Explosion Performance of Al Powder–Liquid Fuel Mixtures under Different Ambient Conditions

Abstract

The explosion performance of Al powder–diethyl ether (A–D) and Al powder–diethyl ether–nitromethane (A–D–N) mixtures under low-temperature and low-pressure as well as high-temperature and high-humidity conditions were investigated in a 20 L explosion vessel. The explosion pressure, maximum pressure rise rates, and lower flammability limit (LFL) of the mixtures under binary ambient conditions were obtained. The results showed that the A–D–N mixture had a higher explosion pressure and LFL under the same ambient condition due to the addition of nitromethane. The explosion pressure and LFL of the A–D–N mixture had lower sensitivity to the variation of ambient parameters. The result could further help in explosion performance assessment of multi-phase fuel under actual ambient conditions.