Pressure and Temperature Insensitive, High FrequencyResponse Micro-Force Transducer

The study of the combustion of solid propellants is important for the development of more powerful and efficient solid rockets. The constituents of the propellant mixture and the manner in which they are mixed determines burn rates, mass flux, and in the end thrust and Isp. To make further progress in understanding the combustion mechanisms of propellant mixtures, experimental measurements of instantaneous burning rates of the propellants under macroscopic unsteady burning conditions are necessary. As available force transducers are inadequate for these measurements, a temperature and pressure insensitive, high frequency response micro-force transducer is needed. The research team proposes to develop a fiber optic micro-force transducer and modify the existing Russian inductive force transducer. An excellent development team has been assembled including 1) Dr. Vladimir Zarko of the Institute of Chemical Kinetics and Combustion, Russian Academy of Sciences, a world leader in transient propellant combustion experimentation and micro-force transducers 2) Professor Joseph Schetz of Virginia Tech, a world leader in aerodynamics and combustion measurements, and 3) F&S, a leader in fiber optic sensor development and commercialization. The F&S team is both qualified and motivated to build upon their combined demonstrated capabilities to accomplish this development and commercialization project.