Low Emission Variable Area Combustor for Vehicular Gas Turbines

Abstract

In recent years automotive engine emissions have become subject to stringent Federal legislation. The most severe of these regulations pertains to the 1976 Emission Standards as defined by the Advanced Automotive Power Systems (AAPS) Division of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). A unique combustor concept has been developed by Solar which has demonstrated the feasibility of meeting these emission requirements. The integrated emissions of a typical regenerative gas turbine engine employing this combustor type were each below one half of the levels specified by the Federal 1976 Standards, when tested over a simulated federal driving cycle. The success of the feasibility tests for this combustor concept has lead to more fundamental studies and the planned development of a prototype combustor for demonstration on the EPA-AAPS baseline gas turbine engine. The prototype combustor for the baseline engine is described together with its variable area port mechanisms, which has been demonstrated as necessary for emission control.

Development of a Dry Low Emission Combustor for the ASE120 Industrial Gas Turbine Engine

“…Although the concept of variable-area geometry combustors is not new, it has not gained wide acceptance within the industry, due to the mechanical complexities associated with such designs. Owing to the inherent advantages of the concept, there is now renewed interest in its application to stationary gas turbine combustors (White et al, 1973;Fiorentino eral. 1980;Hayashi etal., 1996).…”