Development of Optimized Combustors and Thermoelectric Generators for Palm Power Generation

摘要

The major technical accomplishments for the development of a mesoscale catalytic combustor to be coupled with direct energy conversion modules for electric power production are summarized. Most importantly, clean and efficient combustion of complex hydrocarbon mixtures, such as the notoriously problematic JP-8, has been accomplished. Using gas chromatographic analysis of the exhaust gases, a combustion efficiency on the order of 99% is estimated. The device was successfully coupled to a free piston Stirling engine in preliminary experiments. In addition, fundamental studies were pursued on liquid fuel dispersion by the electrospray technique with both conventional manufacturing techniques and microfabrication, on the chemical kinetics of JP-8 surrogates and on the development of advanced laser diagnostics for JP-8 combustion systems.