Synthetic fuels for naval applications produced using shipboard nuclear power. PDF
Preview Synthetic fuels for naval applications produced using shipboard nuclear power.
SYNTHETIC FUELS FOR NAVAL APPLICATIONS PRODUCED USING SHIPBOARD NUCLEAR POWER by Kevin B. Terry Lieutenant, United States Navy B.S., Mechanical Engineering Rutgers University, 1985 Submitted to the Department of Nuclear Engineering in Partial Fulfillment ofthe Requirements for the Degrees of NUCLEAR ENGINEER and MASTER OF SCIENCE IN NUCLEAR ENGINEERING at the Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology June 1995 DUDLEYKNOXLIBRARY NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY CA 93943-5101 SYNTHETIC FUELS FOR NAVAL APPLICATIONS PRODUCED USING SHIPBOARD NUCLEAR POWER by Kevin B. Terry Submitted to the Department ofNuclear Engineering on May 3, 1995 in partial fulfillment ofthe requirements for the Degrees ofNuclear Engineer and Master ofScience in Nuclear Engineering ABSTRACT This thesis evaluated the generation ofsynthetic fuels for the propulsion ofnaval aircraft and ships, on the premise that this could be a useful contribution to the logistical support ofdeployed naval forces. The feedstocks for the fuel are produced from the ubiquitous hydrogen and carbon dioxide available (with appropriate processing) in seawater. Previous work in this area, most ofit one or two decades old, was reviewed, as were significant developments since. Various end product synthetic fuels were studied including hydrogen, methanol, and naval fuels (jet fuel and naval distillate) together with their respective applications. In addition the synthetic fuel is a recycled product, one that produces zero net carbon dioxide, thereby capable of- ifadopted on a larger scale - mitigating the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations now underway. A large "nuclear fleet oiler" was identified as the preferable platform to provide MW sufficient fuel for a deployed carrier battle group. It generates 900 (3600 MW^) e CVN PWR from about three size nuclear reactor plants and employs a catalytic conversion chemical plant ofproven technology to produce approximately 8200 barrels per day. This capacity amounts to about 55 % ofthe capacity ofthe terrestrial New Zealand natural gas-to-gasoline synthetic fuel plant, which is the premier present day commercial application ofthis technology. Hydrogen generation by electrolysis proved to be the most energy intensive step in % the overall process, consuming 80 ofthe total required electric energy Other potentially more efficient means for producing hydrogen were investigated and found to require a high temperature regime, one that could possibly be provided by a High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor (HTGR) The process ofextracting carbon dioxide from seawater was found to be a major area that needs further study since current methods (e.g. vacuum recompression distillation) are not specifically optimized for this purpose and methods proposed in earlier studies ofthis genre appear to be significantly flawed. While a synthetic fuel plant ofthis type may not be economicallyjustified for commercial applications in the near term, the tactical and logistical freedom for a deployed naval force may warrant further, more detailed investigation. Thesis Supervisor: Michael J. Driscoll Title: Professor Emeritus ofNuclear Engineering
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