Catalyzed combustion of hydrogen–oxygen in platinum tubes for micro-propulsion applications

The present investigation addresses the need to understand the physics and chemistry involved in propellant combustion processes in micro-scale combustors for propulsion systems on micro-spacecraft. These spacecraft are planned to have a mass less than 50 kg with attitude control estimated to be in the 1–10 mN thrust class. Micro-propulsion devices behave differently than macro-scale devices because of the differences in magnitude of flow rates and heat transfer. Reducing the combustor size increases the relative surface area, increasing the heat loss, and as combustors are continuously reduced in size, they approach the quenching dimensions of the propellants. Combustors of this size are expected to significantly benefit from surface catalysis processes. A miniature flame tube apparatus is chosen for this study because microtubes can be easily fabricated from known catalyst materials, and their simplicity in geometry can be used in fundamental simulations for validation purposes. Experimentally, we investigated the role of catalytically active surfaces within 0.4 and 0.8 mm internal diameter microtubes, with special emphases on ignition processes in fuel rich gaseous hydrogen and gaseous oxygen. Calculations of flame thickness and reaction zone thickness predict that the diameters of our test apparatus are below the quenching diameter of the propellants in most atmospheric test conditions. The temperature and pressure rise in resistively heated platinum microtubes and the exit hydrogen concentration were used as an indication of exothermic reactions. Data on imposed heat flux/preheat temperature required to achieve ignition versus mass flow rate are presented. With a plug flow model, the experimental conditions were simulated with detailed gas-phase chemistry and surface kinetics. Computational results, in general, support the experimental findings.     

微细腔内甲烷湿空气低温重整特性热力学分析

从理论上探讨低温(小于973K)、压力、空碳比及水碳比对重整特性及甲烷转化率的影响,以及各参数的合理取值范围;同时,对甲烷自热重整系统与无氧重整系统进行了性能对比.研究结果表明:微细腔在温度大于633K,反应压力小于0.10MPa,空碳(摩尔)比为2.0以及水碳摩尔比在1.0-2.5之间有利于甲烷自热重整反应的发生;自热重整与无氧重整体系相比,当甲烷质量流量一定时,有氧系统可以在较低的水碳比和较低的温度条件下获得较高的甲烷转化率和氢气产量.     

含湿量对微细腔内甲烷低温重整影响的热力学研究

为了实现微燃烧器内甲烷持续稳定燃烧,要求进一步深入研究原料气中含湿量变化对微细腔甲烷湿空气低温(小于973 K)重整反应的影响.于此,本文通过热力学方法分析了 0.1 MPa下一定温度时,恒定原料气流量和恒定空碳比两种工况中,含湿量在欠氧和低温环境中对微细腔甲烷自热重整反应中积炭、甲烷转化、产氢特性及反应过程的影响.结果表明:微细腔内甲烷质量流量一定时,随着含湿量增加,积炭逐渐减小,甲烷转化率先减小后增加,氢气则一直随之增加.体系中甲烷的转化以生成CO2为主,CO的选择率随含湿量增加先增加后减小,CO2选择率则一直增加;增加含湿量会使反应后体系中水的含量增加,也会促使反应过程中体系消耗的水量最终大于生成的水量.在含湿量不超过空气量的反应条件下,两种工况中反应前后水质量分数的变化量均在含湿量达280 g·kg-1后显示出体系以消耗水为主,且原料气中湿空气的含湿量均应满足最低为350 g·kg-1,才有利于反应过程中减少积炭产生和促进重整反应,当达到这一条件时,恒定的空碳比在获得较高的甲烷转化率和氢气产率上更具优势.