Analysis of HEFA’s impact on micro gas turbine emissions and performances by nonlinear vibrational signatures
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The adoption of sustainable aviation fuels, such as Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA), is a key strategy for reducing emissions in aviation and distributed power systems. However, detailed investigations into the impact of HEFA on both pollutant emissions and combustion dynamics in micro gas turbines (MGTs) are still limited. This study presents an integrated analysis of emissions and vibrational behavior of an MGT operating with JP8/HEFA blends ranging from 0% to 100% HEFA under fixed load conditions. Emissions were measured using a heated and cyclone-filtered ELPI™ sensor, while vibrational signals were assessed using a novel nonlinear parameter, Kω, to capture chaotic dynamics. The results show that replacing JP8 with HEFA leads to a reduction in CO and particulate emissions by up to two orders of magnitude. At the same time, the nonlinear analysis of vibrations identified a critical frequency region (ω* ≈ 1.977 rad) where signal clustering distinctly correlated with fuel composition. Notably, both diagnostics revealed a transitional behavior in the 20–40 % HEFA range. These findings highlight the complementary value of combining emissions and nonlinear vibrational analysis and point toward real-time diagnostic tools for clean and stable combustion with sustainable fuels.
Source: Applied Thermal Engineering
Authors: C. Allouis, A. Amoresano, G. Quaremba, G. Langella
Institutions: National Research Council, University of Naples Federico II
Language: English
Subfield: Computational Mechanics
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,660
OpenAlex ID: W4410610540