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A comparative study of the ignition and burning characteristics of afterburning aluminum and magnesium particles

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Abstract

Ignition and the burning of air-born single aluminum and magnesium particles are experimentally investigated. Particles of 30 to 106 μm-diameters were electrodynamically levitated, ignited, and burnt in atmospheric air. The particle combustion evolution was recorded by high-speed cinematography. Instant temperature and thermal radiation intensity were measured using two-wavelength pyrometry and photomultiplier tube methods. Ignition of the magnesium particle is prompt and substantially advances the aluminum particle by 10 ms. Burning time of the aluminum particles is extended 3 to 5 times longer than the magnesium particles. Exponents of a power-law fit of the burning rates are 1.55 and 1.24 for aluminum and magnesium particles, respectively. Flame temperature is slightly lower than the oxide melting temperature. For the aluminum, dimensionless flame diameter is inert to the initial particle size, but for the magnesium inversely proportional to the initial diameter.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, 120-749, Korea

    Jihwan Lim, Sanghyup Lee & Woongsup Yoon

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  1. Jihwan Lim
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  2. Sanghyup Lee
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  3. Woongsup Yoon
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Correspondence to Woongsup Yoon.

Additional information

Recommended by Associate Editor Jeong Park

Jihwan Lim received his B.S. degree in Aerospace Engineering from Inha University in 2005. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate in School of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, Korea. His research interests are in the area of metal combustion and combustion diagnostics.

Sanghyup Lee received his B.S. degree in Department of Astronomy from Yonsei University in 2009. He is currently a Ph.D. student in School of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, Korea. His research interests are in the area of Metal Combustion and Combustion Diagnostics.

Woongsup Yoon is a professor in School of Mechanical Engineering at Yonsei University. He received his Ph.D. in Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from University of Alabama in Huntsville. His research interests are in the combustion phenomenon.

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Lim, J., Lee, S. & Yoon, W. A comparative study of the ignition and burning characteristics of afterburning aluminum and magnesium particles. J MECH SCI TECHNOL 28, 4291–4300 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-014-0943-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-014-0943-3

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