Takashi Okamasa et al 2006 J. Micromech. Microeng. 16 S198 doi:10.1088/0960-1317/16/9/S05
Takashi Okamasa1, Gwang-Goo Lee1, Yuji Suzuki1, Nobuhide Kasagi1 and Shin Matsuda2
Show affiliationsA micro-scale catalytic combustor fueled by butane was investigated. High-precision ceramic tape-casting technology was adopted for developing a three-dimensional structure of the combustor with embedded heat exchange channels. Nano-porous alumina fabricated through anodic oxidation of aluminum layers was employed for the support of Pd catalyst. Combustion experiments were carried out in a solder bath to keep the catalyst temperature constant. Complete fuel conversion for a n-butane flow rate of 5.0 sccm has been achieved at 390 °C corresponding to 100 MW m−3 heat generation. Reaction constants for catalytic combustion on the Pd/nano-porous alumina were determined with the aid of a 1D plug flow model. Those parameters were successfully combined with a CFD analysis to investigate the detailed transport phenomena and to predict the performance of the combustor at higher temperature. It was also shown in a preliminary experiment in air that the reaction can be self-sustained at 425 °C with the n-butane flow rate of 15 sccm.
07.20.-n Thermal instruments and apparatus
81.05.Rm Porous materials; granular materials
47.11.-j Computational methods in fluid dynamics
81.20.Hy Forming; molding, extrusion etc.
81.07.-b Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization
Instrumentation and measurement
Issue 9 (September 2006)
Received 20 February 2006, in final form 31 May 2006
Published 9 August 2006
Takashi Okamasa et al 2006 J. Micromech. Microeng. 16 S198
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