Design and control strategy for catalytic combustion system with a wide operating range

A method of controlling a catalytic combustion system comprising an air supply, a flame burner, a fuel injector positioned downstream of the flame burner and a catalyst positioned downstream of the fuel injector, a flow path containing a valve that directs a portion of the airflow to bypass the catalyst, wherein a portion of the fuel combusts within the catalyst and a remainder of the fuel combusts in the region downstream of the catalyst, comprising:

• determining the adiabatic combustion temperature at the catalyst inlet;
• measuring a load on a turbine downstream of the catalyst;
• calculating full load on the turbine downstream of the catalyst;
• adjusting the airflow that bypasses the catalyst to maintain the adiabatic combustion temperature at the catalyst inlet based upon a predetermined schedule that relates the i) adiabatic combustion temperature at the catalyst inlet to ii) the difference between the measured load and the calculated full load.