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Advanced Catalytic Pilot for Advanced Gas Turbine Systems--Precision Combustion, Inc., 25 Science Park, Box 24, New Haven, CT 06511-1968; 203-787-8614
Dr. Shah Etemad, Principal Investigator
Mr. Paul Donahue, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-99ER82863
Amount: $100,000
Current natural gas turbine engine systems operate with reduced efficiencies because aftertreatments are required to reduce NOx emissions. By enhancing Dry Low NOx (DLN) gas turbines with catalytic pilot technology, NOx emissions could be reduced below 9 PPM, lower than is feasible with current DLN systems using standard non-catalytic pilots. This project will develop a catalytically stabilized lean premixed fuel/air pilot burner to replace the standard diffusion flame pilot burner. All pilot burner functions will be performed while achieving low NOx emissions (through lean premixed operation) and lean stability (through the catalytic reaction of a portion of the fuel mixture). In Phase I, computational fluid dynamics and stress analysis calculations will be performed and a prototype of an optimum reactor will be fabricated. An atmospheric pressure combustor test will then determine whether the pilot can successfully increase turndown capability and bring down emissions to meet the goals of NOx < 10 ppm and CO < 10 ppm.
Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: This technology should enable the lowering of NOx emissions from DLN (dry low NOx) combustion systems for natural gas fueled ground power ATS (Advanced Turbine Systems) gas turbine engines. A substantial retrofit market could also emerge for replacing conventional high NOx pilots with ultra-low NOx catalytic pilots.