The conductivity of the hot gases from propane-oxygen flames containing potassium has been measured in a coaxial graphite cell. In the temperature range 1800–2400°K with potassium concentrations of 0.01–1.0% by weight, the measured conductivity agrees with that calculated from the Saha equation and a ``free-path'' kinetic equation. A constant value of 1×10−15 cm2 was used as the cross section for collision between electrons and the combustion products in this calculation. At higher potassium concentrations, up to 7½% by weight, the electron-potassium atom cross section becomes important but a value of about 10−15 cm2 gives fair agreement with the data. At low temperatures and high cell voltages, current saturation resulting from the limited electron emissivity of the graphite was observed.

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This paper describes the results of tests to determine the effects of steam injection on the production of nitric oxide in gas turbine combustors. When the steam injected into the compressor discharge was 2 percent of the total air flow, the oxides of nitrogen were reduced to 50 percent of what they were with no steam injection for a given load in a gas fired machine. When the steam flow was increased to 4 percent the oxides of nitrogen dropped to 25 percent of the value with no steam.