A Catalytic Combustor for High-Temperature Gas Turbines

1996 ◽  
Vol 118 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Vortmeyer ◽  
M. Valk ◽  
G. Kappler

Catalytic combustion has been the subject of thorough research work for over two decades, mainly in the U.S. and Japan. However, severe material problems in the ceramic or metallic monolith prevented regular operation in most cases. Still, during these two decades, turbine inlet temperatures were raised remarkably, and lean premix combustors have become standard in stationary gas turbines. In view of these facts, a simple “monolith-in-tube” concept of a catalytic combustor was adapted for the use in high-temperature gas turbines. Its essential feature is the fact that a considerable portion of the homogeneous gas phase reaction is shifted to the thermal reactor, thus lowering the catalyst temperature. This is achieved by the employment of very short catalyst segments. The viability of this concept has been demonstrated for a variety of pure hydrocarbons, alcohols as well as common liquid fuels. Extensive experimental investigations of the atmospheric combustor led to the assessment of parameters such as reference velocity, fuel-to-air ratio, and fuel properties. The maximum combustor exit temperature was 1673 K with a corresponding catalyst temperature of less than 1300 K for diesel fuel. Boundary conditions were in all cases combustion efficiency (over 99.9 percent) and pressure loss (less than 6 percent). Additionally, a model has been developed to predict the characteristic values of the catalytic combustor such as necessary catalyst length, combustor volume, and emission characteristics. The homogeneous reaction in the thermal reactor can be calculated by a one-dimensional reacting flow model.

Author(s):  
Nicolas Vortmeyer ◽  
Martin Valk ◽  
Günter Kappler

Catalytic combustion has been the subject of thorough research work for over two decades, mainly in the U.S. and Japan. However, severe material problems in the ceramic or metallic monolith prevented regular operation in most cases. Still, during these two decades, turbine inlet temperatures were raised remarkably, and lean premix combustors have become standard in stationary gas turbines. In view of these facts, a simple “monolith-in-tube” concept of a catalytic combustor was adapted for the use in high-temperature gas turbines. Its essential feature is the fact that a considerable portion of the homogeneous gas phase reaction is shifted to the thermal reactor, thus lowering the catalyst temperature. This is achieved by the employment of very short catalyst segments. The viability of this concept has been demonstrated for a variety of pure hydrocarbons, alcohols as well as common liquid fuels. Extensive experimental investigations of the atmospheric combustor lead to the assessment of parameters such as reference velocity, fuel-to-air ratio and fuel properties. The maximum combustor exit temperature was 1,673 K with a corresponding catalyst temperature of less than 1,300 K for Diesel fuel. Boundary conditions were in all cases combustion efficiency (over 99.9%) and pressure loss (less than 6%). Additionally, a model has been developped to predict the characteristic values of the catalytic combustor such as necessary catalyst length, combustor volume and emission characteristics. The homogeneous reaction in the thermal reactor can be calculated by a one-dimensional reacting flow model.


Author(s):  
Michele Scervini ◽  
Catherine Rae

A new Nickel based thermocouple for high temperature applications in gas turbines has been devised at the Department of Material Science and Metallurgy of the University of Cambridge. This paper describes the new features of the thermocouple, the drift tests on the first prototype and compares the behaviour of the new sensor with conventional mineral insulated metal sheathed Type K thermocouples: the new thermocouple has a significant improvement in terms of drift and temperature capabilities. Metallurgical analysis has been undertaken on selected sections of the thermocouples exposed at high temperatures which rationalises the reduced drift of the new sensor. A second prototype will be tested in follow-on research, from which further improvements in drift and temperature capabilities are expected.


2017 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 11-20
Author(s):  
A. A. Khalatov ◽  
A. S. Kovalenko ◽  
S. B. Reznik

The features of the release of the cooling air in the interscapular channel high temperature gas turbines at the film cooling are considered. Possibilities of its local distribution on contour of an entrance edge of the perforated blades are investigated. The presented calculations show that the substantial increase in the cooling efficiency can be attained due to channels of small dimension in the blade wall.  


Author(s):  
Colin F. McDonald

With the capability of burning a variety of fossil fuels, giving high thermal efficiency, and operating with low emissions, the gas turbine is becoming a major prime-mover for a wide spectrum of applications. Almost three decades ago two experimental projects were undertaken in which gas turbines were actually operated with heat from nuclear reactors. In retrospect, these systems were ahead of their time in terms of technology readiness, and prospects of the practical coupling of a gas turbine with a nuclear heat source towards the realization of a high efficiency, pollutant free, dry-cooled power plant has remained a long-term goal, which has been periodically studied in the last twenty years. Technology advancements in both high temperature gas-cooled reactors, and gas turbines now make the concept of a nuclear gas turbine plant realizable. Two possible plant concepts are highlighted in this paper, (1) a direct cycle system involving the integration of a closed-cycle helium gas turbine with a modular high temperature gas cooled reactor (MHTGR), and (2) the utilization of a conventional and proven combined cycle gas turbine, again with the MHTGR, but now involving the use of secondary (helium) and tertiary (air) loops. The open cycle system is more equipment intensive and places demanding requirements on the very high temperature heat exchangers, but has the merit of being able to utilize a conventional combined cycle turbo-generator set. In this paper both power plant concepts are put into perspective in terms of categorizing the most suitable applications, highlighting their major features and characteristics, and identifying the technology requirements. The author would like to dedicate this paper to the late Professor Karl Bammert who actively supported deployment of the closed-cycle gas turbine for several decades with a variety of heat sources including fossil, solar, and nuclear systems.


Author(s):  
Martin Valk ◽  
Nicolas Vortmeyer ◽  
Günter Kappler

A catalytic combustor concept with short catalyst segments and a thermal reactor is investigated with regard to NOx production of this concept under high-temperature conditions. The maximum combustor exit temperature was more than 1800 K with catalyst temperatures below 1300 K. For combustion of iso-octane, NOx emissions of 4 ppm (dry, 15% O2) at a flame temperature of 1800 K were measured. No significant influence of catalyst length, reference velocity and overall residence time on NOx emissions was observed. Additionally, the test combustor was fuelled with commercial diesel and kerosene (Jet-A). In this case, NOx emissions were noticeable higher due to fuel-bound nitrogen. The emissions measured were for diesel, 12 ppm, and for kerosene, 7 ppm, (each dry, 15% O2), again at a flame temperature of 1800 K. To evaluate the conversion ratio of fuel-bound nitrogen to NOx iso-octane was doped with various amounts of ammonia and metyhlamine. The conversion rates were 70 to 90%, with a slight tendency to lower values (50%) for nitrogen mass fractions above 0.1%. Considering the NOx emission level of actual premix burners, the lower emission value of the presented catalytic combustor results from a perfect premixed plug-flow combustion system incorporating a catalyst herein and not from a specific advantage of the principle of catalytic combustion itself. Again similar to a premix-combustor are the NOx emission characteristics in the case of lean combustion of nitrogen bound fuels, which yield very high conversion rates.


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