The development and characterization of aluminum fueled power systems and a liquid aluminum fuel

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.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2019

Author dc:creator

• Fischman, Jason Zachary.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Douglas P. Hart.

• Mechanical Engineering.

Statement dc:rights

• 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.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/121690

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/121690