Experimental evaluation of aluminum powder fuel in a hydrogen/oxygen detonation tube

Abstract

Solid powder detonation technology was investigated in this study. Several problems related to the controllable and uniform injection of solid powder fuels were examined. This study demonstrated the feasibility of solid powder detonation technology by designing fluidization devices and evaluating the solid powder supply system. A stable supply of powder was achieved, and ignition tests were conducted using Al/H2/O2 and H2/O2 fuels. The maximum detonation wave velocity obtained using Al/H2/O2 was 2950 m/s, which was 40% higher than that obtained using H2/O2. We observed a mixed two-phase double-front detonation structure, with hydrogen/oxygen being detonated in the first front and aluminum powder/oxygen being detonated in the second wave. At a relatively low equivalence ratio, the aluminum powder/oxygen wave surface pressure was higher, whereas the hydrogen/oxygen wave surface pressure was higher at a higher equivalence.