A Methanol/Oxygen Burning Combustor for an Aircraft Auxiliary Emergency Power Unit

The development of advanced single-engine aircraft with reduced stability and “Fly-by-Wire” control systems requires the provision of emergency hydraulic and electrical power from a stored energy system. The desire to achieve this objective using readily available fluids of low toxicity has led to the development of a methanol/oxygen burning combustor to provide a hot gas stream to drive a small turbine. The paper describes the performance of a 300 kW output combustor, which is cooled by the methanol consumed.