Effect of oxidant concentration on the combustion characteristics of aluminum particle-laden flow

A series of experiments is conducted to study the combustion characteristics of aluminum particle-laden flow in a propulsion system that uses powder as the main fuel. A laminar flame produced by hydrocarbon fuel provides a high-temperature environment for the combustion of the aluminum particle-laden flow. The oxidant concentrations of the hot gas are adjusted by varying the mass flow rates of three gases. The combustion behaviors of aluminum particle-laden flow are analyzed in detail. The burning times and burning rates for aluminum particles can be obtained according to the variations in the light spot profiles of the burning particle. In addition, the micro-explosion phenomenon of the aluminum particle is observed in the higher oxidant content which is an important evidence that causes the shorter burning time. The research is helpful to develop and optimize the propulsion system using the powder as the main fuel.