Combustion characteristics of a micro segment platinum tubular reactor with a gap

The present study proposes a conceptual design for a combustion chamber for overcoming critical heat loss and flame instability in a micro-thermophotovoltaic power system (micro-TPV). In the design, a platinum tube is used simultaneously as a catalyst reactor and an emitter. The flame-stabilizing mechanisms of a TPV reactor are numerically investigated regarding the effects of reactor configuration and fuel concentration. The interaction of heterogeneous and homogeneous reactions between the inner and outer chamber of the TPV reactor is also examined. Results indicate that the catalytically induced combustion can be anchored in the gap between two segmented platinum tubes by inheriting thermal energy and radicals from the upstream section of the segmented catalyst. The gap not only provides a low-velocity region for stabilizing flames, but also enables the exchange of fuels and radicals from the inner and outer streams.