JetA1, JP10 and Their Nano-Boron Slurries Combustion in Atmospheric Pressure Slinger Combustor

Abstract

This paper studies boron slurries in a slinger combustor – its production and integration into JetA1 and JP10 up to 20% by mass. Production involves magnesio-thermic reduction of boron trioxide with moderator (sodium chloride) and leaching with hydrochloric acid to produce 0.5 kg/week at purity 94–96%, followed by ball milling. Boron particle size in slurry is 10–25 nm. Combustion is studied in 10–20% boron-in-liquid fuel concentration. The slinger combustor is built to run at 30,000 rpm and instrumented for azimuthal temperature distribution across exit (rotating thermocouple probe) and liner temperatures. Studies were at air-to-fuel-ratio 25–56 limiting peak temperatures to 1370 K akin to full-scale combustor. About 50 hot tests are conducted with JetA1, JP10 and slurries at 0.7–0.8 g/s (a) permitting vaporization before intersecting liner, (b) limiting peak temperatures and (c) examining deposition of boron trioxide. For 10% slurries, the operation is smoother with JetA1 than JP10. Maximum pattern factor was 0.35 with azimuthal variation of 300–1300 K. Liner temperatures at 650–800 K with neat fuel dropped by 50–70 K for JP10 slurries. Some conclusions will need confirmation at full-size.

Acknowledgements

Authors wish to acknowledge the technical inputs and support provided by Sonal Lucy, Dalton Maurya, Sivaramakrishna G, Combustion Group, Gas Turbine Research Establishment, DRDO.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The financial support provided by Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) is gratefully acknowledged.

Notes on contributors

Chitradurga Subrahmanya Bhaskar Dixit

Chitradurga Subrahmanya Bhaskar Dixit is a Professor and the Director of the “Fire and Combustion Research Center” of Jain (Deemed-to-be University). He is a mechanical engineering graduate with a doctorate in Aerospace Engineering from Indian Institute of Science.

Appathurai Venugopalan Sowriraajan

Appathurai Sowriraajan Venugopalan is an Associate Professor at Fire and Combustion Research Center, Jain (Deemed-to-be University). His research contributions are in the development of fire retardants, high energy materials and their applications in the field of fire suppression and combustion.

Annaiappa Shivakumar

Annaiappa Shivakumar is a faculty at Fire and Combustion Research Center, Jain (Deemed-to-be University) with research interests in fire behavior, fire suppression, and combustion.

Prasanna Gorby Dsouza

Prasanna Gorby Dsouza is a Research and Development Engineer at Fire and Combustion Research Center, Jain (Deemed-to-be University) his research interests are in fire suppression, combustion, and fire simulations.

Hanasoge Suryanarayana Avadhany Mukunda

Hanasoge Suryanarayana Avadhany Mukunda is an emeritus professor from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and currently at the Fire and Combustion Research Center, Jain (Deemed-to-be University). His research contributions are in the field of combustion of solid, liquid and gaseous fuels, propulsion, gasification and fire science.