SBIR-STTR Award

Despite the importance of jet fighter afterburner designs, there exists very little data on the majority of the individual components of jet fuel, especially JP-8, to enable development of a detailed kinetic mechanism. Although the Multi University Research Initiative program has been initiated for that purpose, it is oriented for the main engine combustor where the process is different from afterburners. A kinetic mechanism for combustion in afterburners raises new level of complexities since the combustion is vitiated: low pressure, minimal oxygen, and high temperature. Innovative Energy Solution is assembling a world class team of experts in chemical kinetics and computational fluid dynamic to develop a robust and sophisticated chemical kinetics module for predicting elementary reactions of vitiated combustion as exist in afterburner environments. This module, for eventual insertion into a computational fluid dynamic package, will go beyond simple chemistry as it will predict relevant micro level chemical reactions during combustion in vitiated flow. Using the unique properties of the single pulse shock tube to generate the needed low pressure rate coefficients, the company is planning an array of experiments for validating and cross-validating the model while taking a lead in defining the fluid dynamic portion of the problem.

Keywords:
Afterburner, Chemical Kinetics, Vitiation, High Temperature Combustion, Low Pressure Combustion, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Chemical Mechanism, Shock Tube

Despite the importance of jet fighter afterburner designs, there exists very little data on the majority of the individual components of jet fuel, especially JP-8, to enable development of a detailed kinetic mechanism.  Although the Multi University Research Initiative program has been initiated for that purpose, it is oriented for the main engine combustor where the process is different from afterburners.  A kinetic mechanism for combustion in afterburners raises new level of complexities since the combustion is vitiated: low pressure, minimal oxygen, and high temperature.   Innovative Energy Solution is assembling a world class team of experts in chemical kinetics and computational fluid dynamic to develop a robust and sophisticated chemical kinetics module for predicting elementary reactions of vitiated combustion as exist in afterburner environments.  This module, for eventual insertion into a computational fluid dynamic package, will go beyond simple chemistry as it will predict relevant micro level chemical reactions during combustion in vitiated flow.  Using the unique properties of the single pulse shock tube to generate the needed low pressure rate coefficients, the company is planning an array of experiments for cross-validating the model.  Furthermore, the technique for reducing the chemical mechanism will be further refined.     

Benefits:
As the design requirements for aero gas turbine engines push the performance envelope, so does flame stabilization technology for afterburners.  This work is part of the effort to develop efficient design tools to lower development cost and lead time for main engine combustors, afterburners, and even internal combustion engines.  At the fundamental level, this project will provide a wealth of information on the chemical kinetic processes associated with JP-8 combustion over a wide range of temperatures, pressures, and flow conditions.  

Keywords:
Afterburner, Chemical Kinetics, Vitiation, High Temperature Combustion, Low Pressure Combustion, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Chemical Mechanism, Sho