Examining the effects of gap size on ignition characteristics of propane catalytic combustion in a microburner

Abstract This study aims to explore in depth the role of gap size in the ignition characteristics of propane catalytic combustion in a microburner. The catalytic combustion processes of propane under different gap sizes are studied to examine the variation of ignition time, ignition temperature, and outer wall temperature distribution. The research results indicate that the gap size has a significant impact on the ignition characteristics of propane catalytic combustion. With increasing gap size, there is a decrease in ignition temperature and an increase in maximum temperature, while ignition time displays non-monotonic behavior due to the conflicting effects of inlet temperature and flow rate. A larger gap size will affect the overall size of the microburner, making it inconvenient as a micro-motion source for small devices. The findings furnish a crucial foundation for the enhancement of the design of catalytic microburners.