Thermal cracking performance of Al-nanoparticle-containing nanofluids

Endothermic hydrocarbon fuels containing energetic nanoparticles, which combine high-energy-density and endothermic capability, are promising for improving the flight performance of hypersonic vehicles. Here, the feasibility of nanofluid fuels as energetic endothermic fuel is studied. Aluminum nanoparticles (Al NPs)-containing nanofluid fuels were prepared by dispersing 0.1 wt% and 0.5 wt% Al NPs into JP-10, decahy-dronaphthalene (DHN) and methylcyclohexane (MCH), respectively. Characterizations of nanofluid fuels confirm the addition of Al NPs improves the density and combustion performance of the hydrocarbon fuels. The cracking performance of three fuels with Al NPs added is slightly inhibited in the order of DHN > MCH > JP-10. Cracking conversion (and heat sink) of JP-10, DHN and MCH containing 0.5 wt% Al NPs decrease by 3.0 %, 18.8 % and 14.1 % (and 0.04, 0.09 and 0.05 MJ/kg), respectively. JP-10 is the least affected by Al NPs. Meanwhile, Al NPs are observed to slightly increase the amount of coking during cracking, and the non-uniformly dispersed Al can be found in the coke deposition. This work indicates the potential application of energetic nanofluids to serve as endothermic fuels, and provides the method for the further development of high-energy-density endothermic fuels.

Automated summary

This study investigates the feasibility of nanofluid fuels as endothermic fuels and finds that the addition of aluminum nanoparticles can improve the density and combustion performance of the fuels while slightly inhibiting their cracking performance.