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
• A related concept would be “Upgrading” all solid fuels to an UCC Pellet or Briquette thus negating any differences in Calorific Value (and also negating issues of Moisture Content and Ash Content )

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)