Replacing 1950s Technology: Low-Cost, Real-Time Optical Mass-Flow Sensor for Enhanced Air-Breathing Propulsion Testing

Accurate gas mass flow measurements within high-speed wind tunnel environments are indispensable for a multitude of applications, with profound implications for aerospace research and the United States Department of Defense (DoD). The objective of this Phase-II effort is to advance the state of gas mass-flow measurement technology via introduction of an innovative optical sensor system poised to revolutionize mass-flow measurements. This system leverages state-of-the-art tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) for absolute measurements of gas density and velocity. The incorporation of TDLAS ensures exceptional accuracy and performance. Unlike conventional intrusive mass-flow-plug (MFP) calibration approaches, which have been in use since the 1950s, this sensor system offers a solution to the limitations of the past by enabling direct and non-intrusive determination of mass flow, while maintaining minimal interference with the test environment, even under high-vibration conditions.