No abstract

Selective two-photon absorptive resonance femtosecond-laser electronic-excitation tagging (STARFLEET), a nonseeded ultrafast-laser-based velocimetry technique, is demonstrated in reactive and nonreactive flows. STARFLEET is pumped via a two-photon resonance in N₂ using 202.25 nm 100 fs light. STARFLEET greatly reduces the per-pulse energy required (30 μJ/pulse) to generate the signature FLEET emission compared to the conventional FLEET technique (1.1 mJ/pulse). This reduction in laser energy results in less energy deposited in the flow, which allows for reduced flow perturbations (reactive and nonreactive), increased thermometric accuracy, and less severe damage to materials. Velocity measurements conducted in a free jet of N₂ and in a premixed flame show good agreement with theoretical velocities, and further demonstrate the significantly less intrusive nature of STARFLEET.

No abstract

High-speed, laser-based tomographic imaging of the three-dimensional time evolution of soot volume fraction in turbulent jet diffusion flames is demonstrated to be feasible at rates of 10 kHz or higher. The fundamental output of a burst-mode Nd:YAG laser with 1 J/pulse is utilized for volumetric impulsive heating of soot particles with a laser fluence of 0.1 J/cm², enabling signal-to-noise ratios of ~100:1 in images of the resulting incandescence. The three-dimensional morphology of the soot distribution is captured with a spatial resolution of <1.5 mm using as few as four viewing angles, with convergence of the soot volume fraction to within ~95% occurring with seven or more viewing angles. Uniqueness of the solution is demonstrated using two sets of eight images captured at the same time instant, with agreement to >90% in peak values between the two sets. These data establish parameters for successful high-speed, three-dimensional imaging of the soot volume fraction within highly transient combustion environments.

High-speed, two-dimensional synchrotron x-ray radiography and phase-contrast imaging are demonstrated in propulsion sprays. Measurements are performed at the 7-BM beamline at the Advanced Photon Source user facility at Argonne National Laboratory using a recently developed broadband x-ray white beam. This novel enhancement allows for high speed, high fidelity x-ray imaging for the community at large. Quantitative path-integrated liquid distributions and spatio-temporal dynamics of the sprays were imaged with a LuAG:Ce scintillator optically coupled to a high-speed CMOS camera. Images are collected with a microscope objective at frame rates of 20 kHz and with a macro lens at 120 kHz, achieving spatial resolutions of 12 μm and 65 μm, respectively. Imaging with and without potassium iodide (KI) as a contrast-enhancing agent is compared, and the effects of broadband attenuation and spatial beam characteristics are determined through modeling and experimental calibration. In addition, phase contrast is used to differentiate liquid streams with varying concentrations of KI. The experimental approach is applied to different spray conditions, including quantitative measurements of mass distribution during primary atomization and qualitative visualization of turbulent binary fluid mixing.