You are here

Promoters for Low Temperature Spray Ignition

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Air Force
Contract: F34601-01-C-0238
Agency Tracking Number: 011XP-1480
Amount: $98,172.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 2001
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
12345 W. 52nd Ave.
Wheat Ridge, CO 80033
United States
DUNS: 181947730
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Bradley Hitch
 Senior Engineer
 (303) 940-2318
 bhitch@tda.com
Business Contact
 John Wright
Title: Vice Presidnet
Phone: (303) 940-2300
Email: jdwright@tda.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

Some older turbojet engines have had trouble with engine start at low ambient temperatures since the change in logistic fuel from JP-4 to JP-8. This engine starting difficulty can seriously affect force readiness in time critical operations. Our analysisindicates that this lightoff problem is fundamentally related to the fact that JP-8 fuel sprays have a much larger ignition energy requirement and quenching distance than JP-4 sprays. While mechanical changes to the TF33 engine could be made to obtainJP-4-like light-off performance with JP-8, this option is likely to be very expensive. A far less expensive option would be to use an ignition-promoting fuel additive during the winter months. TDA therefore proposes to use an existing,temperature-controlled spray ignition apparatus to investigate several classes of ignition-promoting fuel additives that hold promise to improve low temperature spray ignition while maintaining compliance with the JP-8 fuel specification.Success in thisproject would restore JP-4-like engine light-off performance to the B-52 in winter while conforming with the JP-8 fuel specification.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

US Flag An Official Website of the United States Government