Combustion and Flames

Principal Investigators

Durable High-Temperature Catalysts for Natural Gas Combustion: For GRI and several international utilities, SRI examined critical aspects of catalytic combustor design that could significantly improve the high-temperature durability of natural gas combustion catalysts. Because proposed catalyst designs for greater durability could be more complex than previous catalyst configurations, a systematic approach to the selection of materials and the fabrication of catalyst components was essential.
Combustion of Volatile Organic Compounds: For the Electric Power Research Institute, SRI explored, among other subjects, the catalytically assisted microwave induced decomposition of dilute chlorinated hydrocarbons in air. For a Japanese commercial client, SRI conducted an experimental exploratory project to find good catalysts for the decomposition of odorant compounds in moist air. Our results are promising and generally could apply to commercial drying operations, room deodorizers, ventilation air cleansing, and incinerator flue gas clean-up.

Development of Laser Diagnostics for Combustion Measurements: Many spectroscopic methods for measuring combustion kinetics and conditions have been developed and applied at SRI as a result of various projects sponsored by the GRI, Osaka Gas Company, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Important results include the methodology for careful remote temperature measurements in flames using laser-induced fluorescence, the pioneering work on two-photon excitation methods for detecting trace quantities of atoms such as oxygen, and the first flame measurements of several reactive intermediates critical to the controlling chemistry.
In addition, many critical technologies for applying these diagnostics have been developed and applied to SRI projects. The very first two-dimensional measurements of a flame species (OH), now a widely used technique for visualizing reactive flows, were made at SRI. Other recent applications include NO formation in natural gas burners, and O-atom concentrations above the surface of catalytic combustion plates. Such accurate, nonintrusive measurements were used to develop both empirical and mechanistic understanding of chemical processes.
Nonlinear Laser Diagnostics of Combustion and Plasma Processes
Laser-Based Imaging of Species and Temperature During Gas-Fired Combustion
Optical Diagnostics for Burner Design: for Osaka Gas

Flame Chemistry of Natural Gas Combustion and NO Formation: Two projects sponsored by GRI and Southern California Gas used laser measurements of temperatures and species concentrations in low-pressure flames to investigate the chemical kinetics of methane combustion and prompt NO formation. Modeling calculations were also performed, and the excellent agreement obtained for both reactive species distributions and the amount of NO formed support our qualitative and quantitative understanding of this chemistry. This model, refined by further experimental comparisons, can be used in other combustion applications.
Diagnostics of Ignition Reactions
Optimal Chemical Models for Natural Gas Combustion
Pollutant Generation in Partially Premixed Flames

Interactions Between Chemistry and Fluid Mechanics During Pulverized Coal Combustion: For EPRI, laboratory studies identified the major reaction channels in the conversion of fuel-nitrogen during the initial stages of coal combustion.
Coal-Nitrogen Conversion During Coal Combustion: For EPRI, laboratory studies characterized the incorporation of coal-nitrogen into soot during coal combustion.
Combustion of Coal Devolatilization Products: For U.S. DOE, burning velocities were monitored for combustible mixtures of volatiles from different coal types, at prescribed levels of sooting.
Engineering Models of Pulverized Coal Combustion: For U.S. DOE, rate models were developed for devolatilization mechanisms, and for the transport and combustion of individual coal particles of various ranks.
Active Control of the Stoichiometry of Dense Coal Suspensions: For EPRI, acoustic forcing techniques were applied to burning round coal jets as a means to aerodynamically reduce NOx levels.
Formation of Organic Mutagens During Coal Combustion: For EPRI and the U.S. DOE, laboratory studies at SRI characterized the formation of mutagens during coal combustion, especially the nitration of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons.
Pyrite Thermochemistry Ash Agglomeration and Particle Fragmentation During Coal Combustion: For U.S. DOE, laboratory studies characterized the chemical and physical transformations of granular pyrite and iron ash, including synthetic and whole coal chars.

Send WWW-related comments and suggestions to huestis@mplvax.sri.com

URL: "http://www-mpl.sri.com/topics/combust.html"