Si APD-Based High Speed Infrared Radiation Thermometry for Analysing the Temperature Instability of a Combustion Chamber

Abstract

This study introduces a novel approach to analysing the combustion process using a high-speed, non-contact, optical fibre-coupled Si avalanche photodiode (APD)-based infrared radiation thermometer (IRT). The Si APD-IRT, combined with an optimised field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based digital design, achieves a response time of 1 µs, faster than commercially available instruments. Our instrument captures the entire ignition and reignition cycle of a Jet A kerosene droplet with high temporal precision within a combustion chamber, a feat impossible with traditional thermocouples. The FPGA module was validated with a 1 µs data acquisition time, using a 40 MHz onboard clock, achieving throughput of 0.64 Gbps with efficiencies of 0.062 Mbps/slice in lookup tables (LUTs), confirming a low-area design compared to conventional FPGAs. The IRT achieves a root mean square (RMS) noise specification of 0.5 °C at a 1 µs acquisition time and a target temperature of approximately 1000 °C. A measurement uncertainty of within ±0.25% °C + 2 °C confirms that it lies within the bounds of commercial instrumentations. Our instrument was demonstrated to capture transient temperature fluctuations during combustion and characterises Jet A kerosene fuel droplets, laying the foundation for understanding sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) and their role in transitioning from aviation fossil fuels, enabling effective research and development.