The effect of TiO2 nanoadditive on emissions, exergetic performance, and enviro/social/economic indicators in a small UAV jet engine fuelled with kerosene

Abstract

The vehicles used in the aviation sector are widely employed in both transportation and industrial fields, and the energy requirements of these tools are currently met with fossil-based fuels. Reducing the consumption of these fossil fuels could contribute to mitigating environmental and economic impacts. Nanoparticle additives can be used in fossil-derived fuels to reduce fuel consumption. In this study, the effects of adding different proportions of TiO2 nanoparticles to kerosene (Jet A1) fuel in a jet engine are examined from the perspectives of performance, emissions, energy, exergy, and environmental-economic impacts. The experiments are conducted with three different test fuels (Jet A1, Jet A1+100 ppm TiO2, and Jet A1+200 ppm TiO2) and at nine different engine speeds (from 40 k rpm to 120 k rpm in increments of 10 k rpm). The results demonstrate that the use of TiO2 (200 ppm) in Jet A1 fuel reduced specific fuel consumption by an average of 16 % and decreased HC, CO, and CO2 emissions by average percentages of 18 %, 17 %, and 10 %, respectively. Additionally, the exergy efficiencies of the compressor, combustion chamber, and gas turbine systems were found to increase with TiO2 usage. Moreover, the addition of TiO2 to Jet A1 fuel showed the potential to reduce enviroeconomic impact by up to 10 %. In conclusion, it can be stated that the use of TiO2 in Jet A1 fuel is beneficial for reducing fuel consumption, enhancing exergetic efficiency, and improving enviroeconomic sustainability of jet engines used in both industrial and transportation sectors. © 2025 Elsevier Ltd