The Use of Ethanol as an Alternative Fuel for Small Turbojet Engines

Rudolf Andoga, Ladislav Főző, Martin Schrötter and Stanislav Szabo
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Rudolf Andoga: Department of Avionics, Faculty of Aeronautics, Technical University of Košice, 040 01 Košice, Slovakia
Ladislav Főző: Department of Aviation Engineering, Faculty of Aeronautics, Technical University of Košice, 040 01 Košice, Slovakia
Martin Schrötter: Department of Avionics, Faculty of Aeronautics, Technical University of Košice, 040 01 Košice, Slovakia
Stanislav Szabo: Department of Air Traffic Management, Faculty of Aeronautics, Technical University of Košice, 040 01 Košice, Slovakia

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 5, 1-21

Abstract: The use of alternative fuels to traditional kerosene-based ones in turbo-jet engines is currently being widely explored and researched. However, the application of alternative fuels in the area of small turbojet engines with thrust ratings up to 2 kilo-newtons, which are used as auxiliary power units or to propel small aircraft or drones, is not as well researched. This paper explores the use of ethanol as a sustainable fuel and its effects on the operation of a small turbojet engine under laboratory conditions. Several concentrations of ethanol and JET A-1 mixtures are explored to study the effects of this fuel on the basic parameters of a small turbojet engine. The influence of the different concentrations of the mixture on the start-up process, speed of the engine, exhaust gas temperature, and compressor pressure are evaluated. The measurements shown in the article represent a pilot study, the results of which show that ethanol can be reliably used as an alternative fuel only when its concentration in a mixture with traditional fuel is lower than 40%, yielding positive effects on the operating temperatures and small negative effects on the speed or thrust of the engine.

Keywords: ethanol; alternative fuel; small turbojet engine; turbojet engines (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:5:p:2541-:d:506481

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