Impact of 50% Alcohol to Jet Blends on Aviation Turbine Fuel Coalescence - Navy Coalescence Test
Abstract
In October 2009, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus directed the Navy to decrease its reliance on fossil fuels. The objective of this test program is to ensure that all proposed alternative sourced fuels come from non-food sources and must be compatible with all existing hardware without compromising performance, handling or safety. Alcohol to Jet (ATJ) fuel is an alternative sourced aviation fuel currently being evaluated. ATJ fuels are synthetic paraffin fuels produced from alcohols (isobutanol or n-butanol). Sugars, corn, grass/wood/biomass, and power plant/industrial CO2 are all potential ATJ feedstocks. ATJ fuels are comprised of a mixture of C8, C12, and C16 paraffins. The Navy Coalescence Test (NCT) simulates the performance of a full-scale filter-separator system through the use of a small-scale fuel system and specially manufactured scaled down filter/coalescer and separator. The NCT is a level II fit-for-purpose test in the Navy's alternative fuels qualification protocol, Navy SWP44FL-006: Naval Fuels & Lubricants CFT Aviation Qualification Protocol for Alternative Fuel/Fuel Sources. After 80 hours of testing 50% JP-5/50% ATJ (by vol.) met the acceptable performance criteria??? no more than three consecutive hours of filter-separator effluent free water concentrations greater than or equal to 100 ppm by volume. On average, 87% of the 205 ppmv free water injected was removed and only one effluent sample contained greater than 100 ppmv water. Therefore it is recommended 50% JP-5/50% ATJ be approved for full-scale single filter/coalescer element testing.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 17, 2014
- Accession Number
- ADA620141
Entities
People
- Douglas
- Jack Buffin
- Richard A. Kamin
- Terrence Dickerson
Organizations
- Naval Air Systems Command