Detailed description of the combustion of an aluminum particle
Résumé
This study presents new quantitative information on the previously neglected initial and final phases occurring during aluminum particle combustion. The study shows that the initial alumina lobe, which originates from the protection layer’s melting, is gradually consumed. The speed at which this lobe regresses depends on the
accessibility of gaseous aluminum close to the drop and is delayed in nitrogen environments. Furthermore, the research provides a new outlook on the particle’s end-of-life, which begins with the covering of the particle by alumina and/or oxynitrides. Also, for this phase, the presence of nitrogen has a significant influence on triggering this covering, which then leads to spinning and jetting. This study details the origin of these two phenomena, in particular jetting, and provides elements of quantification concerning their implications in complex systems involving particle suspensions.