Experimental Study on Supersonic Combustion Characteristics of Al/B-Kerosene Nanofuels

Abstract

Aluminum and boron nanoparticles are added to kerosene in this paper to improve the combustion properties of kerosene. When the particle concentration is 30 g/L, the volumetric heat value of fuel increases by 3 and 5%, respectively, with the addition of aluminum and boron nanoparticles. Meanwhile, combustion experiments in a supersonic combustor are conducted to study the combustion characteristics of Al-kerosene nanofuels and B-kerosene nanofuels. The air flow rates of all experiments are about 1.77 kg/s, the total temperature is 1500 K, and the total pressure is 1.2 MPa. The combustion flow and flame structures of kerosene with different particles and different concentrations are studied, and the results indicate that the addition of nanoparticles to the fuel enhances combustion and heat release enhanced, and the flame stabilization mode is changed from the cavity stabilization to the jet-wake stabilization mode with a higher particle concentration. Meanwhile, the unsteady characteristics of flame are studied. The flame oscillation is intensified, and the fundamental frequency of the flame increases with the increase in particle concentration. Besides, the addition of nanoparticles significantly improves the combustion efficiency of kerosene. When the particle concentration is 30 g/L, the combustion efficiencies of nanofuels are increased by 15% and 17.5%, respectively, with the addition of aluminum and boron nanoparticles.