Status of Boron Combustion Research
Abstract
This report describes the proceedings of an AFOSR-sponsored Specialists Meeting on Boron Combustion. The objectives of the meeting were to review current understanding and to recommend fundamental research needs concerning boron combustion. Combustion of both slurries and solid propellants containing boron was considered for airbreathing propulsion applications. Boron can provide more than twice the volumetric energy density of conventional hydrocarbon fuels for airbreathing propulsion systems--substantially improving the performance of volume-limited vehicles. Realizing this potential, however, has been difficult. Problems have been encountered in achieving adequate ignition, flame stability and combustion efficiency in practical-sized combustors. There is also evidence of energy trapping by combustion product vapors during energy conversion to generate propulsive forces, which reduces system performance. Both of these problems become more acute at low combustion chamber pressures which are associated with high-altitude operation. Several research problems were suggested in order to help resolve these difficulties. Originator supplied keywords include: Boron; Slurry; Solid propellant; Ignition; Flame stabilization; Flammability; Atomization; Secondary Breakup; Particle dispersion; Agglomerate; Percolation; Particle-Laden flows; Turbulent combustion.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1984
- Accession Number
- ADA154762
Entities
People
- G. M. Faeth
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research