Biofuels for Aerospace Applications

Abstract

This project examined the feasibility of implementing biodiesel production in remote rural areas coupled with the operation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) using biodiesel to create logistical delivery networks. The application of interest is critical medical supply delivery.Consequently, the study required building a delivery network model involving aspects ranging from aircraft and engine design to delivery frequency and patterns in a network. The network modelling provided a sound baseline of the requirements for setting up a network confirming the feasibility and it can be followed up with ground work to mitigate any future issues such as map inconsistencies and local population impact.A combustion model was built and it demonstrated, using a simplified simulation, the potential to accurately represent the combustion of kerosene in a mini-turbojet engine observed from experiment. It is therefore capable of being used with confidence to model the combustion of biodiesel alongside experimental validation as part of preparatory work for the type of delivery network being developed.

Date of Award	1 Aug 2015
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	The University of Manchester
Supervisor	Katharine Smith (Supervisor) & Ali Turan (Supervisor)