An apparatus is provided for burning a fuel and nitrous oxide. The apparatus has a combustor, a catalyst, a nitrous oxide supply passage for directing the nitrous oxide to a contact position with the catalyst, and a fuel supply passage for supplying the fuel to the combustor. The catalyst is for facilitating decomposition of the nitrous oxide, and the combustor is for burning the fuel, the decomposed nitrous oxide and/or further nitrous oxide decomposed in the reaction.