Combustion of sonochemically-generated Ti−Al−B nanopowders in a premixed methane/air dust flame

Sonochemically-generated Ti−Al−B reactive mixed-metal nanopowders were tested by seeding them into a premixed, fuel-lean (Φ = 0.63), methane/air flame to investigate their combustion characteristics. Tests were conducted on powders with and without cryogenic milling. The attenuation of a diode laser beam was measured to calculate the time-resolved concentration of the powder in the flame. Radiant heat flux was measured with three gauges at different heights (1 cm, 6 cm, and 12 cm) along the axis of the flame. Flame spectra were collected to monitor chemiluminescence of intermediate species, and a multi-wavelength pyrometry method was applied to the spectra to calculate the temperature of the hot particulates in the flame. Commercially available metal powders were tested as a benchmark. These included micron-scale aluminum, nano-scale aluminum, micron-scale boron, and inert nano-scale alumina powders. The spectra from flames seeded with the sonochemically-generated Ti−Al−B powder show strong chemiluminescence from the BO2, an indicator of boron oxidation. Peak temperatures measured with flame pyrometry were approximately 2100 K, which is below the vaporization point of B2O3. The radiant heat flux from the seeded flame increased with concentration faster for the Ti−Al−B material than for any of the commercial powders, suggesting a greater gravimetric power density. Based on these results, the Ti−Al−B powders show promising combustion and heat-release characteristics, and therefore warrant further examination as a high-performance solid fuel.