Measurement of Heat Sink Capacity of n-Decane by Using a Microchannel Flow Reactor System

Hydrocarbon aviation fuel, used as a coolant in regenerative cooling systems, undergoes endothermic pyrolysis at high temperatures, decomposing into hydrogen and low molecular-weight hydrocarbons.This process effectively mitigates the challenges posed by aerodynamic heating in hypersonic vehicles and supersonic combustion in scramjet engines.To evaluate the performance of an active regenerative cooling system, it is crucial to accurately measure the fuel's heat sink capacity.In this study, a microchannel flow reactor experimental apparatus was designed and fabricated to measure the heat sink of n-decane which is one of the common components of hydrocarbon aviation fuels under various temperature and flow rate conditions.The results showed that thermal decomposition occurred at fuel temperatures above 500C, leading to a rapid increase in endothermic heat absorption.It has been confirmed that the heat sink capacity is correlated closely with the fuel's conversion rate. , . . , n-decane .