The mechanisms underlying homogeneous fluidization of Geldart A particles have been debated for decades. Some ascribed the stability to inter-particle forces, while others insisted a purely hydrodynamic explanation. Valverde et al. (2001) fluidized 8.53-μm (i.e., Geldart C) particles by the addition of fumed silica nanoparticles and found that even during homogeneous fluidization both solid-like and fluid-like behavior can be distinguished. However, it is still unclear whether both states exist for true Geldart A particles. In this paper, particulate fluidization characteristics of three typical Geldart A powders were studied by camera recording, electrical capacitance tomography, and pressure fluctuation. For the first time, the existence of both solid-like state dominated by inter-particle forces and fluid-like state by fluid dynamics during homogeneous expansion of Geldart A particles was experimentally verified. Furthermore, the ability and performance of the used measurement techniques to identify different flow regimes were compared.

Scramjet based on solid propellant is a good supplement for the power device of future hypersonic vehicles. A new scramjet combustor configuration using solid fuel, namely, the solid fuel rocket scramjet (SFRSCRJ) combustor is proposed. The numerical study was conducted to simulate a flight environment of Mach 6 at a 25 km altitude. Three-dimensional Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations coupled with shear stress transport (SST) k − ω turbulence model are used to analyze the effects of the cavity and its position on the combustor. The feasibility of the SFRSCRJ combustor with cavity is demonstrated based on the validation of the numerical method. Results show that the scramjet combustor configuration with a backward-facing step can resist high pressure generated by the combustion in the supersonic combustor. The total combustion efficiency of the SFRSCRJ combustor mainly depends on the combustion of particles in the fuel-rich gas. A proper combustion organization can promote particle combustion and improve the total combustion efficiency. Among the four configurations considered, the combustion efficiency of the mid-cavity configuration is the highest, up to about 70%. Therefore, the cavity can effectively increase the combustion efficiency of the SFRSCRJ combustor.