Honors College Theses

Publication Date

5-11-2026

Major

Mechanical Engineering (B.S.)

Release Option

Open Access

Faculty Mentor

Professor Valentin Soloiu

Abstract

A comprehensive analysis was conducted to research the viability of Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA) and S8 Synthetic Kerosene fuels as a drop-in replacement for conventional petroleum-based fuels, Jet-A and ULSD (Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel). Global transportation remains heavily dependent on liquid fossil fuels, while renewable aerospace fuels offer a promising pathway to reducing life cycle greenhouse gas emissions and pollution. However, the combustion performance and long-term feasibility of these fuels remain insufficiently characterized. This study performed a thorough assessment of each fuel's thermophysical and combustion properties. Thermophysical characterization encompassed viscosity, freezing point, energy density, spray atomization, and volatility. A Constant Volume Combustion Chamber (CVCC) was employed to determine autoignition and low temperature combustion behavior, with Derived Cetane Number (DCN), Ignition Delay (ID), Combustion Delay (CD), and Apparent Heat Release Rate (AHRR) serving as primary metrics. Additional combustion insights were drawn from Low-Temperature Heat Release (LTHR), the Negative Temperature Coefficient (NTC) region, and High-Temperature Heat Release (HTHR). A supplementary Noise, Vibration, and Harshness (NVH) analysis was conducted to characterize the thermoacoustic vibrations generated by each fuel's combustion event.

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