Comprehensive Assessment of Composition and Thermochemical Variability of Three Prototype Gas Turbine Fuels by GC/QToF-MS and the Advanced Distillation-Curve Method as a Basis of Comparison for Novel Fuel Development

Published

October 26, 2016

Author(s)

Tara Lovestead, Jessica L. Burger, Nico Schneider, Thomas J. Bruno

Abstract

Commercial and military aviation is faced with challenges that include high fuel costs, emissions, and supply chain security that result from the reliance on petroleum-based feedstocks. The development of alternative gas turbine fuels from renewable resources will likely be part of addressing these issues. The United States has established a target for one billion gallons of renewable fuels to enter the supply chain by 2018. These alternative fuels will have to be very similar in properties, chemistry, and composition to existing fuels. To further this goal, the National Jet Fuel Combustion Program (a collaboration of multiple U.S. agencies under the auspices of the Federal Aviation Administration) is coordinating measurements on three prototype gas turbine fuels to be used as a basis of comparison. These fuels include a best case JP-8, a worst case JP-5, and an average Jet-A. The first complete speciation of these fuels is provided in this paper by use of gas chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight - mass spectrometry (GC/QToF-MS), which affords unprecedented resolution and exact mass capabilities. The volatility information as derived from the measurement of the advanced distillation curve temperatures, Tk and Th, provides an approximation of the vapor liquid equilibrium and examination of the composition channels provides detailed insight into thermochemical data. A comprehensive understanding of the compositional and thermophysical data of gas turbine fuels is required not only for comparison but also for modeling of such complex mixtures, which will, in turn, aid in the development of new fuels with the goals of diversified feedstocks, decreased pollution, and increased efficiency.

Citation

Energy & Fuels

Volume

30

Issue

12

Pub Type

Journals

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.energyfuels.6b01837

Local Download

Keywords

advanced distillation curve, enthalpy, gas turbine fuel, GC/QToF-MS, NMR

Citation

Lovestead, T. , Burger, J. , Schneider, N. and Bruno, T. (2016), Comprehensive Assessment of Composition and Thermochemical Variability of Three Prototype Gas Turbine Fuels by GC/QToF-MS and the Advanced Distillation-Curve Method as a Basis of Comparison for Novel Fuel Development, Energy & Fuels, [online], https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.energyfuels.6b01837, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=920223 (Accessed July 17, 2024)