Experimental Study of the Effect of Fuel Properties on Spray Performance of Alternative Jet Fuel

Abstract

Increase in energy demand and stringent emission norms lay emphasis on the need for cleaner, alternative fuels. Application of Gas-to-Liquid (GTL) fuel, a synthetic fuel obtained from Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, as an alternate aviation fuel has been the subject of attention in recent years. This is mainly due to its cleaner combustion characteristics when compared to conventional jet fuel and the reduction of dependence on the crude oil supply. However, chemical and physical properties of the GTL are different from conventional jet fuels owing to the difference in their production methodology. The change in GTL fuel physical properties could potentially alter the atomization characteristics, which, in turn affects the evaporation, mixing, combustion, and finally the pollutant formation processes. Therefore, it is important to have a thorough understanding of the combustion precursors of GTL fuel to better understand the combustion and emission processes. A comprehensive evaluation of the microscopic spray characteristics of GTL and Jet A-1 fuels are carried out using a point-wise laser diagnostic technique, Phase Doppler Anemometry at atmospheric condition. The spray characteristics are investigated at several axial and radial locations of the spray. Results obtained clearly show that the influence of fuel properties on the spray characteristics at atmospheric condition is mostly observed near the nozzle exit, rather than in regions further downstream.