An experimental study on the combustion characteristics of a catalytic combustor for an MCFC power generation system

In the MCFC power generation system, the combustor supplies a high temperature mixture of gases to the cathode and heat to the reformer by using the off-gas from the anode; the off-gas includes high concentrations of H ₂O and CO₂. Since a combustor needs to be operated in a very lean condition and avoid local heating, a catalytic combustor is usually adopted. Catalytic combustion is also generally accepted as one of the environmentally preferred alternatives for generation of heat and power from fossil fuels because of its complete combustion and low emissions of pollutants such as CO, UHC, and NO_x- In this study, experiments were conducted on catalytic combustion behavior in the presence of Pd-based catalysts for the BOP (Balance Of Plant) of 5 kW MCFC (Molten Carbonate Fuel Cell) power generation systems. Extensive investigations were carried out on the catalyst performance with the gaseous CH₄ iuel by changing such various parameters as H₂ addition, inlet temperature, excess air ratio, space velocity, catalyst type, and start-up schedule of the pilot system adopted in the BOP.