Abstract
This study of Aluminum/Carbon slurries was motivated by the observed propensity of Al/C slurry droplets to fragment. One objective of this work was to determine if a relationship exists between disruptive combustion behavior and the composition, and/or physical nature, of the solids present in the slurry. Such a relationship was thought likely to exist, since formation of a shell or crust promoting internal pressure build-up during liquid burnout may be a likely ingredient in the disruptive burning of slurry drops. X-ray analysis of the residual combustion products showed that the predominant solid phase for the five slurries examined was aluminum carbide. Since aluminum carbide is 75% aluminum by weight, the experimental results are consistent with the idea that essentially all of the aluminum in the slurry droplet combines with a portion of the carbon in the sample, with the excess carbon forming gaseous products. This work is part of an on-going investigation of slurry fuels.