Catalytic combustion for power generation

Abstract Catalytically stabilised combustion (CST) has the potential to become the best available low NOx combustion technology with demonstrated NOx emissions less than 3 ppm. Gas turbines incorporating CST may therefore eventually enjoy a significant market share; as such, the leading gas turbine manufacturers are actively working in this field. However, the demands made upon catalysts are challenging indeed. The present paper discusses practical issues concerning the application of catalytically stabilised combustion to gas turbines. It additionally reports on the ongoing investigation of methane/air CST (using palladium catalysts) at conditions relevant to gas turbines (inlet temperatures up to 500 °C, pressures up to 30 bar and spatial velocities up to 106 h−1).