PERFORMANCE AND EMISSIONS OF A CATALYTIC REACTOR WITH PROPANE, DIESEL, AND JET A FUELS

Tests were made to determine the performance and emissions of a catalytic reactor operated with propane, No. 2 diesel, and Jet A fuels. A 12-cm diameter and 16-cm long catalytic reactor using a proprietary noble metal catalyst was operated at an inlet temperature of 800 K, a pressure of 300,000 Pa and reference velocities of 10 to 15 m/s. No significant differences between the performance of the three fuels were observed when 98.5 percent purity propane was used. The combustion efficiency for 99.8-percent purity propane tested later was significantly lower, however. The diesel fuel contained 135 ppm of bound nitrogen and consequently produced the highest NOx emissions of the three fuels. As much as 85 percent of the bound nitrogen was converted to NOx. Steady-state emissions goals based on half the most stringent proposed automotive standards were met when the reactor was operated at an adiabatic combustion temperature higher than 1350 K with all fuels except the 99.8-percent purity propane. With that fuel, a minimum temperature of 1480 K was required.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Conf-Presented at the Fall Meeting, Western States Section of the Combust. Inst., Stanford, Calif., 17-18 Oct. 1977.
• Corporate Authors:

  Department of the Navy

  The Pentagon
  Washington, DC  United States  20350
• Authors:
  • Anderson, D N
• Publication Date: 1977-9

Media Info

• Pagination: 26 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air quality management; Catalysts; Combustion efficiency; Diesel engine exhaust gases; Diesel fuels; Energy conservation; Exhaust gases; Fuel consumption; Motor fuels; Nitric oxide; Nitrogen oxides; Propane; Vehicle power plants
• Old TRIS Terms: Automobile engines
• Subject Areas: Energy; Environment; Railroads; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00175295
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: NASA-TM-73786
• Contract Numbers: EC-77-A-31-1011
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 31 1978 12:00AM