TY - JOUR
T1 - Combustion characteristics of a small-scale combustor with a percolated platinum emitter tube for thermophotovoltaics
AU - Li, Yueh Heng
AU - Chen, Guan Bang
AU - Cheng, Tsarng Sheng
AU - Yeh, Yean Ling
AU - Chao, Yei Chin
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was partially supported by the National Science Council of Republic of China under Grant numbers NSC 95-2221-E-006-392-MY3 (YCC) and NSC 100-2221-E-216-012-MY2 (TSC). Computer time and numerical packages provided by the National Center for High-Performance Computing, Taiwan (NCHC Taiwan) , are gratefully acknowledged.
PY - 2013/11/1
Y1 - 2013/11/1
N2 - A small-scale combustor is one of the most important components in developing the small-scale thermophotovoltaic (TPV) power systems. In order to enhance the flame stabilization and to have a bright incandescent emitter, a platinum tube is used to serve as an emitter. However, a bright incandescent emitter is limited by the operating range of flow velocity and fuel concentration. In the present study, a novel combustion chamber design is proposed to overcome the critical heat loss and flame instability by using a percolated platinum tube as catalyst, emitter, and flame stabilizer. Besides, approaches of delivering fuel/air mixture inside and outside of the catalyst tube can meliorate the heat loss from the chamber wall. Experimental methodology is performed to verify the performance of the proposed percolated-platinum combustor as compared to a plain platinum combustor. In the plain platinum tube the flame only can be stabilized on the backward-facing step inside the tube, but in the percolated platinum tube the flame can be stabilized on the percolated hole inner and outer the tube. It appears that the catalytically induced combustion could be anchored on the percolated-platinum combustor in various conditions of fuel/air distribution and inlet flow velocity, and in the meantime could heat up the chamber wall to incandescent condition. Concept, design, and demonstration of the combustor are addressed and discussed in the paper.
AB - A small-scale combustor is one of the most important components in developing the small-scale thermophotovoltaic (TPV) power systems. In order to enhance the flame stabilization and to have a bright incandescent emitter, a platinum tube is used to serve as an emitter. However, a bright incandescent emitter is limited by the operating range of flow velocity and fuel concentration. In the present study, a novel combustion chamber design is proposed to overcome the critical heat loss and flame instability by using a percolated platinum tube as catalyst, emitter, and flame stabilizer. Besides, approaches of delivering fuel/air mixture inside and outside of the catalyst tube can meliorate the heat loss from the chamber wall. Experimental methodology is performed to verify the performance of the proposed percolated-platinum combustor as compared to a plain platinum combustor. In the plain platinum tube the flame only can be stabilized on the backward-facing step inside the tube, but in the percolated platinum tube the flame can be stabilized on the percolated hole inner and outer the tube. It appears that the catalytically induced combustion could be anchored on the percolated-platinum combustor in various conditions of fuel/air distribution and inlet flow velocity, and in the meantime could heat up the chamber wall to incandescent condition. Concept, design, and demonstration of the combustor are addressed and discussed in the paper.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.energy.2013.09.003
DO - 10.1016/j.energy.2013.09.003
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84885952374
SN - 0360-5442
VL - 61
SP - 150
EP - 157
JO - Energy
JF - Energy
ER -