Studies of Aluminum Dispersal and Reactions in Hydrogen-Oxygen Detonations Using a Gas-Driven Powder Injector

The use of a gas-driven powder injector to introduce aluminum particles into a detonation tube is discussed. The detonations consisted of hydrogen-oxygen mixtures, with aluminum particles being injected into the test section before the passing of the wave front. Data was collected using a spectrometer, piezoelectric pressure sensors, and a high-speed camera. Using the injector should allow for more easily observable ignition and endpoints of the combustion process, allowing for the quantification of ignition delay times and combustion times of aluminum in detonation products. The preliminary analysis presented here highlights the differences between data collection configurations by comparing aluminum monoxide (AlO) emission, high-speed video footage, and temperature predictions.