The use of alternative fuels for aviation is likely to increase due to concerns over fuel security, price stability, and the sustainability of fuel sources. Concurrent reductions in particulate emissions from these alternative fuels are expected because of changes in fuel composition including reduced sulfur and aromatic content. The NASA Alternative Aviation Fuel Experiment (AAFEX) was conducted in January–February 2009 to investigate the effects of synthetic fuels on gas-phase and particulate emissions. Standard petroleum JP-8 fuel, pure synthetic fuels produced from natural gas and coal feedstocks using the Fischer–Tropsch (FT) process, and 50% blends of both fuels were tested in the CFM-56 engines on a DC-8 aircraft. To examine plume chemistry and particle evolution with time, samples were drawn from inlet probes positioned 1, 30, and 145 m downstream of the aircraft engines. No significant alteration to engine performance was measured when burning the alternative fuels. However, leaks in the aircraft fuel system were detected when operated with the pure FT fuels as a result of the absence of aromatic compounds in the fuel. Dramatic reductions in soot emissions were measured for both the pure FT fuels (reductions in mass of 86% averaged over all powers) and blended fuels (66%) relative to the JP-8 baseline with the largest reductions at idle conditions. At 7% power, this corresponds to a reduction from 7.6 mg kg⁻¹ for JP-8 to 1.2 mg kg⁻¹ for the natural gas FT fuel. At full power, soot emissions were reduced from 103 to 24 mg kg⁻¹ (JP-8 and natural gas FT, respectively). The alternative fuels also produced smaller soot (e.g., at 85% power, volume mean diameters were reduced from 78 nm for JP-8 to 51 nm for the natural gas FT fuel), which may reduce their ability to act as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). The reductions in particulate emissions are expected for all alternative fuels with similar reductions in fuel sulfur and aromatic content regardless of the feedstock. As the plume cools downwind of the engine, nucleation-mode aerosols form. For the pure FT fuels, reductions (94% averaged over all powers) in downwind particle number emissions were similar to those measured at the exhaust plane (84%). However, the blended fuels had less of a reduction (reductions of 30–44%) than initially measured (64%). The likely explanation is that the reduced soot emissions in the blended fuel exhaust plume results in promotion of new particle formation microphysics, rather than coating on pre-existing soot particles, which is dominant in the JP-8 exhaust plume. Downwind particle volume emissions were reduced for both the pure (79 and 86% reductions) and blended FT fuels (36 and 46%) due to the large reductions in soot emissions. In addition, the alternative fuels had reduced particulate sulfate production (near zero for FT fuels) due to decreased fuel sulfur content. To study the formation of volatile aerosols (defined as any aerosol formed as the plume ages) in more detail, tests were performed at varying ambient temperatures (−4 to 20 °C). At idle, particle number and volume emissions were reduced linearly with increasing ambient temperature, with best fit slopes corresponding to −8 × 10¹⁴ particles (kg fuel)⁻¹ °C⁻¹ for particle number emissions and −10 mm³ (kg fuel)⁻¹ °C⁻¹ for particle volume emissions. The temperature dependency of aerosol formation can have large effects on local air quality surrounding airports in cold regions. Aircraft-produced aerosols in these regions will be much larger than levels expected based solely on measurements made directly at the engine exit plane. The majority (90% at idle) of the volatile aerosol mass formed as nucleation-mode aerosols, with a smaller fraction as a soot coating. Conversion efficiencies of up to 2.8% were measured for the partitioning of gas-phase precursors (unburned hydrocarbons and SO₂) to form volatile aerosols. Highest conversion efficiencies were measured at 45% power.

Supercritical water upgrading (SCWU) of heavy oils reduces sulfur content and decreases average molecular weight, without rejecting carbon as coke products. Despite many years of industrial and academic scrutiny, many fundamental questions remain in the field: intrinsic reaction rates and mechanisms; the role of water; the need for catalysts; the importance of phase behavior and mixing. In 2009, MIT initiated a SCWU research program aimed at improving the understanding of the relevant physical, chemical, and catalytic phenomena. This overview summarizes the work performed at MIT within the historical context of SCWU with a particular focus on new kinetic rate measurements and modeling, reaction mechanism analysis, catalyst investigation, and combined mass/heat transport modeling of hydrocarbon/water mixtures. Kinetic rate measurements showed that sulfide decomposition during SCWU is consistent with a radical chain reaction pathway. Mechanistic studies and product distribution analysis identified that sulfide decomposition likely occurs via thioaldehyde and aldehyde intermediates and that water plays important roles in thioaldehyde hydrolysis (as a reactant) and aldehyde decarbonylation (as a catalyst). Catalytic investigation found that ZnO has potential to improve sulfur removal during SCWU, without addition of molecular hydrogen. Mixing studies revealed the complex dynamic processes that occur when hydrocarbons are injected into near or supercritical water. The article concludes with a summary of research needs and thoughts on the future of SCWU.Saudi Aramco (contract no. 6600023444

We have designed and characterized a new inlet and aerodynamic lens for the Aerodyne aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) that transmits particles between 80 nm and more than 3 μm in vacuum aerodynamic diameter. The design of the inlet and lens was optimized with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling of particle trajectories. Major changes include a redesigned critical orifice holder and valve assembly, addition of a relaxation chamber behind the critical orifice, and a higher lens operating pressure. The transmission efficiency of the new inlet and lens was characterized experimentally with size-selected particles. Experimental measurements are in good agreement with the calculated transmission efficiency.

The characterization of volatile and nonvolatile particle materials present in gas turbine exhaust is critical for accurate estimation of the potential impacts of airport activities on local air quality, atmospheric processes, and climate change. Two field campaigns were performed to collect an extensive set of particle and gaseous emission data for on-wing gas turbine engines. The tests included CFM56, RB211-535E4-B, AE3007, PW4158, and CJ610 engines, providing the opportunity to compare emissions from a wide range of engine technologies. Here we report mass, number, composition, and size data for the nonvolatile (soot) and volatile particles present in engine exhaust. For all engines, soot emissions ($EIm$-soot) are greater at climbout (85% power) and takeoff (100%) power than idle (4% or 7%) and approach (30%). At the engine exit plane, soot is the only type of particle detected. For exhaust sampled downwind (15–50 m) and diluted by ambient air, total particle number emissions ($EIn$-total) increases by about one or two orders of magnitude relative to the engine exit plane, and the increase is driven by volatile particles that have freshly nucleated in the cooling exhaust gas both in the free atmosphere and in the extractive sample lines. Fuel sulfur content is the determining factor for nucleation of new particles in the cooling exhaust gases. Compositional analysis indicates that the volatile particles consist of sulfate and organic materials ($EIm$-sulfate and $EIm$-organic). We estimate a lower bound S[IV] to S[VI] conversion efficiency of $(0.08±0.01)%$, independent of engine technology. Measurements of $EIm$-organic ranged from about $0.1mgkg−1$ to $40mgkg−1$. Lubrication oil was present in particles emitted by all engines and accounted for over 90% of the particulate organic mass under some conditions. The products of incomplete combustion are a likely source of the remaining volatile organic particle material.