Sparkplug ignition of mono- and bi-dispersed aluminum-air suspensions

In the present paper we numerically investigate the problem of spark ignition of monodispersed and bi-dispersed aluminum suspension in the air. The aim of the research is to determine the critical ignition conditions for an aluminum suspension depending on the size and mass concentration of the particles and the fraction distribution. The mathematical formulation of the problem is determined by a system of equations written in a cylindrical coordinate system, consisting of the gas continuity equation, the momentum and energy conservation equations for the gas and particles, oxygen and particles mass balance equations, the particle number density equation and the gas state equation. To solve the problem numerically we use the algorithms of arbitrary discontinuity decay and disintegration of a discontinuity in a medium devoid of its own pressure. We conduct parametric study on the minimum spark energy which is required to ignite the mixture and provide the subsequent steady propagation of the flame in the aluminum-air suspension.