Experts at Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU) have unveiled a pilot bench designed to test both conventional and promising aviation fuels on small-scale civil aviation gas turbine engine replicas. The project, reported by TPU’s internal news channel, marks a notable advance in practical fuel evaluation at the institution.
The laboratory stand features two gas turbine engines with differing thrust capabilities, capable of handling loads of 18 kg and 25 kg respectively. A network of sensors is integrated into the primary components to monitor temperature, pressure, fluid flow, thrust, emission concentrations, and the levels of noise and vibration. All data are displayed in real time on a mnemonic diagram, providing engineers with immediate insight into how fuels behave under simulated flight conditions. This setup represents a significant expansion of TPU’s experimental capabilities and offers a versatile platform for comparative fuel testing, including conventional kerosene-based fuels and newer formulations.
Project leader Pavel Strizhak, head of TPU’s Heat and Mass Transfer Laboratory, noted that this is the first time the university has used aircraft engines to test liquid fuels on such a dedicated bench. The initiative fills a gap in TPU’s infrastructure, enabling controlled, repeatable assessments that were not previously possible on campus.
“With the stand now operational, initial tests have been conducted using traditional fuel kerosene TS-1. At the same time, researchers began developing eco-friendly synthetic aviation fuels (SAF) in collaboration with the Chemical Engineering Department’s group led by Professor Elena Ivashkina,” the team explained. This parallel work aims to validate SAF properties and ensure compliance with current aviation standards and regulations, leveraging advances from modern refining processes as well as innovations from circular economy practices such as processing animal fats, spent cooking oils, vegetable oils, and other renewable feedstocks.
The testing protocol accommodates a range of fuel types. Each candidate fuel undergoes thorough physical and chemical characterization to confirm compatibility with turbine engines and to verify that it meets relevant aviation specifications. The researchers emphasize that the bench enables rapid iteration and comparison, helping to identify fuels that balance performance, emissions, and cost. These efforts are part of a broader push to diversify supply chains and reduce environmental impact in the aviation sector, aligning with regional and international sustainability goals [TPU Project Documentation].
In related technological developments within Russia, researchers have previously created a system for ships capable of locating and countering unauthorized drones, illustrating the country’s broader interest in deploying advanced propulsion and sensor technologies across different domains [TPU Innovation Bulletin].