A catalytic combustion chamber and a method of operation thereof

• Main Authors: KOLACZKOWSKI, STANISLAW TADEUSZ, AWDRY, SERPIL, SCOTT-SCOTT, JOHN LANFEAR
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 05.11.1997
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: AIR; BLASTING; COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION PROCESSES; GENERATING COMBUSTION PRODUCTS OF HIGH PRESSURE OR HIGHVELOCITY, e.g. GAS-TURBINE COMBUSTION CHAMBERS; HEATING; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; METHODSOR APPARATUS FOR COMBUSTION USING FLUID FUELOR SOLID FUEL SUSPENDED IN; WEAPONS

A catalytic combustion chamber (22) is provided with at least two catalytic combustion zones (30,32,34) arranged in flow series. In a first mode of operation fuel is supplied from first fuel injectors (38), positioned upstream of the first catalytic combustion zone (30), into the catalytic combustion chamber (22) and is burnt in the first catalytic combustion zone (30) in order to preheat the subsequent catalytic combustion zones (32,34). In the second mode of operation the supply of fuel to the first fuel injectors (38) is reduced and fuel is supplied from second fuel injectors (46) positioned between the first catalytic combustion zone (30) and the second catalytic combustion zone (32) into the space between the first catalytic combustion zone (30) and the second catalytic combustion zone (32). This prevents the first catalytic zone (30) becoming overheated, and reduces the possibility of the second and third catalytic combustion zones (32,34) becoming overheated and allows the optimum catalyst to be selected for the first catalytic combustion zone (30).