Controllable Atomization for Supercritical Combustion

nGimat Co., in collaboration with the Georgia Institute of Technology, and the Wright-Patterson AFB Air Force Research Laboratory, proposes to develop a fuel injection method and advanced numerical simulation tools for injection of fuel at supercritical conditions in aero-propulsion combustors. This project is designed to accelerate understanding and commercialization of transcritical and supercritical fuel injection and fuel-air mixing technology for improved performance and thermal management of jet engines. These goals have been identified by the Integrated High Performance Turbine Engine Technology (IHPTET) program as pivotal technologies for the U.S. to maintain/extend its global competitive position in aircraft and missile systems. The injection of fuel at a supercritical thermodynamic state into a high-pressure environment is an increasingly important research area, since high heat sink fuel cooling technology will provide a path to enhance performance with current materials in advanced fighter aircraft and can play a key role in emission-reduction strategies in commercial aircraft. Successful development of injection methods and numerical simulation tools will facilitate a clear path to incorporate this technology into future products such as the Joint Strike Fighter.