Single Fuel Concept

Basics

• A Philosophy Pioneered By the US Military / NATO (Not wanting to bring up bad blood per se for anyone concerned, just covering this from a Historical Stance / Logistical Interest)
• Essentially Rather Than Have Many Fuels, (Such As: )
  • Oil-Fuel Mix for Total Loss Lubrication Two Stroke Engines
  • Gasoline (or E-85 / Ethanol / Methanol etc) for Spark Ignition Engines
  • Diesel Fuel for Compression Ignition Engines
  • Kerosene ( Jet Fuel , RP-1 , etc) for Gas Turbines / Jet Engines
  • Fuel Oil for Marine Diesel Engines
• You have everything run off of One Fuel
  • In the context of NATO, they use JP-8 (With JP-5 , JPTS / JP-8+100LT , and Naval Distillate Fuel F-76 ( Relevant Papers DTIC Paper Citgo SDS for it ) for special use cases)
• In an OSE Context the Strictness to a Single fuel may be a bit much, but this is a good point of view to consider
• Perhaps Kerosene (Or Bio-Diesel ), DME , CNG , and Hydrogen ?
• ( User: Eric Speaking Here, My "Perfect System" Would Probably be DME and OMEx
  • This would require Catalysts , although it would add the simplicity in that
  • Also Small Diesel Engines may be an issue
    • I dived into Rotary Compression Ignition Engines ( Wankel Diesel Engines ) and those seemed like a bit of a non-starter
    • Seems Single Piston Diesel Engines exist, and Heavy Fuel Engines (Term for Flex Fuel Spark Ignition Engines that can run on Diesel Fuel / Kerosine
• Later User: Eric here, main thoughts these days are 3 Fuels, MAYBE 4
  • Butane and/or Propane (for Gaseous Fuel use (Mainly Stoves/Heaters, and Forklifts)
  • POTENTIALLY a “Liquid Spark Engine Fuel”
    • The goal would use only E-85+ rated gear so it wouldn’t “care” if it was:
      • Ethanol / Methanol
      • Butanol
      • Pyrolysis Gasoline
      • P2X / Syngas Fermentation Gasoline (RE: PowerForFuels )
      • OR a mix of these
  • It would also go even more against a SINGLE FUEL, but using this fuel + Nitromethane or Two Stroke Oil etc for smaller engines ( Glow Fuel and Total Loss Lubrication respectively could also be done
• FINALLY your “Heavy Fuel” for use in:
  • Oil Fired Heaters / Liquid Fuel Fired Heaters
  • Compression Ignition Engines / Diesel Engines
  • Gas Turbines / Jet Engines
  • etc
• SO, TO REVIEW:
  • Standard Gas Fuel
  • Standard SI Fuel
  • Standard “Heavy Fuel” (for Diesel and Jet)
• Main onus of responsibility would be on Engine Design/Equipment Sourcing, not as much fuel design

Related Devices

Lighters/Firemaking

• Hybrid Plasma-Liquid Fuel Lighters
  • There are COTS Options (albeit not VERY widespread) for a Permanent Match Lighter and more Zippo Lighter - like options that use a Plasma Lighter for ignition of the Liquid Fuel rather than Ferrocerium Sparks
    • Diesel MAY be too thick/high of a Flash Point , but further experimentation required
• Propane Lighter
  • If propane is chosen as the ONLY gaseous fuel, this could work
  • Only COTS option is a SMALL refillable tank, and a (small) piezo ignition blowtorch
  • May have been a historical option
  • Unlike Butane Lighters too, the Pipeline/ Bulk Propane Rank ->20LB Tank->1LB Tank->Mini lighter tank Cascade Storage System “works” well
    • At least in a North American Context, Butane is only Available in MASSIVE BULK (for Butane Blending in Gasoline re Butanized Naptha ), or in small Lighter Refill Canisters

Portable Stoves/Heaters

• Basic Wick Kerosene Heaters / Kerosene Stoves can work
• Pressure Stoves
  • In particular Coleman Multifuel Stoves and Chinese White Label Multifuel Stoves can run on Diesel Fuel (the former has been “field proven” on JP-8)
  • Pressure Lamps / Mantle Lanterns too

Small Generators

• A Single Cylinder Diesel Engine Derived AC Generator, and DC Generator would be a good test for this

Large Generators

• Think Caterpillar Backup Generators etc
• Proven

Automotive Use

• Proven
• Minor caveat on Fuel Lubricity
• Also impact on DPF usage and EGR may have little info

Aero-Engine Use

• Jet Engines / Turboprops are obviously proven
• Aerospace Diesel Engines offer an “easy out” of 100LL and may also integrate well with a Single Fuel Standard

Micropower

• Fuel Reformer for (gas fed) Small Engines or SOFC stacks
• Low Technology Readiness Level but VERY interesting future tech

Internal Links

• Fuel Additives / Fuel Blending
  • Fuel System Icing Inhibitor
  • Corrosion Inhibitor–Lubricity Improver (CI­LI)
    • As per This Study The Additive Tends to be a Dimer Acid
  • Antistatic Fuel Additive
• Heavy Fuel Engines

External Links

• "NATO - Chapter 15: Fuels, Oils, Lubricants and Petroleum Handling Equipment - Military Fuels and the Single Fuel Concept"
• Defense Technical Information Center "Strategic Implications for a Single-Fuel Concept."
• Modern War Institute - AN ALBATROSS AROUND THE US MILITARY’S NECK: THE SINGLE FUEL CONCEPT AND THE FUTURE OF EXPEDITIONARY ENERGY (Discusses how it may cause/perpetuate Technological Lock In (Also mentions Nuclear Reactor Powered Electrolysis Units, Similar to what was planned for the Sea Dragon Rocket, so that's neat)