The effect of fuel composition on the operability and gaseous and particulate matter (PM) emissions of an Allison T63-A-700 turboshaft engine operated at four power settings was investigated in this effort. Testing was performed with a specification JP-8, a synthetic paraffinic kerosene, and four two-component surrogate mixtures that comprise compound classes within current and future alternative fuels. Comparable engine operability was observed for all fuels during this study. Major gaseous emissions were only slightly effected, with trends consistent with those expected based on the overall hydrogen content of the fuels. However, minor hydrocarbon and aldehyde emissions were significantly more sensitive to the fuel chemical composition. Linear correlations between speciated hydrocarbon and aldehyde emissions were observed over the full engine operating range for the fuels tested. The corresponding slopes were dependent on the fuel composition, indicating that fuel chemistry affects the selectivity to specific decomposition pathways. Unburned fuel components were observed in the engine exhaust during operation with all fuels, demonstrating that completely unreacted fuel compounds can pass through the high temperature/pressure combustion zone. Nonvolatile PM emissions (soot) were strongly affected by the fuel chemical composition. Paraffinic fuels produced significantly lower PM number and mass emissions relative to aromatic-containing fuels, with the paraffin structure affecting sooting propensity. The observations are consistent with those expected based on simplified soot formation mechanisms, where fuels with direct precursors for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon formation have higher PM formation rates. The effect of a specific chemical structure on the relative PM production is important as this would not be evident when comparing sooting tendencies of fuels based on bulk fuel properties. All fuels produced similar single log-normal size distributions of soot, with higher sooting fuels producing larger mean diameter particles. It is hypothesized that the controlling growth and formation mechanisms for PM production are similar for different fuel chemistries in this regime, with composition primarily affecting soot formation rate. This hypothesis was supported by preliminary TEM analyses that showed similar soot microstructures during operation with either conventional JP-8 or alternative fuels. Overall, this study provides additional and improved insight into the effect of fuel chemical composition on complex combustion chemistry and emissions propensity in a gas turbine engine, and can assist with the successful development of predictive modeling tools.

Hydroprocessed Renewable Jet Fuel Evaluation, Performance, and Emissions in a T63 Turbine EngineDue to potential beneficial environmental impacts and increased supply availability, alternative fuels derived from renewable resources are evolving on the forefront as unconventional substitutes for fossil fuel. Focus is being given to the evaluation and certification of Hydroprocessed Renewable Jet (HRJ), a fuel produced from animal fat and/or plant oils (triglycerides) by hydroprocessing, as the next potential synthetic aviation fuel. Extensive efforts have recently been performed at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Wright Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) to evaluate the potential of two HRJ fuels produced from camelina and tallow feedstocks. These have included characterization of the fuel chemical, physical fuel characteristics and Fit-for-Purpose properties (FFP). The present effort describes general combustion performance and the emission propensity of a T63-A-700 Allison turbine engine operated on the HRJs and 50/50 (by volume) HRJ/JP-8 fuel blends relative to a specification JP-8. In addition, engine and emission testing with a blend of the tallow-derived HRJ and 16% bio-derived aromatic components was completed. Fundamental engine performance characterization allows for determination of the suitability of potential synthetic fuels while quantitation of gaseous and particulate matter emissions provides an assessment of the potential environmental impact compared to current petroleum-derived fuels. In addition, an extended 150 h endurance test was performed using a 50/50 blend of tallow-derived HRJ with JP-8 to evaluate the long-term operation of the engine with the synthetic fuel blend. This paper discusses the laboratory testing performed to characterize HRJs and results from the basic engine operability and emissions studies of the alternative fuel blends.

The public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Department of Defense, Washington Headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports (0704-0188), 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202-4302. Respondents should be aware that notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information if it does not display a currently valid OMB control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS.

A summary of the impacts of alternative fuel blends on the gaseous and particulate matter (PM) (mostly soot) emissions of aircraft turbine engines is presented. Six engines were studied under several US Air Force and NASA sponsored programs to assess the impacts of the alternative (non-petroleum) fuels on emissions and/or to support the certification of military aircraft for the use of 50/50 (by volume) alternative fuel/JP-8 blends. One turboshaft (T63) and five turbofan (CFM56-7, CFM56-2, F117, TF33 and PW308) engines were studied. Fuels derived from coal and natural gas produced via Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis, and fuels from animal fats and plant oils produced via hydroprocessing [Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA)] were evaluated. Trends of alternative fuel impacts on emissions compared to conventional fuel for the different engine types are discussed. Results consistently show significant reductions in PM emissions with the alternative fuel blends compared to operation with conventional fuels. These relative reductions were observed to be lower as engine power increased. Engines operated with different alternative fuel blends were found to produce similar slopes of normalized particle number to engine power with only the magnitude of the reductions being a function of the fuel type. These results suggest that it may be plausible to predict particle number emissions from turbine engines operated on alternative fuels based on engine, engine setting, limited PM data and fuel composition. Gaseous emissions measurements show modest reductions of carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbons and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) with the alternative fuels for several engines; however, no clear dependency of fuel impacts based on engine characteristics were observed.

Aircraft turbine engines are a significant source of particulate matter (PM) and gaseous emissions in the vicinity of airports and military installations. Hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) (e.g., formaldehyde, benzene, naphthalene and other compounds) associated with aircraft emissions are an environmental concern both in flight and at ground level. Therefore, effective sampling, identification, and accurate measurement of these trace species are important to assess their environmental impact. This effort evaluates two established ambient air sampling and analysis methods, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Method TO-11A and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Method 1501, for potential use to quantify HAPs from aircraft turbine engines. The techniques were used to perform analysis of the exhaust from a T63 turboshaft engine, and were examined using certified gas standards transferred through the heated sampling systems used for engine exhaust gaseous emissions measurements. Test results show that the EPA Method TO-11A (for aldehydes) and NIOSH Method 1501 (for semivolatile hydrocarbons) were effective techniques for the sampling and analysis of most HAPs of interest. Both methods showed reasonable extraction efficiencies of HAP species from the sorbent tubes, with the exception of acrolein, styrene, and phenol, which were not well quantified. Formaldehyde measurements using dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) tubes (EPA method TO-11A) were accurate for gas-phase standards, and compared favorably to measurements using gas-phase Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. In general, these two standard methodologies proved to be suitable techniques for field measurement of turbine engine HAPs within a reasonable (5-10 minutes) sampling period. Details of the tests, the analysis methods, calibration procedures, and results from the gas standards and T63 engine tested using a conventional JP-8 jet fuel are provided.Implications: HAPs from aviation-related sources are important because of their adverse health and environmental impacts in and around airports and flight lines. Simpler, more convenient techniques to measure the important HAPs, especially aldehydes and volatile organic HAPs, are needed to provide information about their occurrence and assist in the development of engines that emit fewer harmful emissions.