Hydrocarbon Fuel Cooling Technologies for Advanced Propulsion

TLDR

Storable hydrocarbon fuels that undergo endothermic reaction provide an attractive heat sink for future high‑speed aircraft. The study investigated the endothermic potential of practical fuels with inexpensive catalysts under high‑speed flight‑simulated conditions. The study examined the endothermic potential of practical fuels with inexpensive catalysts under high‑speed flight‑simulated conditions, and investigated how fuel composition and operating parameters affect conversion extent, product composition, and the resulting endotherm. High heat sink capacities and desirable reaction products were demonstrated for n‑heptane and Norpar 12 fuels using zeolite catalysts in coated‑tube reactors, providing a basis for catalytic‑reactor/heat‑exchanger design and analysis.

Abstract

Storable hydrocarbon fuels that undergo endothermic reaction provide an attractive heat sink for future high-speed aircraft. An investigation was conducted to explore the endothermic potential of practical fuels, with inexpensive and readily available catalysts, under operating conditions simulative of high-speed flight applications. High heat sink capacities and desirable reaction products have been demonstrated for n-heptane and Norpar 12 fuels using zeolite catalysts in coated-tube reactor configurations. The effects of fuel composition and operating condition on extent of fuel conversion, product composition and the corresponding endotherm have been examined. The results obtained in this study provide a basis for catalytic-reactor/heat-exchanger design and analysis.