Thermal Stability Enhancement of JP-5

Additive technology has been developed which will extend the operating temperature of common aviation fuels like JP-5. However, the currently available additive packages cannot extend the operating temperature high enough to meet the anticipated requirements of future gas turbine engine designs. In addition, these additive packages usually deteriorate other performance properties of the fuel such as the water-shedding ability, low temperature characteristics, filterability and the ignition quality. Consequently, there is a demonstrated need for a new additive technology that can meet the stringent requirements of these engines. The objective of the Phase I proposal is to demonstrate the feasibility of using fullerene-based additives to improve the stability of JP-5 fuel at elevated temperatures. The experimental variables to be examined include the concentration and functionality of the fullerene additive. The effects of the additives on storage stability would be examined in a preliminary fashion and studied in more depth in Phase II. The Phase I and Phase II programs would benefit from novel fuel stability diagnostic methods developed at Advanced Fuel Research, Inc. (AFR) and SRI International (a subcontractor). At AFR, on-line FT-IR diagnostics have been demonstrated as a method of following oxidative and thermal degradation of a fuel. At SRI, off-line Field Ionization Mass Spectrometry (FIMS) has been demonstrated as a complementary technique for the same purpose. The combination of these methods will allow a rapid and comprehensive assessment of the effects of fullerene-based additives on fuel stability. The Phase I program will be divided into three tasks plus a fourth option task: 1) preparation of doped model fuels; 2) thermal stressing experiments with model fuels; 3) characterization of stressed model fuels; 4) thermal stressing experiments with doped JP-5 fuel (option). Under Phase II, the formulation of fullerene doped JP-5 would be optimized and thermal stability tests would be performed in larger scale systems.