The successful development and implementation of reusable liquid-hydrocarbon-fueled hypersonic vehicles require improved methodologies for providing sufficient heat sink for vehicle and engine cooling.  A primary approach for cooling uses the on-board fuel to achieve high levels of heat sink by deliberately promoting bulk endothermic reactions via thermal and/or catalytic cracking chemistry.  However, the fuel must be capable of providing a sufficient overall endotherm and reaction products compatible with the propulsion system, while minimizing undesirable carbonaceous deposit formation.  Deposit formation during supercritical pyrolysis is a major concern and must be mitigated to allow for extended hypersonic flight durations.Improved understanding of the effect of chemical class composition on fuel reactivity and deposition propensity is required to develop viable hydrocarbon fuels for endothermic applications.  This understanding is critical in that it: Provides insight into chemical and physical properties which control reactivity and deposition propensity.Identifies the relevant reaction pathways and mechanism for fuel decomposition in the supercritical regime. Allows for determination of favorable synergistic effects between chemical compound classes.Provides the basis for development and evaluation of advanced methodologies (materials, coatings, catalysts) to enable hypersonic applications.Experimental and modeling studies are underway to improve the understanding of fuel chemistry on endothermic reactivity.  Initial efforts have focused on the supercritical pyrolysis of model solvents and fully-formulated jet and rocket fuels.  The methodology employed and relevant findings will be presented.

Effect of fuel chemical composition on pyrolytic reactivity and deposition propensity under supercritical conditions

244th National Meeting (2012)

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