Measurement of Laminar Burning Speeds and Determination of Onset of Auto-Ignition of Jet-A/Air and Jet Propellant-8/Air Mixtures in a Constant Volume Spherical Chamber

The laminar burning speeds of Jet-A/air and three different samples of jet propellant (JP-8)/air mixtures have been measured and the onset of auto-ignition in JP-8/air premixed mixtures has been determined. The experiments were made in a constant volume spherical vessel, which can withstand high pressures up to 400 atm. Burning speed was calculated from dynamic pressure rise due to the combustion process in the vessel. A thermodynamic model based on the pressure rise was used to determine the burning speed. The burning speeds were measured in lean mixtures for pressures of 1-4.5 atm and temperatures of 493-700 K. The onset of auto-ignition of JP-8 fuels was evaluated by observing intense fluctuations of pressure data during the explosion of the unburned gas. It was revealed that Jet-A and JP-8 have very similar burning speeds; however, auto-ignition temperatures of various samples of JP-8 were slightly different from each other. Auto-ignition of these fuels was much more sensitive to temperature rather than pressure. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4006480]