Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Pritchard, H. O..
New turbojet-engine concept could reduce nitric oxide emissions to a level from one-fifteenth to as little as one three-hundredth that of conventional units. Multiple-stage combustor could overcome flame instability problems associated with previous low-flame-temperature systems. It operates in a relatively-simple adiabatic mode without elaborate fuel-flow and air circulation patterns.,
A turbojet combustor and method for controlling nitric oxide emissions by employing successive combustion zones is described. After combustion of an initial portion of the fuel in a primary combustion zone, the combustion products of the primary zone are combined with the remaining portion of fuel and additional plenum air and burned in a secondary combustion zone under conditions that result in low nitric oxide emissions. Low nitric oxide emissions are achieved by a novel turbojet combustor arrangement which provides flame stability by allowing stable combustion to be accompanied by low nitric oxide emissions resulting from controlled fuel-lean combustion (ignited by the emission products from the primary zone) in a secondary combustion zone at a lower combustion temperature resulting in low emission of nitric oxide.