Emission of Gas and Al2O3 Smoke in Gas-Al Particle Deflagration: Experiments and Emission Modeling for Explosive Fireballs

Emission of gas and Al2O3 smoke within the deflagration of H-2-O2-{N-2-CO2}-Al particles has been studied in a closed combustion chamber at pressures of up to 18 bar and at gas temperatures of up to 3700 K. Measurements of radiance intensity were taken using a five wavelength pyrometer (0.660 mu m, 0.850 mu m, 1.083 mu m, 1.260 mu m, 1.481 mu m) and a grating spectrometer in the range (4.10 mu m to 4.30 mu m). In order to characterize the aluminum oxide smoke size and temperature, an inversion method has been developed based on the radiation transfer equation and using pyrometer measurements and thermochemical calculations of Al2O3 smoke volume fractions. Temperatures in combustion gas have been determined using a method based on the assumed blackbody head of the 4.26 mu m CO2 emission line and on its spectral shift with pressure and temperature. For validation purpose, this method has been applied to measurements obtained when calibrated alumina particles are injected in a combustion chamber prior to gaseous deflagrations. This mathematical inversion method was developed to investigate explosive fireballs.