BUFF To Test New Improved JP-? Jet Fuel At Edwards

In a world where the Air Force uses fully half of all the petroleum consumed by the US government, they are naturally interested in securing a steady supply of fly-juice. On Tuesday, a B-52 is scheduled to take off from Edwards AFB in the California desert using an ultra-clean fuel refined right here in the USA.

Syntroleum, a fuel research facility in Tulsa, OK  developed the clean fuel in response to the Department of Defense (DOD) sponsored Assured Fuels Initiative (AFI) which focuses on producing high performance alternative fuel for the military.

After five years of research, Syntroleum has come up with a fuel based on Fischer-Tropsch (FT) technology that allows high-performance combustion using alternative techniques not related to the traditional oil refining process. The fuel has been tested for several years on National Parks vehicles and city buses.

The B-52 will fly with a combination of traditional JP-8 and the new FT fuel.

The initial impetus for the AFI was to reduce American dependence on foreign oil, but the clean burning properties are evidently a bonus. Previous research and testing by the military on Syntroleum's FT fuels showed superior performance over traditional crude oil-based aviation fuels. Particulates and soot emissions have also shown a reduction of over 90 percent.  This improves engine efficiency, performance, durability, and overall air quality.

"Having access to adequate supplies of jet fuel is a national security issue, and with an assured source, price fluctuations are reduced which provides stable planning and budgeting," said Bill Harrison, a fuels expert with the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.

Jack Holmes, president and CEO of Syntroleum is even more confident, "This scheduled flight demonstration will be a significant and historical accomplishment for the company. We believe that successful testing of our fuel will provide the military with the experience necessary to consider long-term off-take agreements of fully tested FT fuels...the military can depend on Syntroleum to meet its stringent fuel quality specifications." Holmes continued, "In light of high energy prices, we believe that successful military testing of our fuel could motivate commercial airlines to vigorously pursue FT aviation products for use in their fleet operations. This B-52 flight test could give birth to a whole new way of providing ultra-clean fuel to the aviation industry.

Hmmm ... a clean-burning fuel that reduces pollution 90%, can be refined from plentiful American coal or natural gas, and independence from foreign oil? Go BUFF, go!

FMI: www.syntroleum.com/