Date of Award

12-1995

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Department of Operational Sciences

First Advisor

Jack M. Kloeber, PhD

Abstract

The United States Air Force operates more than 6,800 aircraft that use more than 15,700 turbine engines. Whenever these engines are in operation they generate pollution. The majority of the pollution is composed of five air toxics: Particulate Matter, Carbon Monoxide, oxides of Nitrogen, Oxides of SulAir, and Unburned Hydrocarbons. Currently, the emissions from these engines are not regulated while the engines are in use in military aircraft. However, during the periodic maintenance and repair of aircraft turbine engines, maintainers must test the engines' operation at each power setting. Emissions during these tests are permitted under Title V of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. Because the Air Force has a large number of both engines and engine test facilities, future regulations based on current law have the potential to severely affect the Air Force engine testing program. This research uses decision analysis to clarify issues surrounding the question: How can Air Combat Command effectively test its jet engines and still comply with the environmental requirements of the Clean Air Act as amended in 1990? To answer this general question, the research objectives of this study were: (1) Perform a review of modern jet engines and the emissions that result from jet engine testing. This review focused on the underlying causes of emissions and potential methods to reduce these emissions; (2) Construct a decision model to compare the various existing and potential methods for meeting Clean Air Act regulatory requirements during jet engine testing in ACC; (3) Use this model to compare the costs and benefits of various notional methods for meeting regulatory requirements by reducing emissions during the testing of Air Combat Command's jet engines. These notional methods were based on the technologies uncovered during the literature review.

AFIT Designator

AFIT-GEE-ENS-95D-10

DTIC Accession Number

ADA305620

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