Experimental Investigation on the Ignition and Combustion Characteristics of a Single Magnesium Particle in Air

• Published in: Combustion, explosion, and shock waves explosion, and shock waves, 2019-03, Vol.55 (2), p.210-219
• Main Authors: Feng, Y. -Ch, Xia, Zh. -X., Huang, L. -Y., Ma, L. -K., Yang, D. -L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Carbon dioxide; Carbon dioxide lasers; Classical and Continuum Physics; Classical Mechanics; Combustion; Control; Dynamical Systems; Engineering; Flame structure; High temperature; Ignition temperature; Magnesium; Particle size; Physical Chemistry; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Vibration
• ISSN: 0010-5082; 1573-8345
• DOI: 10.1134/S0010508219020102

In this study, millimeter-sized magnesium particles are ignited using a CO 2 laser. The flame structure, particle temperature, heat release region, and spectral information of the burning magnesium particle are determined. The experimental results show that the developing process of the particle temperature can be divided into five stages: gradually rising stage, steady stage, sharply rising stage, high-temperature stage, and descent stage. Through a series of ignition experiments, the ignition temperature of a magnesium particle ≈3 mm in air is estimated to be 900–940 K. During steady combustion, the maximum diameters of the flame and of the heat release region are found to be greater than the particle diameter approximately by a factor of 1.9 and 3–3.5, respectively. The experimental results also suggest that the combustion of magnesium in air should be controlled by vapor diffusion from the particle surface.