Combustor Efficiency Sensor for Hydrocarbon-Fueled High Speed Propulsion Systems

Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI) proposes to develop and demonstrate a combustion efficiency sensor based on simultaneous CO/CO2/H20 and temperature measurements for integration with aero-propulsion test stands at the Air Force Wright Laboratory. The sensor will derive from ongoing diode laser sensor development programs for a number of industrial and scientific applications. It will consist of a room-temperature tunable diode laser and a unique Balanced Ratiometric Detector (BRD) which permits stable, sensitive, and quantitative measurements over the required range of temperature, pressure, and species concentrations expected in typical combustor flows. The Phase I program will demonstrate the required sensitivity across the sensor's operational ranges of pressures and temperatures using a company-provided external-cavity diode laser/detector system in an available flow facility at PSI. The engineering data gathered during these tests will be used to design a deliverable sensor to be tested and installed as a part of the Phase II program. Phase III commercialization activities will occur in parallel throughout the Phase I and II portions using PSI-owned prototype sensors.