Numerical study on operating characteristics of a magnesium-based fuel ramjet

A two-dimensional axis symmetrical model for multi-phase turbulent combustion simulation has been developed in a magnesium-based fuel ramjet, the stochastic model is applied to track the motion and transportation of discrete phase in the whole flow field in Lagrangian frame. Firstly, the flow field parameters distribution including temperature, velocity, Mg particle burning rate, main components are obtained to describe the basic operating characteristics, and the thermoacoustic oscillation during the combustion process is predicted due to the observed vortex. Then combined with the developed thermodynamic calculation program, the influencing rules of water/fuel ratio and magnesium-based fuel composition ratio on ramjet operating characteristics are analyzed. The results obtained show that the distribution of two water/fuel ratios exerts a direct impact on the temperature fluctuations in combustor, further influences the combustion stability, as for theoretical specific impulse, a maximal value is observed along with the total water/fuel ratio, while the monotonous trends for thermal efficiency and propulsive efficiency are achieved respectively. Moreover, the magnesium-based fuel composition ratio is a dominant factor to influence the operating characteristics, and it is proved that the high-proportion Mg in fuel is beneficial to specific impulse augment through validation of both simulation results and thermodynamic calculation results.

► Magnesium-based fuel ramjet as the study object is a promising power system.
► We simulate the operating characteristics coupled with thermodynamic calculation.
► Specific impulse will reach the maximum under a certain water/fuel ratio.
► Thermoacoustic oscillations are predicted via observed vortices.
► Higher-proportion Mg in based fuel is beneficial to most operating characteristics.