Carbon Formation by the Pyrolysis of Gas Turbine Fuels in Preflame Regions of Gas Turbine Combustors

Abstract

A series of experiments have been carried out to investigate the formation of carbon from the pyrolysis of gas turbine fuels, in both the gas and liquid phases, over the temperature range 573–1300 K. Two fuels were examined, a kerosine and a diesel, spanning the range of current and possible future aviation fuels. It was found that only gas phase pyrolysis could account for the formation of carbon and that there was no difference in the carbon forming tendencies of kerosine and diesel. The kinetics of the reaction were determined, making it possible to predict the amount of decomposition of the fuels at temperatures up to those typical of preflame regions of combustors.