Seawater can now be converted into fuel, according to Navy researchers.
A decade-long study has revealed that a specialised catalytic converter is capable of pulling carbon dioxide and hydrogen from water and turning the gases into a liquid hydrocarbon fuel.
Arleigh Burke-class destroyer Image: US Navy |
With ships like the U.S. Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class destroyer burning 1,000 gallons of petroleum fuel an hour, a cheap and convenient supply of fuel is a very attractive proposition.
Current refuelling can affect operations and may be challenging in rough weather.
"We don't necessarily go to a gas station to get our fuel," says Vice Admiral Philip Cullom. "Our gas station comes to us in terms of an oiler, a replenishment ship.
The newly-developed fuel would allow the Navy to remain operational 100% of the time with fuel that provides a 92% efficiency rate and requires no engine modifications.
Tested recently on a model aeroplane, the next step is to build the infrastructure to convert seawater into fuel on an industrial scale. The predicted cost of the seawater fuel is about $3-6 per gallon and could be commercially viable within a decade.