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Novel Catalysts and Processing Technologies for Production of Aerospace Fuels from Non-Petroleum Raw MaterialsTransportation fuels production (including aerospace propellants) from non-traditional sources (gases, waste materials, and biomass) has been an active area of research and development for decades. Reducing terrestrial waste streams simultaneous with energy conversion, plentiful biomass, new low-cost methane sources, and/or extra-terrestrial resource harvesting and utilization present significant technological and business opportunities being realized by a new generation of visionary entrepreneurs. We examine several new approaches to catalyst fabrication and new processing technologies to enable utilization of these non-traditional raw materials. Two basic processing architectures are considered: a single-stage pyrolysis approach that seeks to basically re-cycle hydrocarbons with minimal net chemistry or a two-step paradigm that involves production of supply or synthesis gas (mainly carbon oxides and hydrogen) followed by production of fuel(s) via Sabatier or methanation reactions and/or Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. Optimizing the fraction of product stream relevant to targeted aerospace (and other transportation) fuels via modeling, catalyst fabrication and novel reactor design are described. Energy utilization is a concern for production of fuels for either terrestrial or space operations; renewable sources based on solar energy and/or energy efficient processes may be mission enabling. Another important issue is minimizing impurities in the product stream(s), especially those potentially posing risks to personnel or operations through (catalyst) poisoning or (equipment) damage. Technologies being developed to remove (and/or recycle) heteroatom impurities are briefly discussed as well as the development of chemically robust catalysts whose activity are not diminished during operation. The potential impacts on future missions by such new approaches as well as balance of system issues are addressed.
Document ID
20150011072
Acquisition Source
Glenn Research Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Hepp, A. F. (NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH United States)
Kulis, M. J. (NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH United States)
Psarras, P. C. (Cleveland State Univ. Cleveland, OH, United States)
Ball, D. W. (Cleveland State Univ. Cleveland, OH, United States)
Timko, M. T. (Worcester Polytechnic Inst. MA, United States)
Wong, H.-W. (Aerodyne Research, Inc. Billerica, MA, United States)
Peck, J. (Aerodyne Research, Inc. Billerica, MA, United States)
Chianelli, R. R. (Texas Univ. El Paso, TX, United States)
Date Acquired
June 18, 2015
Publication Date
January 13, 2014
Subject Category
Propellants And Fuels
Report/Patent Number
GRC-E-DAA-TN12571
Meeting Information
Meeting: AIAA (SciTech 2014)
Location: National Harbor, MD
Country: United States
Start Date: January 13, 2014
End Date: January 17, 2014
Sponsors: American Inst. of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Funding Number(s)
WBS: WBS 405034.04.05.03.02
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNX11CE34P
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
Keywords
propellants
catalysis
density functional theory
in situ resource utilization
energy conservation
space processing

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