A High-Temperature Battlefield Fuel Vaporization Membrane

The Army seeks to standardize all equipment on its battlefield logistics fuel, JP-8. JP-8 is difficult to use for small-scale, low-power applications, however, since its low vapor pressure and complex composition inhibit complete vaporization. Existing methods for vaporizing logistics fuels are not sufficiently controllable to support highly efficient catalytic combustion processes, or impose undesirable logistics issues, such as supply of special fuels or batteries or performing field service. To address this need, Creare proposes to develop a low-cost, lightweight membrane that enables complete, controllable vaporization of JP-8 at the flow rates needed by low-power combustion devices. We demonstrated the feasibility of the fuel vaporization approach in the Phase I project. In this Phase II project, we will optimize and test vaporizer membrane prototypes in small heating devices of interest to the Army. The technology will be particularly applicable to lightweight devices, employing efficient catalytic combustion.