Development of a propellant simulating gas fuel burner and its applicability in the validation of an aluminum particle combustion model
Abstract
In this study a new gas-fueled aluminum-seeded burner was constructed to safely and accurately simulate aluminized propellant fires. By tailoring the reactant composition, this burner allows control of the flame temperature, product composition, exit velocity, and the aluminum particle size. Specific gas reactant compositions for the burner were chosen based on adiabatic flame temperatures determined using a chemical equilibrium code. The burner flame temperatures were measured using coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) methods. These temperatures were found to compare well with the temperatures calculated using the chemical equilibrium program. These experiments were coupled with a numerical model for Al oxidation. The model uses a lump capacitance approach coupled with an evaporation and combustion analysis to evaluate the particle burn times. Results from this study show that this burner can accurately recreate propellant flame conditions necessary for evaluating Al particle burn dynamics in support of a propellant fire computational model.