Coke Resistant Coatings and Screens for Gas Turbine Fuel Systems

Thermal management demands have grown for military aircraft as advanced propulsion systems, sensors, and electronic weapons have emerged and become more prevalent on the modern battlefield. Fuel can be used as a coolant, but heating the fuel can result in production of coke deposits, which can foul fuel system components such as fuel injectors or last chance screens. This issue is expected to continue and grow as aircraft become more advanced and powerful, and as different fuels such as alternative jet fuels are brought into service. If a fuel injector or last chance screen clogs, it can lead to combustion stability and performance issues which must be addressed through servicing, and these components are difficult to access. We are developing advanced coatings for fuel injectors and screens that make them less sensitive to clogging due to fuel coke deposits.  Our approach involves a novel frangible coating technology expected to significantly outperform conventional options such as silica-based coatings. We are also developing mechanical assist approaches that aid in sloughing off deposits. In Phase I we will apply our coating approach to screen material representative of a last chance screen and demonstrate our technology through fuel exposure testing.