POWER GENERATION: ELECTRIC POWER SOURCES AND DIESEL AND GAS TURBINE ENGINES

INTEGRATING A CATALYTIC GLOW PLUG INTO AN AIR BLAST FUEL INJECTOR OFFERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE SOOT EMISSIONS FROM A GAS TURBINE WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY PRODUCING IMPROVEMENTS IN TERMS OF ENGINE PERFORMANCE AND FUEL INSENSITIVITY. PREVIOUS WORK BY PRECISION COMBUSTION DEVELOPING A CATALYTIC GLOW PLUG HAS SHOWN THAT THE CATALYTIC PLUG OFFERS SUBSTANTIALLY IMPROVED IGNITION OVER CONVENTIONAL (NON-CATALYTIC) SURFACE IGNITION PLUGS. IN THIS PROJECT WE PROPOSE TO USE THIS IMPROVED IGNITION CAPABILITY TO ACHIEVE AN EFFECTIVE INTEGRAL IGNITOR/INJECTOR SUITABLE FOR IMPROVING GAS TURBINE SOOT AND OTHER PERFORMANCE FEATURES. IN PHASE I AN AIRBLAST INJECTOR WILL BE MODIFIED TO INCORPORATE A CATALYTIC GLOW PLUG. IN-HOUSE TESTING IN A LABORATORY CAN COMBUSTOR WILL EXPLORE IGNITION, SOOT AND OTHER EMISSIONS PERFORMANCE. THESE RESULTS WILL BE USED TO OPTIMIZE THE CATALYTIC PLUG/INJECTOR INTEGRATION SCHEME BEFORE ENGINE COMPONENT TESTING. THE IMPROVED IGNITION AND STABILITY FEATURES OF THE CATALYTIC IGNITOR/INJECTOR WILL THEN BE TESTED BY A FUEL INJECTOR MANUFACTURER IN AN AGT1500 COMBUSTOR TEST FACILITY. RESULTS WILL INDICATE POTENTIAL FOR IMPROVEMENT BASED ON THIS TECHNOLOGY. PHASE II WILL BE DIRECTED TO DEVELOP AND TEST THE TECHNOLOGY FOR AN ENGINE CURRENTLY USED OR PLANNED FOR USE BY THE ARMY.