Development and testing of granular catalysts for combustors of regenerative gas turbine plants

Two types of granular catalysts for effective methane combustion in combustors of gas turbine plants (GTPs) were developed: (1) catalysts based on noble metals with a low Pd content (1–2 wt %), characterized by a low methane ignition temperature, and (2) catalysts based on manganese oxides and hexaaluminates, which have an increased thermal stability. The methane oxidation kinetics was investigated, and combustion in the catalyst chamber of the GTP was simulated. For optimizing the combustion technology, the following two-step process using a combined catalytic package is suggested. The inlet zone of the combustor is filled with a highly active Pd catalyst, which initiates methane oxidation and ensures that the temperature at the exit of this zone is the initial temperature of methane combustion. This takes place in the next zone, which is filled with an oxide catalyst tolerant to high temperatures. The pilot testing of the catalysts was carried out in a model catalytic combustor. The results are in satisfactory agreement with calculated data. Long-term tests indicate the high stability of the catalysts. The Pd catalyst was demonstrated to retain its high activity and to provide an ignition temperature of 240°C. The initial activity of the hexaaluminate-based catalysts remains unchanged after tests at 930°C. The use of a combined charge of the palladium (7–15%) and manganese (85–93%) catalysts in the model GTP combustor allows a high natural gas combustion efficiency to be achieved at a low level of hazardous emissions (NO x , 0–1 ppm; CO, 1–3 ppm; hydrocarbons, 3–10 ppm).