Impact of alternative fuels on the operational and environmental performance of a small turbofan engine

Abstract A wide range of alternative jet fuels is studied in this work for use in a small two-spool turbofan engine. These embrace the five production pathways currently approved by the American Society for Testing and Materials. Both neat products and blends (within certified limits) have been considered. The present analysis is based on a 0-D thermodynamic modeling of the aero-engine for off-design and transient simulations. In addition, the selected approach incorporates fuel effects on combustion and the impact of fuel properties on the flame temperature, as well as on the droplet evaporation rate. Predicted performance and pollutant emission outputs for the alternative fuels are presented at different operating conditions, namely: take-off, top of climb, cruise, low power and ground idle. The results are discussed and comprehensively compared with data available in the literature. It was concluded that the combustion of alternative fuels generally leads to enhancements in engine performance with respect to the use of conventional kerosene. Reductions in pollutant emissions occur mostly in soot, but also in nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide, depending on the fuel and operating conditions. In contrast, increased emissions of unburned hydrocarbons are generally observed. Concerns about the aero-engine dynamic response are raised only in very few cases, involving the use of neat products.