FY17 GRC: Activation of Hydrocarbon Fuel Qualities and Fuel reforming via High-Voltage Non-equilibrium Nanosecond Pulsed Plasma

NASA has pursued the development of reusable airbreathing launch vehicles in an effort to lower the cost of launching payloads to space. The key challenge for airbreathing hypersonic vehicles for long-range manned/unmanned transportation or for space applications requires the development of efficient propulsion systems. In airbreathing hypersonics, fuel is a major vehicle and engine component coolant for thermal management. Sustained hypersonic flight requires engine and, most likely, airframe components cooling using the fuel on board. Hydrogen has been touted as the fuel of choice for hypersonic flight because of its large heat sink capabilities and, along with its fast chemical kinetics, makes a good candidate for operation at the high range of the hypersonic regime. Our overall objective is to reform storable hydrocarbon fuels into hydrogen-rich fuel mixtures. NASA GRC has developed a technology for generating plasma in dielectric liquids using repetitively pulsed nanosecond discharges in Fast-Ionization-Wave (FIW) geometries. This project focused on conducting experimental studies of plasma-enhanced nonequilibrium liquid-vapor phase chemistry of liquid hydrocarbon / oxygenated fuel reforming in repetitively pulsed discharges. The first goal was to use of HV Nanosecond pulsed plasma to produce hydrogen-rich fuel mixtures in a non-oxidizing and cooled environment so as to enhance efficient and rapid combustion with reduced ignition-delay times. A second goal was to demonstrate hydrocarbon fuel non-thermal cracking into Hydrogen without the use of a catalyst or thermal cracking. The ultimate goal was to develop and demonstrate the catalyst-less endothermic potential of these fuels for hypersonic scramjet cooling.

This approach can be used as an alternative to steam reforming, partial oxidation reforming, or auto-thermal reforming, methods used in industry. In the plasma, the conventional reforming characteristics are the same. However, the energy and the free radicals, which play an important role in the reforming process, are provided by the plasma itself. What is new here is the reforming technologies is based on non-thermal plasma treatment of hydrocarbons. Previous estimates show promising prospects for the production of hydrogen as a future clean energy carrier. Benefits include hydrogen-assisted combustion for gas turbines, where it has been shown to reduce the amount of harmful emissions from the combustor and also to improve the overall combustion performance of the engine. Hydrogen has wider flame stability limits and laminar flame speeds when used for combustion, and a lower emissivity which means that the structure of the engine sustains lower thermal stresses and less fatigue, leading to a longer service life.

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