Low emission combustor

摘要

A low emission combustor assembly particularly suited for an automotive gas turbine engine has an inlet plenum supplied with regenerated compressor discharge, an exhaust plenum, a diffusion flame combustion chamber disposed between the inlet and exhaust plenums, and a catalytic combustion chamber also disposed between the inlet and exhaust plenums so that parallel flow paths are established between the inlet and exhaust plenums. During engine start-up, fuel is supplied only to the diffusion flame combustion chamber and regenerated compressor discharge simultaneously flowing through the catalytic combustion chamber heats the catalyst to operating temperature and cools and dilutes exhaust from the diffusion flame combustion chamber. When the catalyst reaches operating temperature fuel is directed only to the catalytic combustion chamber wherein an ultra lean air/fuel ratio mixture is catalytically oxidized, the exhaust from this reaction being cooled and diluted by regenerated compressor discharge simultaneously flowing through the diffusion flame combustion chamber.