The development and characterization of aluminum fueled power systems and a liquid aluminum fuel
This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | eng |
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2019
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/121690 |
| _version_ | 1811069427547897856 |
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| author | Fischman, Jason Zachary. |
| author2 | Douglas P. Hart. |
| author_facet | Douglas P. Hart. Fischman, Jason Zachary. |
| author_sort | Fischman, Jason Zachary. |
| collection | MIT |
| description | This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T08:10:20Z |
| format | Thesis |
| id | mit-1721.1/121690 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T08:10:20Z |
| publishDate | 2019 |
| publisher | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/1216902019-08-07T03:03:06Z The development and characterization of aluminum fueled power systems and a liquid aluminum fuel Fischman, Jason Zachary. Douglas P. Hart. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering Mechanical Engineering. This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections. Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2019 Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. Includes bibliographical references (pages 127-130). Various aluminum-water reactions were thermodynamically analyzed across a wide range of temperatures and pressures to determine the most favorable reaction under each condition. Results show that under most achievable temperatures and pressures the reaction will produce AlOOH, however at low temperatures and high pressures, this will transition to a reaction producing Al(OH)₃. This model was then corroborated experimentally using XRD and FTIR to identify the aluminum-water reaction products created at varying temperatures and pressures. A new Ga In eutectic-limited surface coating method was developed to produce effective, consistent, aluminum fuel. This coating method also allowed for the study of the effects of increased eutectic concentration on aluminum reaction yield. These reaction yield results showed a minimum threshold concentration of 1.9% eutectic was needed to create reactive fuel, and that adding concentrations beyond that would increase the reaction yield with diminishing returns. Using this aluminum technology, the world's first aluminum fueled car was made. A 10 kW power system fueled by an aluminum-water reaction was successfully integrated into a BMW i3 to replace its range extender and to power the vehicle. With a vision towards creating simpler power systems in the future, a liquid aluminum fuel was also developed. This fuel works by suspending 65% aluminum particles by mass into a mixture of mineral oil and fumed silica. This newly developed liquid fuel can be pumped easily, stay in suspension for months, and retains full levels of reaction completion. Finally, a joint hydrogen-steam IC engine concept was presented and analyzed. This engine utilizes both the thermal and hydrogen energy created by an aluminum-water reaction and shows ideal system efficiencies of as high as 33% while still operating at practical system pressures. by Jason Zachary Fischman. S.M. S.M. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering 2019-07-15T20:34:30Z 2019-07-15T20:34:30Z 2019 2019 Thesis https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/121690 1102320562 eng MIT theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed, downloaded, or printed from this source but further reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582 130 pages application/pdf Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| spellingShingle | Mechanical Engineering. Fischman, Jason Zachary. The development and characterization of aluminum fueled power systems and a liquid aluminum fuel |
| title | The development and characterization of aluminum fueled power systems and a liquid aluminum fuel |
| title_full | The development and characterization of aluminum fueled power systems and a liquid aluminum fuel |
| title_fullStr | The development and characterization of aluminum fueled power systems and a liquid aluminum fuel |
| title_full_unstemmed | The development and characterization of aluminum fueled power systems and a liquid aluminum fuel |
| title_short | The development and characterization of aluminum fueled power systems and a liquid aluminum fuel |
| title_sort | development and characterization of aluminum fueled power systems and a liquid aluminum fuel |
| topic | Mechanical Engineering. |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/121690 |
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