Micro Combustor Development Using Hydrogen As Fuel

Abstract

Swiss Roll Combustor of 1 W capacity for micro gas turbine engine is operated with premixed hydrogen air mixture at ultra-lean equivalence ratio. The reaction zone under consideration has volume of 60 mm3. The reactant passage and product passage are coiled around the reaction zone facilitating the recovery of heat loss, by preheating the reactants. The reactants are entered through an increasing cross-sectional area passage from 0.6mm × 5mm inlet to 1.5mm × 5mm outlet, thereby reducing the velocity levels in the reactant passage, facilitating stable combustor operation. The combustor performance parameters, temperature levels, pattern factor and emissions are measured is operated at ultra-lean equivalence ratio of 0.12 to lean equivalence ratio of 0.43, for premixed hydrogen air combustion. The results are compared at similar (not same) equivalence ratios for constant area reactant passage. The visual inspection shows stable flame front in the combustion zone for variable area passage and extended flame front in the constant area passage combustor. However, the combustor performance deteriorates drastically above equivalence ratio of 0.43, leading to hot spots generation on walls.