Energy Conversion of JP-10 Fuel

Most unmanned undersea vehicles (UUVs) have been traditionally powered by batteries. However, the longer missions and sustained higher-power operations described in the U.S. Navy’s UUV Master Plan require increased energy density and specific energy on the order of 150 Wh/lb for large vehicles. Estimated power requirements range from less than 2 kW for a light-weight vehicle (LWV) at 5 kts to nearly 9 kW for a heavy-weight vehicle (HWV) at 15 kts and up to 40 kW for large-class UUVs such as the 48-inch diameter SeaLion. Infinia Corporation proposes to design an efficient JP-10 fuel-conversion system that would also offer lower fuel cost and a rapid logistical refueling capability. These qualities enable more sustainable operations that can provide reconnaissance, deliver payloads or mine countermeasures, relay communications, or even deliver remote time-critical strike capabilities without endangering or revealing the location of manned platforms.