F-35 Lightning II News

April 1, 2004 (by Eric L. Palmer) - The JSF program has many unique technology ideas associated with it. One idea is looking at new fuels to power jet engines.
Researchers are designing the fuel for the new generation of high performance engines in aircraft such as the F35 Joint Strike Fighter and the U.S. Air Forces' VAATE program ? versatile, affordable, advanced turbine engines.

Quoting an article from Science Daily, adapted from a news release issued by Penn State, shows there are some interesting challenges involved in producing a fuel useful for jet engines based on coal:

"On a pilot scale, we have produced thermally stable coal-based jet fuel," says Dr. Harold H. Schobert, professor of fuel science and director of Penn State's Energy Institute. "This coal-based fuel can absorb significant amounts of heat and remain stable to 900 degrees Fahrenheit." The new fuel will not decompose at high temperatures to create the deposits of carbon, which foul valves, nozzles and other engine parts. The fuel will be provisionally designated jet propulsion 900 or JP900 because of this high temperature stability.

The U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research funded this work. The U.S. Department of Energy is also funding some of the ongoing research.