Tuesday, February 19, 2013

What is the composition of a catalytic combustor?


Click on the picture for a larger view.
Firecat combustors manufactured by Applied Ceramics are made of high temperature, honeycomb patterned, ceramic substrate. They are coated with special noble metals. The honeycomb pattern gives the combustor the surface area for the catalytic costing.

The noble metals used are palladium and platinum.
These catalytic combustors have been used by the woodstove industry since the first catalytic stoves was designed. Most catalytic stove manufacturers today are still using the Firecat brand as their choice for quality and performance.

2 comments:

wobdee said...

Is the firecat combustor resistant to potassium poisoning? Or does the flame screen or scoop prevent this?

Tim Cork said...

Thanks for the question Wobdee.
To answer the first part of your question...the combustor is not resistant to potassium. Potassium is basically salt, and salt eats or damages just about everything.

The flame screen, as you call it, is there to protect the combustor from flame impingment.