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U.S. Military Goes Green, Testing Fuel Cell M1 Abrams Tanks
Daily Tech ^ | Wednesday, July 14, 2010 | Tiffany Kaiser

Posted on 07/14/2010 10:24:17 AM PDT by Willie Green

Army looks for ways to use fuel cells with non-petroleum sources

The United States Army has started the development and application of hydrogen fuel-cell technology to their vehicles. The first vehicle to receive this technology will be the workhorse M1 Abrams battle tank. This type of tank requires vast amounts of onboard computing power for sensors, computing equipment, battle command technology and other electronic equipment, so using fuel cell technology would be able to provide greater electrical power than the current setup, which is a diesel engine/alternator arrangement. 

In addition, the use of a fuel cell would make the tank's motor run in near silence. This is a particularly helpful feature since enemy combatants can hear the current model's 1,000+hp multi fuel turbine engine from miles away, and with a silent engine, the tank can sneak into certain territory relatively unheard. 

The use of a fuel cell would be convenient as well because the hydrogen would be extracted from JP-8 diesel fuel onboard and converted into electricity, meaning that "the current refueling infrastructure would remain in place." 

As of now, the testing of fuel cells in tanks exists only in the laboratory. The idea is to find a way to power multiple fleets of military vehicles with fuel cells "that use non-petroleum sources." There have been problems with having to deliver fuel through dangerous war zones and across two large countries. Providing security for the transport vehicles to assure that they get to the desired destination in order to fuel the tanks has become more than a thorn in their side, and fuel cell technology could possibly eliminate these worries. 

This isn't the Army's first effort toward greener technology, though. In May of this year, HP was in the process of developing a "Dick Tracy-like" watch that uses solar panels for the U.S. military. Also, a new hybrid Army aircraft that resembles a blimp and can travel for three weeks at a time unmanned, was designed and will be sent to Afghanistan by mid 2011. 


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government
KEYWORDS: army; fuelcells; globalwarmingscare; greenieweenies; nationaldefense; nationalsecurity; stuckonstupid
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1 posted on 07/14/2010 10:24:19 AM PDT by Willie Green
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To: Willie Green
A tank of highly explosive hydrogen fuel in a tank. What could go wrong?
2 posted on 07/14/2010 10:25:33 AM PDT by OldDeckHand
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To: Willie Green

So a 60 ton tank is gonna sneak up on someone? Will it involve high speed rail?


3 posted on 07/14/2010 10:26:37 AM PDT by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: OldDeckHand
In addition, the use of a fuel cell would make the tank's motor run in near silence.

I guess they are going to have silent treads too!

4 posted on 07/14/2010 10:27:32 AM PDT by a fool in paradise (I wish our president loved the US military as much as he loves Paul McCartney.)
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To: OldDeckHand

“The use of a fuel cell would be convenient as well because the hydrogen would be extracted from JP-8 diesel fuel onboard and converted into electricity, meaning that “the current refueling infrastructure would remain in place.” “


5 posted on 07/14/2010 10:29:08 AM PDT by ArrogantBustard (Western Civilization is Aborting, Buggering, and Contracepting itself out of existence.)
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To: ArrogantBustard

Not a bad idea if it works.


6 posted on 07/14/2010 10:30:54 AM PDT by Perdogg (Nancy Pelosi did more damage to America on 03/21 than Al Qaeda did on 09/11)
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To: Willie Green

There was an article in last month’s Semper Fi magazine (The magazine of the Marine Corps League) about the Marine Corps going green. I have also read an article about it within the last year in the Marine Corps Gazette. However, I have to say that I agree with what they are trying to do. They are trying to use more renewables and be more independent because the more energy they use at a forward operating base, the more resupply convoys they need and the more chances to hit the convoys with IEDs and ambushes.

I think our Marine forward operating bases are becoming too dependent on technology and using too much energy. The Marine footprint has always been small and they should not be energy hogs needing constant resupply. They should be able to operate independently and they need to strive towards that.


7 posted on 07/14/2010 10:31:18 AM PDT by Old Teufel Hunden (u)
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To: Willie Green

Silent tanks.

Now we know why we don’t have this technology in cars.

And we also know that we will have it in cars once the technology is well known and everybody has it.

I’m OK using gas until our guys get done blowing up our enemies.


8 posted on 07/14/2010 10:32:51 AM PDT by dockkiller (COME AND TAKE IT.)
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To: driftdiver
Will it involve high speed rail?

only if they can run the rails through pork-barrel lovin' senator's districts and call it 'stimulus'.

9 posted on 07/14/2010 10:33:42 AM PDT by WOBBLY BOB (drain the swamp! ( then napalm it and pave it over ))
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To: Perdogg
The decision to use a turbine engine in the M1 was controversial, in the 1970s. I believe it has been vindicated.

