Kinetic Modeling of Supercritical Water Reformation of JP-8 Fuel

A global first-order kinetic study is conducted for a novel supercritical water reformation process of JP-8 fuel. The process uniquely employs supercritical water both as a homogenizing reaction medium and also as a highly energetic reactant of reformation. The complex reaction chemistry is mathematically modeled using two simplified reaction mechanisms involving two different reaction sequences and routes between pyrolysis and reformation reaction steps. First-order kinetics are assumed for all mechanistic reaction rates. The mathematical models are analyzed using the kinetic data obtained on a Generation-I reactor made of Inconel 625 Grade I alloy. The crossover temperature is defined and computed as the temperature above, which the mechanistic rate of reformation of JP-8 overtakes that of the pyrolysis of JP-8 hydrocarbons. The Arrhenius kinetic parameters for both pyrolysis and reformation reactions are found based on the two mechanistic routes proposed. It is found that the two mechanistic models adequately analyze the reaction kinetics and predict the crossover temperature in a close vicinity of each other. The study not only helps elucidate the complex reaction phenomena of the novel process, but also points to the right direction of the process optimization and design of a Generation-II reactor