Characterization of Particle Emissions from GTM 400 Fueled with HEFA-SPK Blends

As aviation is a rapidly growing sector, many actions must be taken to significantly reduce the emission of harmful gases such as CO2, CO, HC, NOx, and particulate matter (PM). One accessible solution is the use of drop-in sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs), which do not require any changes in the engine or infrastructure construction. The aim of this research was to analyze changes in non-volatile particulate matter (nvPM) emissions for SAF blends compared to Jet A-1 using a miniature jet engine, as there is still limited research on particulate matter emissions from miniature engines, especially for SAFs. This study focuses on non-volatile particle emissions from HEFA-SPK fuel, with comprehensive analyses of particle number and particulate mass-emission indices, as well as number-based and volume-based particle-size distribution (PSD). The tests were conducted on the miniature GTM 400 engine, which was specially designed for SAF testing. The tested fuels were 30/70%v and 50/50%v blends of HEFA-SPK/Jet A-1, as well as neat Jet A-1 as a reference fuel. The results showed that the use of 50%v HEFA-SPK can reduce non-volatile particulate mass emissions up to 59% at low engine loads, and non-volatile particle number emissions by up to 56% at maximum thrust, compared to Jet A-1.