Realization of a Metalized Gel Fuel Ramjet

The high specific impulse of the ramjet engine, combined with the ability of a gel to carry metal particles, make the Gel Fuel Ramjet a most adequate solution for a mid-high range sustainer. The goal of the present study is to verify experimentally the feasibility of such a concept. A test facility and a lab-scale motor have been designed and built to investigate atomization, ignition and firing processes of a gel hydrocarbon fuel, with and without metal additives, as well as to check the ramjet operation as a whole. The present paper presents the experimental system in detail as well as qualitative results of a few firing tests.