Synthetic jet fuel flight tested

[tom slick]

Looks like they flew a buff with two engines running on synthetic jet fuel made from natural gas.
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123027415

not mentioned in the story is that they also tested the fuel in the fueling truck also.

 

[Shannow]

It's a move in a direction at least.

Funny that it needs to be tested in such a manner, when the stuff we dig up is treated to meet whatever spec it has to meet. i.e. if the synfuel meets the spec, then why does it need engine testing ?

 

[JHZR2]

there has been a lot of this going around...

 

[tom slick]

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It's a move in a direction at least.

Funny that it needs to be tested in such a manner, when the stuff we dig up is treated to meet whatever spec it has to meet. i.e. if the synfuel meets the spec, then why does it need engine testing ?

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because when there is an unforseen problem with it people die, bottom line. nothing that goes into an aircraft, especially powerplant or controls is taken lightly.

 

[RinconVTR]

I dont get it.

Why is it called synthetic is its produced from NG? NG comes from crude, just like conventional jet fuel. So its an alternitive fuel, but what would the benifits be if it still comes from crude oil...in a round about way?

 

[tom slick]

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I dont get it.

Why is it called synthetic is its produced from NG? NG comes from crude, just like conventional jet fuel. So its an alternitive fuel, but what would the benifits be if it still comes from crude oil...in a round about way?

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I believe NG is mined seperatly from crude.(?)
maybe it's to get even more fuel out of a gallon of crude?

 

[Shannow]

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Quote:

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It's a move in a direction at least.

Funny that it needs to be tested in such a manner, when the stuff we dig up is treated to meet whatever spec it has to meet. i.e. if the synfuel meets the spec, then why does it need engine testing ?

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because when there is an unforseen problem with it people die, bottom line. nothing that goes into an aircraft, especially powerplant or controls is taken lightly.

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I completely understand that bit.

But doesn't that then imply that the "standards" to which the fuels are certified are fallible...and therefore prone to people dying regardless of fuel source ?

 

[RinconVTR]

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Quote:

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I dont get it.

Why is it called synthetic is its produced from NG? NG comes from crude, just like conventional jet fuel. So its an alternitive fuel, but what would the benifits be if it still comes from crude oil...in a round about way?

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I believe NG is mined seperatly from crude.(?)
maybe it's to get even more fuel out of a gallon of crude?

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Yeah, I think your right. I must be thinking of Propane. Still, I dont get it! lol. A jet fuel based or refined from NG called synthetic fuel.

Eh, what do I know about jet fuel. Nothing besides its similar to Kerosene and lighter than desiel. My knowledge ends there!

 

[tom slick]

I have no idea what makes it synthetic.

 

[Shannow]

Based on the BITOG rule of synthetics, a molecule of fuel built up from a lesser molecule is a synthetic. THerefore Gas to liquid is synthetic.

On the other hand, there's a body of thought that bitumen to liquid is also synthetic...I'd like lots of flight tests then.

 

[oil pan 4]

That is cool.
There reaching.
They have to keep those planes flying. There just looking for other options to keep that happening.

 

[JHZR2]

typically NG is steam reformed to produce syngas, rich in hydrogen and carbon monoxide. Through use of the fischer-tropsch reaction, typically in a fluidized bed reactor (due to the exothermicity of the reaction), you can get a product distribution of whatever you like.

Thus, it is technically synthetic, though it comes from NG or whatnot.

Where do you think alpha-olefin comes from to make M1???

JMH

 

[Shannow]

Sounds synthetic to me...unless you have to create protns, neutrons and electrons from scratch, assemble them into atoms, and then molecules.