combustors

PCI has developed large burner technology of extended capability based upon the incorporation of catalysts into the combustion chamber and on combustor designs developed for this purpose. These are often called "catalytic combustors", or more descriptively, "catalytically-stabilized combustors". The catalyst's role is to react only a portion of the fuel and the combustor’s role is to use the reactants to advantageously achieve complete combustion in an expanded set of conditions made feasible by the catalyst's contribution. This is most generally in the form of an extended flame stability limit/increased flame speed for a premixed fuel/air mixture.

For gas turbines, the opportunities from extending flame stability are many, including the ability to burn lean enough to avoid NOx formation as well as the ability to achieve extended low NOx turndown. PCI´s chief scientist, Dr. William Pfefferle, invented the original catalytic combustor, and over time the concept has been explored by many parties. A perennial challenge to making commercial catalytic combustors has been the difficulty in achieving both high enough catalytic reaction while avoiding catalytic over-reaction.

PCI has developed and patented a breakthrough technology solution to this challenge, which we have named and trademarked Rich Catalytic Lean (RCL®) burn combustion. This technology integrates a catalytic reaction zone operating rich (with excess fuel) with a lean downstream combustion zone where all fuel is completely combusted and most of the heat release occurs. A unique shell and tube reactor structure combined with the rich catalyst operating conditions enables the RCL® catalytic combustor to effectively and robustly act to substantially increase flame stability. The tube reactor structure combined with the rich catalyst operating conditions enables the RCL® catalytic combustor to substantially increase flame stability in a process having very wide fuel flexibility. We are developing catalytic combustors in several designs for ultra-low emission power generation gas turbines (full catalytic combustors and catalytic pilots)as well as for microturbines, plus we are adapting the technology for specific other applications including IGCC oxyfuel combustors, and a downhole catalytic combustor/steam generator for the production of oil and gas.

• Full catalytic combustors
• Catalytic pilots
• Microturbine catalytic combustors
• Oxyfuel combustors
• Downhole steam generator for oil and gas production

Contact PCI to learn more about how our solutions may be adapted for your needs.