Combustion Enhancement of Propulsion-Fuel Using Novel Carbon-based Additives

ABSTRACT: Precision Combustion, Inc. proposes a novel approach for nanoenergetic particle addition to aerospace fuels using carbon based nano-particles, hence avoiding challenges currently being faced by metal-based particles including particle stability, agglomeration, oxidation, solid combustion by-products containing metals and the environmental issues posed by metal-based nano-fuels. We are seeking to develop an alternate, affordable method to synthesize these carbon-based additives which could easily form a long term stable dispersion in commercial fuels without use of surfactants and will enhance their energetic properties. The energetic would convert completely to CO2/H2O with no unusual plume signature, no deposition, and no need for a surface passivation layer. In Phase I, we propose to synthesize several carbon-based additives for commercial aerospace fuels and compare the fuel/nano-additives blends to the base fuels and metal nanoparticle-laden fuels in terms of burning rate, fuel energy density and ignition temperature through laboratory-scale studies of the atomization, vaporization, ignition, and flame stabilization behaviors. In Phase II, optimization of the fuel blend and further quantification of performance improvement and initial transients will be performed. BENEFIT: The creation of inexpensive fuel additives to enhance the combustion properties of conventional and future derived fuels will increase the availability of propulsion grade fuels by upgrading lower quality fuels and/or reducing the volume of higher grade fuels consumed. The additive also improves fuel stability and ignition properties which will enable increase in the thrust from a given engine and/or increase the aircrafts"mission duration with lower pollutant emissions. The initial application of this technology will be conventional and future derived military propulsion fuels. Easier access to ultra-high grade fuels that can be used with minimal, if any, equipment modifications can save the DoD billions of dollars annually in fuel purchase and logistics expenses. When the technology has matured and/or with clearance by the DoD, the additives implementation can be a game changer in commercial aviation fuel purchase and logistics expenses.