Dr. Steven Zabarnick

Associate Professor
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

University of Dayton
300 College Park
Dayton, Ohio 45469-0140

Phone: (937)255-3549
Fax: (937)252-9917

E-mail: zabarnick@udri.udayton.edu

Academic Degrees

The Pennsylvania State University, Ph.D. 1984
Binghamton University, B.S. 1980

Research Activities

We perform research in the area of advanced jet fuels which is supported by the Air Force Research Laboratory via the University of Dayton Research Institute. This includes development of advanced fuels such as JP-8+100, JP-8+100LT, and JP-8+225; chemical kinetic modeling of fuel oxidation and deposition; development of fuel additives which inhibit oxidation, deposition, and crystallization; and molecular dynamics modeling of the physical and chemical processes of fuel crystallization and additive action.
   
Below are two plots of oxygen vs time for the oxidation of jet fuel at 140 C with varying amounts of added antioxidant. The plot on the left shows measurements in a quartz crystal microbalance system. We have developed a chemical kinetics model, with real chemical reactions, to simulate the oxidation process. The plot on the right shows the results of the model demonstrating that the model is able to simulate the important behavior occurring during fuel oxidation and the action of antioxidants.

   
To the right is a video of a molecular dynamics simulation of fuel crystallization, showing a fuel molecule (normal alkane) approaching and attaching to the stepped 110 surface of a normal alkane crystal (n-heptadecane).

   

To the left is data from a differential scanning calorimeter showing the heat released during the crystallization process in three different fuels Notice how the different components of the fuel greatly affect the temperature at which it freezes.
   
To the right is a drawing of the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). This device is used to measure surface deposit formation and oxygen consumption during the thermal stressing of jet fuel and other liquids. A quartz crystal oscillator is immersed in the heated fuel. The oscillation frequency changes as carbonaceous deposits form providing an extremely sensitive quantitative measure of the deposit amount. This device can measure down to nanograms per square cm of deposit. A poloargrapic oxygen sensor is used to monitor the headspace oxygen during a run.

Honors and Awards Received

1997/1998 Wohlleben-Hochwalt Outstanding Professional Research Award
1986 Chemistry Division Superior Technical Publication Award (Naval Research Laboratory).
1984-1987 National Research Council Post-Doctoral Fellow (Naval Research Laboratory).
Peer reviewer for Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, Energy & Fuel, International Journal of Chemical Kinetics, Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power, International Gas Turbine Institute, and Journal of Propulsion and Power.
Best Paper Award, 23rd AIAA Mini-Symposium (1998), Dayton, OH (with M.S. Mick).
QCM sulfur detection technique featured in Sensor Technology Newsletter, January 1997.
S. Whitacre Thesis nominated by UD for the 1997 Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools Distinguished Master’s Thesis Award.
Letter of Commendation for contributions to AFOSR Star Team Status of AF Rocket Propulsion Lab Combustion Team, 1992.

 

Select Recent Publications

1. C.A. Obringer, J.S. Ervin, and S. Zabarnick, “Development of a Low Temperature Jet Fuel,” Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Stability and Handling of Liquid Fuels, Graz, Austria, Vol. 2, pp. 633-646, 2001.

2. S. Zabarnick, N. Widmor, J.S. Ervin, and C. Obringer, “Studies of Jet Fuel Freezing and Cold Flow Improving Additives by Differential Scanning Calorimetry,” Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Stability and Handling of Liquid Fuels, Graz, Austria, Vol. 2, pp. 719-730, 2001.

3. S. Zabarnick and N. Widmor, “Studies of Jet Fuel Freezing by Differential Scanning Calorimetry,” Energy & Fuel, submitted for publication, 2001.

4. R.C. Striebich, B. Grinstead, and S. Zabarnick, “Quantitation of Metal Deactivator Additive by Derivatization and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry,” J. Chrom. Sci., Vol. 38, pp. 393-408, 2000.

5. M.D. Vangsness, S. Zabarnick, N. Widmor, and J.S. Ervin, “Jet Fuel Crystallization at Low Temperatures,” PREPRINTS, Division of Petroleum Chemistry, American Chemical Society, Vol. 45, pp. 534-537, 2000.

