Zero-carbon combustion of aluminum powder fuel using an axial-tangential swirl burner

Wei Dong, Yong Tang, Zhenkun Hu, Xiaoyu Wang, Majie Zhao and Baolu Shi

Energy, 2025, vol. 322, issue C

Abstract: Aluminum, due to its affordability, abundance, high reactivity, and energy density, is one of the most promising energy carriers in a zero-carbon society. This study developed a screw powder feeder for precise aluminum delivery at 30–148 mg/s and a lab-scale innovative axial-tangential swirl burner for the self-sustained combustion of dense powder flows. Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) was performed in cold flows to map the axial-tangential swirl flow field, which may impact the mixing of particles and oxidizers. Following a well-designed ignition procedure using methane, the axial-tangential swirl burner facilitated long-term stable combustion of aluminum particles in O2/N2 flows, with oxygen mole fractions ranging from 16 % to 100 %. This indicates that stable combustion in air yielded approximately 1–5 kW output. Oxygen concentration and particle mass flow rate influenced burning rates of the aluminum powder jet as a diffusion group flame, which sometimes caused oscillations at the flame root. Additionally, spectral fitting indicated that the surface temperatures of the condensed phase reached 2930–3431 K under oxygen concentrations of 20–100 %. Ultimately, combustion products were collected using a steel plate placed at the quartz glass tube outlet. Abundant nano-sized alumina particles were observed via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging.

Keywords: Zero-carbon combustion; Aluminum powder fuel; Screw powder feeder; Axial-tangential swirl burner; Self-sustained aluminum combustion (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:322:y:2025:i:c:s036054422501237x

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.135595

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