Realcent.org

Game changer eh?

http://www.activistpost.com/2014/04/nav ... .html#more

"The Navy calls the advancement a 'game changer' and plans to run their entire fleet of ships, planes and engines on liquid hydrocarbon fuel within 10 years. It would eliminate the logistics of keeping supply lines and fuel tankers making each Navy vessel energy self-sufficient."

I'm sorry, but this story has a few holes in it. First off, I believe our entire carrier fleet, most subs and selected other ships already run off of nuclear power so they are already "self-sufficient". Also the picture on the article shows two guys and a model airplane. If this is the extent of their testing, then their ten year plan is a little ambitious. The Departments of Energy and Interior would likely be involved in any testing and/or approval process. And I'm sure that the EPA would want to comment on the environmental impact of creating this fuel. Is there a large carbon footprint? Are the water collection procedures "dolphin safe?"

Edit:

I did a little research. Its not as simple as the above article makes it out to be, but it looks like this technolgy could be for real. Here is a link to a Huffpo article which has a little more information on the topic. It says that this fuel could be "commericially viable in ten years." Probably ambitious but certainly more believable.

I hope it works out.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/0 ... 13822.html

While I can believe it works, it is a net energy loss, so unless they are going to use the carrier nuclear reactors to create jet fuel for the carrier planes (to save on having a refueling tanker), this doesn't make a lot of sense as to being useful.

68Camaro wrote:While I can believe it works, it is a net energy loss, so unless they are going to use the carrier nuclear reactors to create jet fuel for the carrier planes (to save on having a refueling tanker), this doesn't make a lot of sense as to being useful.

My thoughts, exactly.

68Camaro wrote:.... unless they are going to use the carrier nuclear reactors to create jet fuel for the carrier planes (to save on having a refueling tanker)......

I looked into the article behind the one on Activist Post, and that was mentioned. Once you factor in that cost and the logistics, it makes a lot of sense.

And as the technology improves, one would hope the production cost would come down. (relative to inflation anyway ..LOL)