Possible Corrosion Aspects from the Use of Alternative Fuels

During the 21^st Century, the availability of petroleum-derived fuels is declining and the cost of petroleum has soared to over $100 per barrel.  The demand for petroleum is causing a global shift towards alternative fuels.  Additionally, because the United States currently imports approximately 60% of our current oil needs, our energy security is at risk due to uncertainties in world politics.  This is a particular concern for the DoD for which assured fuel availabilities is critical to effective military operations.  While hydrogen, ethanol, and other non-hydrocarbon fuels are practical alternative fuels for the commercial sector, only liquid hydrocarbons meet the stringent needs of the military in terms of energy content, safety, handling and multi-platform use over the full range of operational conditions.  In order to meet future Naval performance and safety requirements, it is anticipated that synthetic logistics fuels will be required to meet the current Naval petroleum-based physical, combustion, and chemistry specifications.   The use and combustion of synthetic fuels may cause corrosion and degradation of materials as compared to the use of petroleum-based fuels.  This paper will explore some of these scenarios.