Multi-Fuel Burners for Soldier Power

Recent advances in thermophotovoltaic (TPV) and Thermoelectric (TEG) has created an opportunity to develop a 25 watts portable soldier power system that when hybridized with rechargeable batteries will substantially extend the solider mission durations. Under Army support the feasibility is demonstrated with a propane based TPV system. Under the proposed project a multi fuel burner will be developed that enables the technology to operate on JP-8, DF-2, JP-5 and other fuels that are available to the solider. Under Phase I, a burner will be fabricated and tested on logistic fuels, propane and other fuels listed in the topic. The burner parasitic power will be defined. The interface between the burner and the TPV/power module will be defined. With the test data and input from TPV and TEG manufactures, the power module will designed and used to performs a tradeoff analysis between the burner size, weight, efficiency, and the range of usable fuels and the mode of heat transfer, heat recuperation and other important thermal integration decisions. At the Phase I conclusion the burner has been demonstrated with its critical components to determine the feasibility to achieve the targets of the burner. Under the Option program the detailed power system design