Development of new long-life injectors with external cooling jackets for air-jet engines with liquid and gaseous hydrocarbon fuel and coolants


Аuthors

Altunin V. A.1*, Altunin K. V.1**, Abdullin M. R.1, Pronin K. V.1, Yusupov A. A.1, Yanovskaya M. L.2

1. Kazan National Research Technical University named after A.N. Tupolev, Kazan, Russia
2. Central Institute of Aviation Motors, CIAM, 2, Aviamotornaya St., Moscow, 111116, Russia

*e-mail: altspacevi@yahoo.com
**e-mail: altkonst881@yandex.ru

Abstract

 This article addresses the challenges of controlling deposit formation in fuel injectors of jet engines and ground power plants. An analysis of thermal processes in liquid and gaseous hydrocarbon fuels and coolants during their use in aircraft engines and ground power plants is provided. One of the negative and dangerous thermal processes is deposit formation, which occurs primarily in fuel injectors. Experiments have shown that deposit formation in liquid hydrocarbon fuels and coolants begins at a temperature of 373 K. Deposit formation leads to partial and complete coking of all injector components. Partial coking partially reduces actual engine thrust and can lead to unintended jet spray of liquid hydrocarbon fuel, which can lead to burnout of the combustion chamber, fire, and explosion. Complete coking leads to a complete loss of thrust, liquid hydrocarbon fuel leaks, fire, and explosion. One existing method for combating deposit formation is the use of anti-deposit additives to liquid hydrocarbon fuels. However, these additives only work (i.e., prevent deposit formation) up to a temperature of 473 K. As the injector wall temperature rises further, deposits begin to form again. A new and promising method for combating deposit formation in liquid hydrocarbon fuels and coolants is to reduce the temperature of the heated injector to 373 K or less. This temperature can be achieved by strategically placing an external cooling jacket on the injector deflector, where liquid hydrocarbon fuel can be used as a coolant. However, solid carbon deposits can form and grow on the inner walls of the injector's external cooling jacket, which will ultimately lead to general heating of the entire injector and deposits on all its internal components. The authors of the article previously experimentally established that electrostatic fields not only enhance heat transfer to liquid hydrocarbon fuels but also prevent deposit formation in the area of electrostatic field lines. Therefore, the authors proposed placing electrostatic fields with needle-toneedle electrodes inside the injector's outer cooling jacket channel. These electrodes generate an electric wind, which not only enhances heat transfer and prevents deposit formation but also enables forced convection of the coolant within the cooling jacket, subsequently feeding it into the injector's internal channels and atomizing it for combustion in the event of a malfunction of the standard fuel pump. The service life of such a nozzle can be increased by two or more times, compared to a standard nozzle of an air-breathing engine or a ground-based gas turbine power plant. 

Keywords:

injector, hydrocarbon fuel, sediment formation and control, electrostatic fields, electric wind

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