Aviation Fuel Characterization at Operationally Relevant Conditions

Abstract

To accelerate approval and potentially expand the allowable property range for aviation fuels, we are using high performance computing simulations to reveal fuel property effects on aviation combustor performance. These simulations are supported by fuel property measurements over temperatures and pressures that the fuel experiences in an aircraft engine and by validated chemical kinetics models for SAF combustion. Here we report density, viscosity, and surface tension results for conventional jet fuel and multiple synthetic fuels from -30 degrees Celsius to 200 degrees Celsius (-40 degrees Celsius for viscosity) and 1 atm to 70 atm including an assessment of method repeatability. Properties of surrogate mixtures are also investigated. Distillation, ICN, LHV, flashpoint, and Cp are also reported, and data are being used to develop models to predict fuel properties from composition (GCxGC).