The use of fuel cells is also likely to be controversial, but good science and engineering practice would be to test extensively and follow the data. If it's a bad idea, we'll know why. If it's a good idea, we'll be a step or two ahead of the bad guys. And that's always a good place to be.

10 posted on 07/14/2010 10:37:11 AM PDT by ArrogantBustard (Western Civilization is Aborting, Buggering, and Contracepting itself out of existence.)
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To: Willie Green

Another green wet dream bites the dust of reality.


11 posted on 07/14/2010 10:37:13 AM PDT by Cheetahcat (Zero the Wright kind of Racist! We are in a state of War with Democrats)
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To: Willie Green
In addition, the use of a fuel cell would make the tank's motor run in near silence. This is a particularly helpful feature since enemy combatants can hear the current model's 1,000+hp multi fuel turbine engine from miles away, and with a silent engine, the tank can sneak into certain territory relatively unheard.

--I'd sure like to see a simplified engineering diagram of this---

12 posted on 07/14/2010 10:37:43 AM PDT by rellimpank (--don't believe anything the MSM tells you about firearms or explosives--NRA Benefactor)
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To: Willie Green
A lot of the energy in JP-8 is in the carbon bonds (sorry, I don't have a ratio of the energy from burning the whole molecule compared to extracting the hydrogen and burning it). That means that you have less total energy available. So either the fuel cell is a lot more efficient than the turbine, or the M1's already low gas mileage will drop even further.
13 posted on 07/14/2010 10:41:31 AM PDT by KarlInOhio (Gun control was originally to protect Klansmen from their victims. The basic reason hasn't changed.)
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To: dockkiller
Silent tanks.

You could hear a tank coming for 2 miles away, engine or no engine.

14 posted on 07/14/2010 10:42:11 AM PDT by dragnet2
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To: ArrogantBustard

The turbine works on the M1, but it’s THIRSTY.

Unlike the diesel IC alternative, it sucks fuel even when standing still.

Every tank since the M1 has chosen the modern IC diesel and even The US Army has said that the M1’s replacement will more than likely not use the turbine again.


15 posted on 07/14/2010 10:42:16 AM PDT by SJSAMPLE
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To: SJSAMPLE
The US Army has said that the M1’s replacement will more than likely not use the turbine again.

Perhaps this explains why they're looking at fuel cells? My first thought on reading this was that it would resolve the problems of eating gas while standing still. My second thought is that JP8 is a fairly heavy fuel, and IIRC fuel cells extract usable energy only from the hydrogen; the carbon is thrown away. I'm more than a little curious as to the total system efficiency compared to a diesel or turbine engine.

16 posted on 07/14/2010 10:47:54 AM PDT by ArrogantBustard (Western Civilization is Aborting, Buggering, and Contracepting itself out of existence.)
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To: rellimpank

When I get home from work, I’ll Photoshop an Abrams tiptoeing toward the enemy wearing oversized bunny slippers.


17 posted on 07/14/2010 10:50:04 AM PDT by RandallFlagg (30-year smoker, E-Cigs helped me quit, and O wants me back smoking again?)
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To: Willie Green

The last thing any tank needs is to go green. You can ALWAYS get a fillup. You just swing the main gun in the direction of the gas station office...


18 posted on 07/14/2010 10:50:09 AM PDT by PzLdr ("The Emperor is not as forgiving as I am" - Darth Vader)
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To: rellimpank
In addition, the use of a fuel cell would make the tank's motor run in near silence. This is a particularly helpful feature since enemy combatants can hear the current model's 1,000+hp multi fuel turbine engine from miles away, and with a silent engine, the tank can sneak into certain territory relatively unheard.

An interesting quote considering that the Iraqi insurgents referred to the M1A2 as "Whispering Death" due to the low noise signature of its turbine engine compared with the diesels used by the British MBT. And on the subject of what another poster said about tracks the M1A2s tracks are tensioned so they don't make nearly as much noise as traditional tracks. Not silent, but no worse than big off road wheels. Makes them a PITA to change though.

No harm in experimenting though. A while back they tried to run a B-52 off of coal dust, just to see if it could be done. If the gas supply does get cut off it isn't a bad idea to have a plan B available. After all the turbine was a plan B due to the fact that we couldn't rely on the quality of foreign fuel supplies. So they built an engine that could run on almost any flammable liquid.
19 posted on 07/14/2010 10:50:11 AM PDT by GonzoGOP (There are millions of paranoid people in the world and they are all out to get me.)
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To: RandallFlagg

“a new hybrid Army aircraft that resembles a blimp “

“Frank it’s the big hit
It’s the blimp
It’s the blimp Frank
It’s the blimp”


20 posted on 07/14/2010 11:00:43 AM PDT by Dr. Bogus Pachysandra ( Ya can't pick up a turd by the clean end!)
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