Study on Combustion Characteristics and Flame Flow Behavior with Ethanol-Kerosene Mixed Fuel in HVOF Spraying

Abstract

Aviation kerosene is a high-density, high-calorific value fuel widely used in high-velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) thermal spraying. However, incomplete combustion of aviation kerosene generates CO₂, CO, and unburned hydrocarbons, which are not conducive to sustainable development for industry. Research on new HVOF processes using clean fuels is significant for energy conservation and emission reduction. In this study, a two-dimensional numerical model of JP-8000 spray gun flow field was established based on the computational fluid dynamics method, and the ethanol was blended into aviation kerosene fuel to reduce carbon emissions during spraying. Ethanol-kerosene premixed fuel and WC-12Co particles were injected into spray gun in discrete phase form. The KHRT method and O 'Rourke method in the discrete phase model were used to deal with the breakup and coalescence of fuel droplets. Lagrange tracking method was used to capture the flight trajectory of fuel droplets and sprayed particles, and the gas–liquid–solid coupling calculation of spraying flow field was realized. The results show that adding ethanol to aviation kerosene fuel can effectively reduce CO₂ emissions. When the ethanol proportion is 10%, CO₂ emissions decrease by nearly 30%. Ethanol pyrolysis leads to a slight increase in CO emissions, which can be effectively reduced by appropriately increasing the oxygen/fuel ratio. This study provides an important theoretical basis for the spraying practice of HVOF mixed fuel for energy saving and environmental protection and offers new insights for further optimizing the spraying process.