitively expensive. In this case, the Pentagon will lose interest in the E-Jet project or move it into a development niche with an eye to the distant future.
According to the test results ...
The Pentagon is seriously interested in alternative methods of obtaining liquid fuel and supports one of the most interesting projects in this direction. They speak openly about the goals of such work: the Air Force wants to reduce logistical risks, as well as reduce the negative impact on the environment.
However, the prospects for the E-Jet project are still uncertain, and some clarity will appear only at the end of this year. The customer will then be able to evaluate the performance of the pilot fuel production plant and determine whether the work is worth continuing. Obviously, the fate of the new project depends precisely on the technical and economic characteristics. If they are insufficient, no rhetoric on environmental topics will help the project.
- Ryabov Kirill
- U.S. Department of Defense, Twelve Co.
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