Catalytic combustion for the automotive gas turbine engine
Fuel injectors to provide a premixed prevaporized fuel-air mixture are studied. An evaluation of commercial catalysts was performed as part of a program leading to the demonstration of a low emissions combustor for an automotive gas turbine engine. At an inlet temperature of 800 K, a pressure of 500,000 Pa and a velocity of 20 m/s a multiple-jet injector produced less than + or - 10 percent variation in Jet-A fuel-air ratio and 100 percent varporization with less than 0.5 percent pressure drop. Fifteen catalytic reactors were tested with propane fuel at an inlet temperature of 800 K, a pressure of 300,000 Pa and inlet velocities of 10 to 25 m/s. Seven of the reactors had less than 2 percent pressure drop while meeting emissions goals of 13.6 gCO/kg fuel and 1.64 gHC/kg fuel at the velocities and exit temperatures required for operation in an automotive gas turbine engine. NO sub x emissions at all conditions were less than 0.5 ppm. All tests were performed with steady state conditions.