Determination of the Emissions from an Aircraft Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) During the Alternative Aviation Fuel Experiment (AAFEX)

Abstract

The emissions from a Garrett-AiResearch (now Honeywell)Model GTCP85-98CK auxiliary power unit (APU) were determined as part of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) Alternative Aviation Fuel Experiment (AAFEX) using both JP-8 and a coal-derived Fischer Tropsch fuel (FT-2). Measurements were conducted by multiple research organizations for sulfur dioxide (SO2), total hydrocarbons (THC), carbonmonoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), speciated gas-phase emissions, particulatematter (PM)mass and number, black carbon, and speciated PM. In addition, particle size distribution (PSD), number-based geometric mean particle diameter (GMD), and smoke number were also determined from the data collected. The results of the research showed PM mass emission indices (EIs) in the range of 20 to 700 mg/kg fuel and PM number EIs ranging from 0.5 x1015 to 5 x1015 particles/kg fuel depending on engine load and fuel type. In addition, significant reductions in both the SO2 and PMEIs were observed for the use of the FT fuel. These reductions were on the order of~90%for SO2 and particlemass EIs and~60%for the particle number EI, with similar decreases observed for black carbon. Also, the size of the particles generated by JP-8 combustion are noticeably larger than those emitted by the APU burning the FT fuel with the geometric mean diameters ranging from 20 to 50 nm depending on engine load and fuel type. Finally, both particle-bound sulfate and organics were reduced during FT-2 combustion. The PM sulfatewas reduced by nearly 100% due to lack of sulfur in the fuel, with the PM organics reduced by a factor of ~5 as compared with JP-8.

Department(s)

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Second Department

Chemistry

Third Department

Physics

Keywords and Phrases

Air pollution; Air pollution control; Benzene; Carbon dioxide; Coal combustion; Experiments; Fuels; Gas emissions; Hydrocarbons; NASA; Nitrogen oxides; Particle size analysis; Sulfur; Sulfur dioxide; Waste management; Auxiliary power units; Aviation fuel; Black carbon; Control strategies; Engine load; Fischer-tropsch fuels; FT fuel; Fuel compositions; Fuel types; Gasphase; Geometric mean; Honeywell; Mass emissions; Multiple research; Online editions; Organics; Particle numbers; Sampling probes; Smoke Numbers; Test matrix; Total hydrocarbons; Urban areas; Waste Management Association

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

1096-2247

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2012 Taylor & Francis, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Jan 2012

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