Model validation and parametric study of fluid flows and heat transfer of aviation kerosene with endothermic pyrolysis at supercritical pressure

The regenerative cooling technology is a promising approach for effective thermal protection of propulsion and power-generation systems. A mathematical model has been used to examine fluid flows and heat transfer of the aviation kerosene RP-3 with endothermic fuel pyrolysis at a supercritical pressure of 5 MPa. A pyrolytic reaction mechanism, which consists of 18 species and 24 elementary reactions, is incorporated to account for fuel pyrolysis. Detailed model validations are conducted against a series of experimental data, including fluid temperature, fuel conversion rate, various product yields, and chemical heat sink, fully verifying the accuracy and reliability of the model. Effects of fuel pyrolysis and inlet flow velocity on flow dynamics and heat transfer characteristics of RP-3 are investigated. Results reveal that the endothermic fuel pyrolysis significantly improves the heat transfer process in the high fluid temperature region. During the supercritical-pressure heat transfer process, the flow velocity significantly increases, caused by the drastic variations of thermophysical properties. Under all the tested conditions, the Nusselt number initially increases, consistent with the increased flow velocity, and then slightly decreases in the high fluid temperature region, mainly owing to the decreased heat absorption rate from the endothermic pyrolytic chemical reactions.