 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
DARPA Pursuing A Mobile Energy Recovery System For The Battlefield
Arlington (SPX) May 04, 2004 The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Mobile Integrated Sustainable Energy Recovery (MISER) program has two thrusts. The first will develop technologies to harness the energy content of packaging waste generated during military field operations and convert it to electricity. The second is aimed at developing plastic packaging technologies made from renewable sources using processes that do not require hazardous chemicals or generate toxic waste streams. These capabilities would reduce military logistics burdens by providing fuel for on-site power generation while disposing of waste. Ultimately, MISER technology may be able to replace much of the fuel needs for electrical power in the field, a huge cost savings. Using packaging materials produced with environmentally sustainable methods would provide an additional benefit. U. S. military land-based operations of the future are intended to be self-sustaining, with minimal logistics tails. When engaged in stationary field operations, units generate solid waste in the form of packaging materials for military meals-ready-to-eat and shrink-wrap for computers, tanks and vehicles. Personnel, fuel, and critical transport equipment are needed to remove and dispose of this packaging waste. The technology being developed is intended to cut down on waste removal and instead use it productively. Plastic packaging waste has an energy content that approaches that of diesel fuel. Diesel fuel has a heating value of 43.9 mega joules per kilogram and hydrogen content of 12.5 percent. Plastic heating values can range from 26 to 43 mega joules per kilogram with a hydrogen content of five to 14 percent. If the energy content of the waste is optimized for secondary use as a fuel source, at today's level of packaging being discarded, a military unit could achieve well over 100 percent self-sufficiency for its generator fuel needs. This will save the military millions of gallons of costly diesel fuel, and significantly reduce the logistics tail needed to deliver fuel to deployed forces. Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links SpaceDaily Search SpaceDaily Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express Powering The World in the 21st Century at Energy-Daily.com
Europe Debates Nuclear Energy
Washington (UPI) Jan 11, 2006European Union countries are starting to rethink their opposition to nuclear energy amid a dispute between Russia and Ukraine over natural gas supplies, but energy analysts say a switch still lacks a green light. |
|
|
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |
