US Navy 'Game-Changer': Converting Seawater into Fuel

Industry Week ^ | Apr 7, 2014 | Agence France-Presse

[Leaning Right]

The U.S. Navy believes it has finally worked out the solution to a problem that has intrigued scientists for decades: how to take seawater and use it as fuel.

[Leaning Right]

Evidentally, carbon dioxide and hydrogen are extracted from seawater. Then a catalytic converter is used to transform the carbon dioxide and hydrogen into a liquid hydrocarbon fuel.

Now here's where I'm scratching my head. Where does the energy come from to do the extraction in the first place? The article is not clear on that. So I'm guessing that it must come from a nuclear reactor aboard an aircraft carrier.

[Paladin2]

"Where does the energy come from to do the extraction in the first place?"

Deuterium fusion, of the colder variety.

[Darteaus94025]

They use a reactor fueled, in part, with Unobtanium.

[who_would_fardels_bear]

No it's not nuclear.

What they have is a couple hundred thousand of these things hanging off the sides of the ship which they can tap into...

[RetiredTexasVet]

The million dollar questions are: is it practical and is it economical? Or is it like the “fabled” ECAT cold fusion hand warmer?

[the_daug]

Name Unobtanium
Symbol Uo
Number 9201
Kinkiness moderate to high

Physical Properties

Melting point 2075 °C, or maybe 2075 °F
Boiling point -7440 °C, or maybe -7440 °F

[njslim]

Dont worry - Zero will outlaw it as threat to environment......

[DTogo]

Tom Cruise is helping the Navy as Tech 49:

[Fai Mao]

The second page of the article says the cost would be $6 to $7 dollars a barrel.

If that is the case then can the system be ginned up to mass market levels?

If so there are going to be a lot of unemployed roughnecks who used to work in oil fields

[markomalley]

FWIW, here is NRL's release.

Here is a 2009 blurb talking about the basic process.

[ElkGroveDan]

Nothing new here. Jethro Bodine invented a pill to do that fifty years ago.

[Paladin2]

I think this is another gov't "10 year plan".

Hopefully I'm wrong, but don't hold your breath.

[Paladin2]

What is the caliber of those bullets?

[MuttTheHoople]

Solar Powered Dryer.

[ElkGroveDan]

I believe that’s a chicken he’s holding not a bullet.

[Paladin2]

BULLETS, NOT pullets(s).

[lavaroise]

So basically, I assume, since nuke powerplants cannot be shut down, when not used for power, they would produce this stuff..

[tophat9000]

The basic process looks to be a form of the ww2 German synthetic fuels from coal.. however you need a powersource to crack the seawater in to hydrogen and co2 The article says its electrical an electrical at sea they are talking nuclear. Because the logic of this is the Navy does not want the logistics of obtain and transportation liquid fuel...

[Leaning Right]

If I'm not mistaken, the picture you posted in #4 is classified. The least you could have done is obscure the hat.

Now it's only a matter of time before North Korea starts deploying massive energy-producing drinking birds.

[KarlInOhio]

The second page of the article says the cost would be $6 to $7 dollars a barrel.

I saw $3-$6/gallon. At that price is would be a little expensive for auto fuel, but might be worth it for a carrier to avoid the logistics problems of delivering jet fuel to it. Since nuclear reactors work best at a constant power output, it might be useful at night when nuclear plants on land are underutilized. Also if the production method can handle intermittent power like solar or wind, it might be a good storage method for those forms of energy (with the added benefit of a surplus of rare bird feathers for ladies' hats like in the Edwarian era from the eagle whacking turbines.).

If that is the case then can the system be ginned up to mass market levels?

Hmm, nuclear gin. I can see some glow in the dark martinis from Charenkov radiation.