Posted on 11/29/2007 10:38:39 AM PST by Freeport
Afterburning engine tests of synthetic fuel are under way, and the US Air Force is preparing to certificate its second aircraft type to fly on the natural gas-based jet fuel. "We have started doing [Rockwell] B-1 engine testing and we have flown the [Boeing] C-17," says the USAF.
Running a blend of synthetic and conventional jet fuel in the Pratt & Whitney PW2000-powered C-17 transport will be a bridge to commercial aviation use, with airlines and manufacturers closely watching tests of fuel produced using the Fischer-Tropsch process.
(Excerpt) Read more at flightglobal.com ...
I’m trying to find a older FR thread on syngas. Some good info on companies. This isn’t a new concept. The Nazi’s had a jet that was fueled on coal dust. I marvel at that.
Unfortunately, due to so many areas being off-limits to drilling; we now import about 19% of our Natural Gas. LNG imports from Russia and the Middle East are expect to grow greatly in the next couple decades.
I don't know the reason for your name selection, but Freeport, Texas is the site of a major LNG import terminal nearing completion of construction.
B-52 flying on synthetic fuel (video at link)
“Syntroleum Corporation, headquartered in Tulsa, OK, through the Fischer-Tropsch process that has been around since the 1920s. The flight test is part of the DOD’s Assured Fuels Initiative, an effort to develop secure domestic sources for the military’s energy needs.”
“The Air Force will continue to test Syntroleum, the domestic synfuel in the B-52, slowly ramping up to all eight engines. Eventually, the testing will have to be done for cold weather testing, probably in Minot, ND. When I mentioned that I would probably be passing on a cold weather testing show, since I was shivering when it was in the ‘50s, a military person looked at me and said, “That might be one for the lieutenants.”
Currently, there are no Gas-to-liquids (GTL) or coal-to-liquids (CTL) being produced in US. Sasol, an oil company from South Africa, is producing CTL and GTL and South African airlines is using these fuels in their commercial flights. Besides military applications, successful testing of Syntroleum’s FT jet fuel could lead to opportunities with commercial airlines.”
http://www.ultracleanfuels.com/articles/carlist_092606.htm
http://www.syntroleum.com/Main.aspx
http://www.fischer-tropsch.org/
Not commercial production volumes, but BP started a 300 barrel per day pilot plant in Nikiski back in 2001.
Most if not all of their fuel was syngas... not just jets...
Sasol in South Africa is one of the big syngas companies...
Here's a mock-up of a coal fired Lippisch P13a 
Biodiesel.
That way when I go to air shows it’ll smell like french fries.
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