Some cost, energy, environmental, and resource implications of synthetic fuels produced from coal for military aircraft

Book · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1976

OSTI ID:7180561

Stanley, W L

As the availability and economics of jet fuels derived from crude oil become less certain in the future, the United States Air Force will need to consider the implications of utilizing aviation fuels derived from alternative energy resources. This paper examines the most promising energy resource alternatives to crude oil and the most attractive aviation fuels derivable from the resource alternatives, with emphasis on coal-based aviation fuels. The findings suggest that coal and oil shale are the most promising energy resource alternatives. A synthetic jet fuel similar to jet fuels in use today appears to be the most attractive aviation fuel derivable from coal, primarily because its production requires lower energy expenditures and results in a less costly fuel product than the other two major alternatives, liquid hydrogen and liquid methane, while offering attractive characteristics for aviation applications. Despite its attractive features, there are definite resource, capacity, and environmental constraints which would tend to limit the availability of synthetic jet fuels in the future. (26 references) (auth)

• Research Organization: Rand Corp., Santa Monica, CA
• OSTI ID: 7180561
• Report Number(s): P-5578
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010405 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Hydrogenation & Liquefaction
010500 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Products & By-Products
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
294001 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Coal
295000* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Hydrogen & Synthetic Fuels
AIRCRAFT
AVIATION FUELS
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
COAL
COST
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
JET ENGINE FUELS
OIL SHALES
RESOURCES
SYNTHETIC FUELS