金属燃料具有较高的能量密度，在提升发动机比冲和推力方面展现出显著优势，已成为动力技术研究的前沿方向。本文综述了金属燃料的特性、燃料形式及其在冲压发动机中的应用研究进展。分析了锂、铍、硼、镁、铝等常见金属燃料的物化特性与能量性能，比较了药柱式和粉末式两种金属燃料形式的工作机理、性能特点及优缺点，重点总结了金属燃料在空气冲压发动机、水冲压发动机及跨介质发动机中的应用，分类归纳了国内外在燃烧组织、流场优化和性能提升等方面的试验与数值模拟成果，并揭示了当前的技术挑战。对金属燃料发动机燃烧组织的关键技术挑战进行了总结与展望，为金属燃料未来的研究与工程应用提供参考。

Metal fuels, with their high energy density, show significant advantages in improving engine specific impulse and thrust, and have become a frontier in propulsion technology research. This paper reviews the characteristics, fuel forms, and the progress in the application of metal fuels in ramjet engines. The physicochemical characteristics and energy performance of common metal fuels such as lithium, beryllium, boron, magnesium, and aluminum are analyzed. The working mechanisms, performance characteristics, and advantages and disadvantages of the pill-type and powder-type metal fuel forms are compared. This paper focuses on summarizing the application of metal fuels in air ramjet engines, water ramjet engines, and cross-medium engines. The test and numerical simulation results of combustion organization, flow field optimization, and performance enhancement from both domestic and international research are classified and summarized. Furthermore, the current technical challenges are revealed. A summary and outlook on the key technical challenges in the combustion organization of metal fuel engines are presented. This provides reference for future research and engineering applications of metal fuels.