Detailed chemical-kinetic model for aviation fuels

The introduction of detailed detailed chemical reaction mechanisms for aviation fuels into complex multidimensional fluid dynamics problems is not practical at the present time. Simplified reaction mechanisms that have been thoroughly evaluated must be developed to address specific issues arising in realistic combustor configurations. The latter should be firmly based on detailed mechanisms carefully evaluated against a wide range of experimental data. A detailed kinetic mechanism for hydrocarbon combustion is formulated to address the gas-phase chemistry of endothermic and conventional aviation fuels. Reaction paths are analysed for n-decane and kerosene premixed flames, and the ability of the mechanism to predict various premixed flame features is assessed by comparison with experimental species profiles. Finally, the level of success achieved by the present kinetic model in the context of practical problems is discussed.