Response surface models for synthetic jet fuel properties

Abstract

Jet fuel is a mixture of different hydrocarbon groups, and the mass contribution of each of these groups toward the overall chemical composition of the fuel dictates the bulk physical properties of the fuel after completion of the refining and blending processes. The fluidity properties of jet fuel mixtures at low temperatures are critical in understanding and mitigating the safety risks and performance attributes of aircraft engines, which may lead to the introduction of more stringent specification limits in the near future. Therefore, in this study the low-temperature viscosity and freeze point properties of jet fuels were investigated by variation of the linear to branched chain paraffin mass ratio, in conjunction with variation of the carbon number distribution according to a mixture by process variables experimental design. Furthermore, response surface models were developed and discussed for the two main fluidity properties of interest and inferences were made from the models for the potential generation of optimal jet fuel mixtures.