High Speed Emission Tomography for Ground Test Facilities

nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Enrsquo;Urga Inc. will evaluate the feasibility of utilizing mid-infrared hyperspectral imaging as a diagnostic for ground test facilities that have high-temperature turbulent flows such as exhaust plumes from rockets and advanced propulsion systems.nbsp; The two key issues that will be addressed during the Phase I research work are: (1) the feasibility of developing a high speed mid-infrared hyperspectral imager for turbulent flows, and (2) the feasibility of obtaining spatially and temporally resolved gas concentrations and temperatures from the mid-infrared hyperspectral images.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; Three tasks are planned to be completed during the Phase I work to address the feasibility of the Hyperspectral emission tomography system.nbsp; The first task is to design and integrate a breadboard version of the hyperspectral imager to measure path integrated emission in the mid-infrared region from reacting flows.nbsp; The second task is to develop an algorithm to obtain spatially and temporally resolved gas concentrations and temperatures from the measurements.nbsp; The third task is to evaluate the system using laboratory-scale experiments.nbsp; It is anticipated that at the end of the Phase I project, the feasibility of obtaining temperatures and gas concentrations from path-integrated measurements using a mid-infrared hyperspectral imager will be demonstrated conclusively.nbsp; For Phase II work, a prototype mid-infrared hyperspectral tomographic system will be fabricated and delivered to NASA for use in the ground test facilities at the Stennis Space Center.