Characterization of rotating-wing aircraft emissions

Emissions from rotating-wing aircraft or helicopters are limited, but are required for the development and design of effective air quality control strategy for military installations and bases in the US. Major gaseous, selected air toxics, and particulate emissions data from T700-GE-700 and T700-GE-701C engines were characterized. Military JP-8 and Fischer-Tropsch (FT) fuels were used in separate engine exhaust tests. Use of the FT fuel led to significant reduction of particulate emissions as compared to that of JP-8 fuel on the same engine. Emissions of nanoparticles with a mobility diameter smaller than 20 nm by the engine running on the JP-8 fuel was observed. Sulfate/sulfur measurements taken at the same downstream location indicated all particulate sulfur was in the sulfate form, and the sulfate content increased as the engine power increased. However, use of FT fuel did not reduce NO_x emission as compared to that of using JP-8 fuel. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the 101st AWMA Annual Conference and Exhibition (Portland, OR 6/24-27/2008).