Measuring Gaseous Emissions from an Aircraft Turbine Engine

Aircraft turbine engines generate the same pollutants that are generated by automotive reciprocating engines, but problems of emission measurement differ greatly between the two types of engines. This is a discussion of experimental work done to define more clearly the character of the turbine emissions and to gain experience in sampling and measuring the emissions. An explicit objective was to evaluate the adequacy of available instrumentation and to reveal emission measurement problems unique to the turbine engine.

Results of the study showed that concentrations of gas phase pollutants in the turbine exhausts ranged from about one to three orders of magnitude lower than average concentrations of the same materials in exhausts of late model (that is, 1960-69) autos. Instrumentation now available for measuring hydrocarbon, CO, and NO_x is expected to be adequate but will require appropriate adaptation for measurements at concentrations typical for turbine exhausts. As is the case in automotive application, a method fully suitable for oxygenated materials is not yet available.