An Artificially Intelligent Raman Spectrometer for Aviation Jet Fuel Quality Testing in a Field Setting

Technological advancements have made air bases more susceptible to threats from new long-range weapons. Additionally, there are fiscal and political constraints that limit the establishment of new permanent air bases. To address these challenges, the USAF introduced Agile Combat Employment (ACE). In order for ACE to succeed, efficient planning and resource utilization are vital for setting up and repairing facilities and infrastructure to meet mission requirements. However, aircraft maintenance operations have inefficiencies, leading to slow aircraft turnaround. For example, the lack of real-time fuel quality assurance can affect the success or failure of any unit conducting combat operations. Specifically, jet fuel contaminated by hydraulic or Polyalphaolefin fluid could result in a catastrophic failure of jet aircraft. Also, thermal stress experienced by aircraft subsystems such as electronics and environmental control systems has increased as aircraft technologies and capabilities have advanced. Trace gases in the fuel, such as sulfur-containing compounds, can react with dissolved molecular oxygen at high temperatures to reduce thermal stability. The objective of this SBIR is to develop an instrument capable of accurately detecting and quantifying contaminants, ensuring fuel quality and consequently, aviation safety in a field setting. The instrument also seeks to produce an indicator of thermal stability.