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Soluble Catalysts to Improve Jet Fuel Combustion and Fuel Heat Sink Capacity

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Air Force
Contract: FA9550-07-C-0106
Agency Tracking Number: F064-019-0241
Amount: $750,000.00
Phase: Phase II
Program: STTR
Solicitation Topic Code: AF06-T019
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2006
Award Year: 2007
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2007-01-25
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2009-01-25
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
 DAVID WICKHAM
 Senior Chemist
 (303) 940-2350
 wickham@tda.com
Business Contact
 John Wright
Title: Vice President
Phone: (303) 940-2300
Email: jdwright@tda.com
Research Institution
 UNIV. OF UTAH
 Scott L Anderson
 
Department of Chemistry 315 S. 1400 E., RM Dock
Salt Lake City, UT 84112
United States

 (801) 585-7289
 Nonprofit College or University
Abstract

Currently, there is a strong need to develop new air breathing propulsion systems to launch vehicles into space, and Rocket Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) propulsion systems likely will be used for this purpose. In the scramjet portion of the cycle, it is difficult to maintain stable combustion, and the overall heat load in a scramjet engine exceeds the cooling capacity that can be provided from the sensible heating of hydrocarbon-based jet fuels. Therefore, the fuel must contain additives that improve combustion along with its cooling capacity. In the Phase I portion of this STTR project, TDA Research, Inc. (TDA) prepared fuel-soluble catalysts and determined that the catalysts improved combustion and increased the rate of endothermic cracking reactions. In addition, we obtained comprehensive surface and particle size characterizations of several catalysts. In Phase II, we will optimize the catalyst formulations and carry out combustion and cracking tests under more representative conditions. We will conduct tests in an integrated test rig where we feed the products produced in our cracking rig directly into the combustion rig. Finally, Professor Scott Anderson's group at the University of Utah will build a sampling probe so we can sample and characterize reactive intermediates in the combustion reactor.

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

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