Study on the effects of Al-contained kerosene on RBCC performance and heat release at low Mach number

The wide-range combined ramjets have attracted extensive global attention. However, as the limit of the wide range, the conditions of low total temperature and low Mach number present significant challenges including long ignition delay, difficult ignition, and limited thrust. The incorporation of aluminum (Al) particles into kerosene HD-01 creates high energy-density fuel. It can effectively address the issues by reducing ignition delay, facilitating ignition, and increasing thrust. Additionally, this approach can also improve density-specific impulse and specific thrust. This study combines ground direct-connect tests with simulations to investigate the heat release characteristics and RBCC performance under the effects of Al-contained fuel at Ma 2.5. In addition, Al-contained fuel serves as both ramjet fuel and strut rocket fuel. The results show that the performance improves with the increase in Al content. In addition, as strut rocket fuel, 30 wt%Al-contained HD-01 enhances both thrust and density-specific impulse by 43.5 % compared to HD-01. As ramjet fuel at ER = 0.4 + 0.4, 30 wt%Al-contained HD-01 increases thrust by 19.1 % and density-specific impulse by 10.6 %. At ER = 0.4 + 0.4, compared to HD-01, 15 wt%Al-contained HD-01 improves thrust by 12.2 % and density-specific impulse by 6.0 %, 30 wt%Al-contained HD-01 improves thrust by 16.4 % and density-specific impulse by 8.5 %. What is more, combustion efficiencies reach 81 % and 79 % respectively.