• Published: June 2018
• REF/ISBN: 9781527225466
• Edition: 1st
• Status: Current

Published by Landfall Press; Author: Eric Goodger. 

Please note that an erratum was issued in December 2018 for this publication, it is available for download and present in the full PDF. This change has been incorporated into the full PDF.

Since its emergence during WW2 as a viable alternative to the piston engine,the gas turbine engine has enjoyed a period of rapid development, becoming ubiquitous in the fields of both propulsive thrust and power generation. The related fuels have developed in parallel from a wide variety of possible contenders in the early days to the current stringently-specified kerosines for aero applications, and a range of gaseous hydrocarbons and mid-boiling petroleum distillates for industrial purposes. The numerous fuel specifications (BSI, DERD, NATO, US Mil, US Civil, ISO) are identified clearly.

In this comprehensive but concise review of the gas-turbine fuel scene, comparisons are drawn between the eight or so aviation kerosines, and the three main industrial fuels, outlining their production, specification history and requirements, test methods, contaminants and additives. Since petroleum, being fossil based, is expected to terminate within the next fifty years, special attention has been paid here to the alternatives likely to be available, exploring both the ‘drop in’ supplementals and the significantly different substitutes, focusing on biofuels as an interim measure, and hydrogen for more permanency.