Optimization of Sustainable Alternative Fuel Composition for Improved Energy Consumption of Jet Engines

As anthropometric emissions continue to rise globally, reducing emissions from combustion systems is critical to environmental preservation. It is understood that a method for decreasing emissions contributions from the aviation sector is sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). SAF adoption relies on the ability to maintain or surpass the current performance metrics of petroleum derived fuels while also complying with critical operability limitations. High thermal stability SAFs have the potential to provide value in terms of reducing maintenance cost associated with coking and the ability to drive more heat into the fuel therefore increasing energy delivered to the combustor. It was determined that SAFs composed of mostly cycloalkanes with some aromatics maximize the energy savings for both high and low power engine operating conditions. This result is likely tied to the effects of H/C ratio on turbine performance. Furthermore, this work demonstrates that at least a 0.05% savings is possible at the high power condition from SAF mixtures that meet critical operability limits necessary for SAF approval. However, it was observed that at the low power condition identified SAF mixtures had not yet surpassed conventional petroleum fuel in terms of engine-level energy savings. It is anticipated that with increased computational time, greater convergence will be achieved for both the low and high power scenarios. This work provides preliminary results for the design of a high thermal stability SAF that will increase savings over the course of a mission requiring operation at both low and high power conditions respectively.