The Catalytic Oxidation of Heated Lean Homogeneously Premixed Gaseous-Fuel Air Streams

Results are presented of an experimental laboratory investigation of the oxidation reactions of heated low velocity streams of homogeneous lean fuel-air mixtures within a packed bed tubular reactor at atmospheric pressure in the presence of non-noble metal oxides catalysts. The main fuel considered was methane, however, other common gaseous fuels, i.e. propane, carbon monoxide, hydrogen and ethylene were also examined for comparative purposes. It was shown that binary cobalt oxide/chromium oxide catalysts can be effective in the oxidation of very lean fuel-air mixtures. Furthermore, there is an optimum value of their mass ratio that could produce a significant improvement to the low temperature oxidation of the lean mixtures examined and the corresponding resulting emissions.