Presenter(s)

C James Nesbit

Comments

3:00-4:15, Kennedy Union Ballroom

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Description

The dielectric constant of jet fuel is critical in modern aircraft for onboard fuel volume gauging. This project seeks to understand the effects that additives and impurities have on dielectric constant (i.e., relative permittivity) and density of jet fuels across various temperatures and concentrations. These measurements were performed using the newly developed Stanhope-Seta JetDC, an instrument designed to provide dielectric constant data at operating conditions for commercial aircraft fuel gauging systems. The JetDC performed dielectric constant and density measurements from 0 to 30 degrees Celsius. A derived quantity, known as the gauging slope, which is often referred to as a Clausius-Mossotti slope, was then calculated from these measurements. The gauging slope is used by the aircraft industry to determine fuel mass in onboard tanks. Since aircraft use pitch and yaw as flight controls, conventional fuel floats are ineffective for fuel gauging. Gauging slope calculations were performed for three common fuel additives at various concentrations in a representative Jet A fuel. The fuel additives studied were fuel system icing inhibitor (FSII), corrosion inhibitor/lubricity improver (CI/LI), and static dissipater additive (SDA). It was found that FSII had an effect on the dielectric constant, and thus the gauging slope. No statistically significant effects were observed for CI/LI and SDA additives over the range of concentrations tested.

Publication Date

4-23-2025

Project Designation

Independent Research

Primary Advisor

Shane T. Kosir, Willie H. Steinecker, Zach J. West

Primary Advisor's Department

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Keywords

Stander Symposium, School of Engineering

Institutional Learning Goals

Scholarship

Influence of Additives and Impurities on the Dielectric Properties of Jet Fuel

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