LASER REMOTE SENSOR FOR HYPERSONIC ENGINE INLET TESTING

WE PROPOSE TO DEVELOP A SENSING TECHNIQUE BASED UPON LASER EXCITED FLUORESCENCE FROM MOLECULAR OXYGEN IN AIR WHICH CAN BE USED FOR ENGINE INLET FLOW FIELD ANALYSIS IN SUPPORT OF HYPERSONIC PROPULSION SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT AT AEDC. THE APPROACH PROPOSED IS CAPABLE OF PROVIDING ACCURATE SINGLE PULSE DETERMINATIONS OF FLOW TEMPERATURE AND DENSITY. THIS APPROACH IS BASED UPON PULSED LASER EXCITATION OF THE OXYGEN B CUBED SIGMA MINUS X CUBED SIGMA ELECTRONIC SYSTEM AND THE DETECTION OF THE RESULTING FLUORESCENCE. THE ADVANTAGES OF THIS APPROACH ARE THAT IT REQUIRES NO MODIFICATION OF THE FLOW MEDIUM, HAS A RAPID DATA ACQUISITION RATE, AND WILL OPERATE OVER A WIDE TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE RANGE PERMITTING BOTH COOL WIND TUNNEL AND HOT EXHAUST FLOWS TO BE MONITORED. THIS PHASE I PROGRAM WILL DEMONSTRATE THE CAPABILITY OF THIS APPROACH AND DEVELOP A DESIGN FOR AEDC.