Thermally-Stable Catalysts for Methane Reforming to Improve Combustion and Increase Heat Sink Capacity

Liquefied methane is a promising alternative to JP-7 and hydrogen as a fuel for hypersonic vehicles because it is easier to handle than hydrogen and also has a higher specific impulse and is more resistant to coke than JP-7. Unfortunately, methane is difficult to burn in a scramjet and needs to deliver more heat sink capacity to be useful. However, reforming some of the fuel with water improves combustion and increases heat sink capacity. In Phase I we developed catalysts that are active and stable under representative conditions, showed that the Isp and heat sink capacity of reformed methane are higher than those of JP-7, and finally developed a predictive kinetic model of the reaction. In Phase II, TDA will optimize the catalyst formulation to maximize activity and stability over many cycles of testing, characterize the catalysts before and after use, measure reaction kinetics at high pressure, demonstrate performance in a high heat flux conditions, refine the predictive kinetic model, and carry out a more comprehensive systems analysis. Finally, TDA will design, construct, and deliver a system that will generate a fuel mixture representative of that expected with reformed methane for use in the scramjet facility at WPAFB.