REAL-TIME OPTICAL MEASUREMENT OF ALKALI SPECIES IN AIR (7531-130)

HOT CORROSION OF JET ENGINES OCCURS READILY IN MARINE ENVIRONMENTS BECAUSE OF THE SODIUM IN THE INCOMING AIR. TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE CORROSION PROCESS AND DEVELOP WAYS TO MITIGATE CORROSION REQUIRES THE ABILITY TO MEASURE THE SODIUM CONCENTRATION IN THE ENGINE AIR INTAKE STREAM. AT PRESENT, EXTRACTIVE SAMPLING IS USED TO MEASURE SODIUM; SUCH MEASUREMENTS ARE NOT CONTINUOUS, REQUIRING SOMETIME FOR SAMPLE ANALYSIS, AND ARE OFTEN IN ERROR DUE TO CONTAMINATION. PSI TECHNOLOGY COMPANY PROPOSES TO DEVELOP AN IN-SITU OPTICAL DIAGNOSTIC METHOD FOR THE MEASUREMENT OF SODIUM MASS LOADING IN AIR. THE PROPOSED METHOD WILL NOT INTERFERE WITH THE FLOW, CAN BE MADE INREAL TIME ON A CONTINUOUS BASIS, AND IS CAPABLE OF QUANTITATIVELY DETECTING THE SODIUM LOADING TYPICAL OF SEA SALT AEROSOL. IN PHASE IOF THIS PROGRAM, A PROTOTYPE INSTRUMENT WHICH CAN BE USED BY THE NAVY IN TEST ENVIRONMENTS WILL BE DESIGNED. CONSTRUCTION AND TESTINGOF THIS INSTRUMENT WILL BE CARRIED OUT IN PHASE II.