Technical Paper
Effects of Fuel Properties on Soot Formation in Turbine Combustion
1978-02-01
781026
A T-63 combustor rig has been used to study the sensitivity of combustor performance to the physical and chemical properties of fuels. The purpose was to determine the impact of broadening fuel specifications and using non-specification fuels in emergencies. The fuel properties of special concern were the composition, the distillation curve and viscosity. The first property is associated with the chemistry of carbon formation while the latter two are related to mixing as they affect the atomization and vaporization. Six fuels were blended from a JP-5 base fuel and used to determine the effects of aromatic content, types of aromatics, and end point. Three JP-5s derived from coal, shale oil, and tar sands, were used to see if they correlated the same as the petroleum-derived fuels despite their different chemistry. Seven more fuels that were blends of marine diesel, JP5, and gasoline were used to examine all aspects but with emphasis on viscosity and distillation curve.