A Combustion System for a Vehicular Regenerative Gas Turbine Featuring Low Air Pollutant Emissions

The combustion system developed for the General Motors GT-309 regenerative gas turbine is used to illustrate pertinent structural, performance, and exhaust emission considerations when designing for a vehicular gas turbine application. The development of each major component and the performance of the combustion system as a whole are reviewed. The satisfactory performance and durability potential of the GT-309 engine combustion system have been demonstrated by extensive operation in a component test facility and in several test cell and vehicle installed engines. Exhaust emissions of unburned hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide are minimal and are of no concern from an air pollution standpoint. No objectionable exhaust smoking and odor are produced. As is the case with current spark ignited and compression ignition engines, the emissions of oxides of nitrogen in the present state of development do not satisfy the proposed 1970 California limit for this air pollutant on an equivalent weight flow basis.