Vijay Narayanan
(Advisor: Prof. Menon]

will propose a master’s thesis entitled,

Investigating Lean Blowout of an Alternative Jet Fuel in a Gas Turbine Combustor

On

Monday, February 22 at 11:00 a.m. (EST)
https://bluejeans.com/166023098
 

Abstract
In the global effort to reduce the climate impact of combustion emissions, alternative fuels offer the ease and reliability of conventional hydrocarbon jet fuels with up to 80% reduced lifecycle CO2 emissions. In an ongoing effort, the Air Force Research Lab have been experimentally testing alternative jet fuels to identify potential fuels that are cheaper, easier to source/manufacture and produce less pollution than their petroleum-derived counterparts. Fuel lean combustion already reduces the emissions of jet engines and increases fuel efficiency, but lean blowout (LBO) can occur at reduced throttle scenarios, such as descent. LBO has been identified as a critical figure of merit to ensure the stability of alternative jet fuels in existing engine architecture.

The proposed work aims to investigate the LBO phenomenon computationally with large-eddy simulation (LES) and finite-rate chemical kinetics (FRC) in the alternative fuel designated C-5 by the National Jet Fuel Combustion Program (NJFCP). The NJFCP funded efforts to establish the fuel sensitivity of LBO experimentally, but the mechanism of action is not yet fully understood. This research will investigate the recently developed HyChem chemical kinetics through direct-step and gradual equivalence ratio reduction to ensure the fuel sensitivity of LBO is consistent. The time histories will be compared for similarities and differences preceding LBO in pressure, temperature, and composition histories inside and outside the flame. The objective of the effort will provide a more comprehensive understanding of the LBO process in alternative jet fuels, and the fuel sensitivity of LBO as a result.

Committee

• Prof. Suresh Menon – School of Aerospace Engineering (advisor)
• Prof. Joseph Oefelein– School of Aerospace Engineering
• Prof. Jerry Seitzman – School of Aerospace Engineering