Measurement and analysis of thermochemical process for micro power generation

Abstract

Thermochemical process especially focused on micro combustion and catalytic reaction is measured and analyzed for the development of device for micro power generation. Thermochemical processes that release heat by chemical reaction can be sorted into three parts, gas phase combustion, gas and/or liquid phase catalytic reaction and liquid phase enzyme reaction, by the scale of the devices where the process takes place. In this thesis scale down issues in development of micro combustion device and micro catalytic reacting device is introduced. The first part covers the following sub topics. Combustion phenomena in down scaled combustor or analysis of heat loss characteristic and prediction of following quenching of the flame that is carried both experimentally and theoretically. With theses, fabrication technology for development of micro combustion development by MEMS process is introduced. Pressure change within closed vessel combustor by the change in combustor scale that ranges from few millimeters to quenching distance is measured. With this diagnostic data, based on energy conservation in conventional closed vessel analysis model, modified model that quantifies heat loss characteristic is proposed. With the model, prediction of quenching in enhanced heat loss condition and estimation of available work that can be obtained by combustion process is made possible. The result provides design and analysis tool for micro combustion device. With the information obtained, MEMS engine is designed and fabrication process is established. The process is based on anisotropic etching of photosensitive glass and electroplating process of Ni layer. Micro electrode is also fabricated and test on performance is carried. In combustion test of MEMS fabricated combustion device, combustion and combustion induced motion of piston is observed. The second part covers the following contents. Synthesis of catalyst for two-phase catalytic reaction, micro patterning of nano-part...