A strategy for enhancing ignition of aviation fuels at high altitudes using nanoparticle and fuel-soluble catalysts

IF 5 1区工程技术 Q1 ENGINEERING, AEROSPACE

Aerospace Science and Technology Pub Date : 2025-03-20 DOI:10.1016/j.ast.2025.110160

Fanggang Zhang , Lei Luo , Jiahui Zhang , Weiguang Cai , Shu Zheng , Xingyan Tang , Wenzhe Cai , Ran Sui

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Improving the ignition performance of aviation fuels in high-altitude environments is essential for the reliable operation of aero-engines. This study investigated the catalytic ignition of RP-3 aviation fuel at high-altitudes using Co₃O₄ nanoparticles and fuel-soluble catalysts (platinum and palladium acetylacetonates). Ignition delay times (IDT) and ignition probabilities (IP) were measured in situ using thermocouples and a spectrometer. The results demonstrated that the addition of 150 ppm Co₃O₄ nanoparticles exhibited the best catalytic performance, achieving 100% IP with the shortest average IDT of 1.41 s. In contrast, the IP of RP-3 without catalysts was only 25%, with an average IDT above 15.92 s. The fuel-soluble catalysts also significantly improved the ignition performance. With 150 ppm addition, both cases reached 100% IP but longer IDTs than that of Co₃O₄. Thermogravimetric analysis indicated that Co₃O₄ nanoparticles catalyzed ignition through the Mars-van Krevelen mechanism at lower temperatures, while at higher temperatures they decomposed into CoO and O₂, further facilitating ignition through both catalytic effect and the increased amount of oxidant. On the other hand, the fuel-soluble catalysts decomposed into noble metals or their oxidants that provided active sites for the surface oxidation of the fuel, with the heat release from this process initiating gas-phase ignition. These results provide a new strategy for ignition enhancement of aviation fuels in extreme environments via catalytic combustion.

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来源期刊

Aerospace Science and Technology 工程技术-工程：宇航

CiteScore

10.30

自引率

28.60%

发文量

654

审稿时长

54 days

期刊介绍： Aerospace Science and Technology publishes articles of outstanding scientific quality. Each article is reviewed by two referees. The journal welcomes papers from a wide range of countries. This journal publishes original papers, review articles and short communications related to all fields of aerospace research, fundamental and applied, potential applications of which are clearly related to: • The design and the manufacture of aircraft, helicopters, missiles, launchers and satellites • The control of their environment • The study of various systems they are involved in, as supports or as targets. Authors are invited to submit papers on new advances in the following topics to aerospace applications: • Fluid dynamics • Energetics and propulsion • Materials and structures • Flight mechanics • Navigation, guidance and control • Acoustics • Optics • Electromagnetism and radar • Signal and image processing • Information processing • Data fusion • Decision aid • Human behaviour • Robotics and intelligent systems • Complex system engineering. Etc.