6. K. Wohlwend, S. Zabarnick, K.E. Binns, and B. Grinstead, “Thermal Stability Testing of the Baker Flo-XS Pipeline Drag Reducing Additive,” PREPRINTS, Division of Petroleum Chemistry, American Chemical Society, Vol. 45, pp. 501-504, 2000.

7. S. Zabarnick, “Investigation of Fuel Additives for a JP-8+225 Jet Fuel Using the Quartz Crystal Microbalance,” PREPRINTS, Division of Petroleum Chemistry, American Chemical Society, Vol. 45, pp. 440-443, 2000.

8. J.S. Ervin, S. Zabarnick, E. Binns, G. Dieterle, D. Davis, and C. Obringer, "Effect of Jet Fuel Additives on Low-Temperature Fluidity and Tank Hold-Up," Proceedings of the 14th Intl. Symp. on Air-breathing Engines, Florence , Italy, September 1999, ISABE Paper No. 99-7233.

9. J. S. Ervin, S. Zabarnick, D. Davis, K. E. Binns, G. Dieterle, and C. Obringer, "Effect of Cold Flow Additives on Aviation Fuel Fluidity and Tank Hold-Up," Proceedings of the 34th Intersociety Energy Conversion Engineering Conference, Vancouver, BC, Canada, August 1999.

10. J.S. Ervin, S. Zabarnick, and T.F. Williams, "One-Dimensional Simulations of Jet Fuel Thermal-Oxidative Degradation and Deposit Formation Within Cylindrical Passages," Transactions of ASME, Journal of Energy Resource Technology, Vol. 122, pp. 229-238, 2001.

11. J.S. Ervin, S. Zabarnick, E. Binns, G. Dieterle, D. Davis, and C. Obringer, Investigation of the Use of JP-8+100 with Cold Flow Enhancer Additives as a Low-Cost Replacement for JPTS, Energy & Fuel, Vol. 13, 1246-1251, 1999.

12. R.C. Striebich, R.R. Grinstead, and S. Zabarnick, Analytical Separation and Quantitation of Specification Levels of MDA in Aviation Turbine Fuels, Preprints of Symposia, Division of Fuel Chemistry, American Chemical Society, Vol. 43, No. 1, pp. 94-98, 1998.

13. S. Zabarnick, Pseudo-Detailed Chemical Kinetic Modeling of Antioxidant Chemistry for Jet Fuel Applications, Energy & Fuel, Vol. 12, pp. 547-553, 1998.

14. B. Grinstead and S. Zabarnick, Studies of Jet Fuel Thermal Stability, Oxidation, and Additives Using an Isothermal Oxidation Apparatus Equipped with an Oxygen Sensor, Energy & Fuel, Vol. 13, pp. 756-760, 1999.

15. S. Zabarnick and M.S. Mick, Inhibition of Jet Fuel Oxidation by Addition of Hydroperoxide Decomposing Species, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, Vol. 38, pp. 3557-3563, 1999.

16. S. Zabarnick, M.S. Mick, R.C. Striebich, and R.R. Grinstead, Model Studies of Silylation Agents as Thermal-Oxidative Jet Fuel Additives, Energy & Fuel, Vol. 13, pp. 154-159, 1999.

17. S. Zabarnick and M.S. Mick, “Studies of Hydroperoxide Decomposing Species for Inhibiting Oxidation in Jet Fuels, PREPRINTS, Division of Petroleum Chemistry, American Chemical Society, Vol. 43, pp. 349-352, 1998.

18. R.C. Striebich, R.R. Grinstead, and S. Zabarnick, Analytical Separation and Quantitation of Specification Levels of MDA in Aviation Turbine Fuels, Preprints of Symposia, Division of Fuel Chemistry, American Chemical Society, Vol. 43, No. 1, pp. 94-98, 1998.

19. S. Zabarnick, M.S. Mick, R.C. Striebich, R.R. Grinstead, and S.P. Heneghan, Studies of Silylation Agents as Thermal-Oxidative Jet Fuel Additives, Preprints of Symposia, Division of Fuel Chemistry, American Chemical Society, Vol. 43, No. 1, pp. 64-68, 1998.

20. J.S. Ervin and S. Zabarnick, Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulations of Jet Fuel Oxidation Incorporating Pseudo-Detailed Chemical Kinetics, Energy & Fuel, Vol 12, pp. 344-352, 1998.