APPLICATIONS OF NEW CHEMICAL HEAT SOURCES

CHEMICAL HEAT SOURCES HAVE MANY POTENTIAL MILITARY APPLICATIONS. FOR EXAMPLE, AN ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL HAS BEEN DEVELOPED AS A FLAMELESS RATION HEATER. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE PROPOSED WORK IS (1) TO IDENTIFY NEW CHEMICAL HEAT SOURCES AND POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS, AND (2) TO CONDUCT A SYSTEMS ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE THE VALUE OF THE NEW APPROACHES. WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THREE GENERAL AREAS OF CHEMICAL HEAT SOURCES AND POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS WHICH WILL BE INVESTIGATED. THESE SOURCES ARE: AN ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL WITH HIGH ENERGY DENSITY THAT CAN PRODUCE A CONTROLLED HEAT OUTPUT. APPLICATIONS INCLUDE HEATERS FOR FOOD OR WATER, BLOOD OR SIMILAR MEDICAL SUPPLIES, BOOTS OR GLOVES, AND PORTABLE COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT. EXOTHERMIC REACTION OF A METAL WITH WATER. A NOVEL METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE RATE OF THIS REACTION IS DESCRIBED. APPLICATIONS INCLUDE HEATING WATER FOR DRINKING OR WASHING, AND HEATING BATTERIES OR EQUIPMENT. CONTROLLED COMBUSTION OF HYDROCARBON FUELS FOR INFRARED DECOYS TO SIMULATE VEHICLES. TWO DISTINCT APPROACHES ARE DESCRIBED FOR A LOW-COST, LIGHTWEIGHT DECOY WHICH USES MINIMAL FUEL TO GENERATE THE APPROPRIATE HEAT SIGNATURE AND DOES NOT EMIT VISIBLE LIGHT. FOR THE PROMISING NOVEL HEAT SOURCES IDENTIFIED IN PHASE I, WORK IN PHASE II WILL DESIGN, CONSTRUCT, AND TEST PROTOTYPE DEVICES.