Experimental Investigation of Catalytic Surface Reaction for Different Metal Surfaces

Abstract

The use of a catalytic surface to enhance chemical reaction rates is a well established and common practice. However, its use in combustion devices for enhancing combustion reaction is somewhat less common and more recent. Catalytic combustors, because of their inherent ability to operate at very lean air fuel mixtures, can maintain a relatively low combustion temperature and hence reduce the formation of NOx significantly. Further the catalytic coating on the combustion chamber walls enhances the combustion process by increased rate of pre-flame reactions. This provides a basis for catalytic combustion in lean burn engine. A considerable amount of effort has been devoted in the present work to this experimental study and compares different catalyst reaction performance.A cylindrical chamber is fabricated and air-fuel mixture is passed through the chamber. A metal tube coated with the catalyst is placed inside the control volume and it is heated by an electric heater. The air-fuel mixture undergoes pre-flame combustion reaction and as a result of this, the miniature temperature increases. Various catalytic surfaces like mild steel, Nickel, Chromium and copper were tested. The activation temperatures of these catalytic surfaces were obtained from this experimental work.

Keywords: catalytic reaction, LPG, activation energy, catalytic coating