Analysis and testing of a new method for drop size measurement using laser scatter interferometry

Research was conducted on a laser light scatter detection method for measuring the size and velocity of spherical particles. The method is based upon the measurement of the interference fringe pattern produced by spheres passing through the intersection of two laser beams. A theoretical analysis of the method was carried out using the geometrical optics theory. Experimental verification of the theory was obtained by using monodisperse droplet streams. Several optical configurations were tested to identify all of the parametric effects upon the size measurements. Both off-axis forward and backscatter light detection were utilized. Simulated spray environments and fuel spray nozzles were used in the evaluation of the method. The measurements of the monodisperse drops showed complete agreement with the theoretical predictions. The method was demonstrated to be independent of the beam intensity and extinction resulting from the surrounding drops. Signal processing concepts were considered and a method was selected for development

Fuel injector characterization studies

The atomization of several general aviation piston engine manifold port fuel injectors was investigated. The injectors were installed in a test rig and operated under simulated conditions. Laser interferometric techniques were used to optically probe the spray droplet fields for droplet size and velocity at numerous spatial locations throughout the field

Advanced instrumentation for aircraft icing research

A compact and rugged probe based on the phase Doppler method was evaluated as a means for characterizing icing clouds using airborne platforms and for advancing aircraft icing research in large scale wind tunnels. The Phase Doppler Particle Analyzer (PDPA) upon which the new probe was based is now widely recognized as an accurate method for the complete characterization of sprays. The prototype fiber optic-based probe was evaluated in simulated aircraft icing clouds and found to have the qualities essential to providing information that will advance aircraft icing research. Measurement comparisons of the size and velocity distributions made with the standard PDPA and the fiber optic probe were in excellent agreement as were the measurements of number density and liquid water content. Preliminary testing in the NASA Lewis Icing Research Tunnel (IRT) produced reasonable results but revealed some problems with vibration and signal quality at high speeds. The cause of these problems were identified and design changes were proposed to eliminate the shortcomings of the probe

Evaluation and application of a new interferometry technique for compressible flow research

A new method for obtaining large scale interferograms of flow fields in real time was investigated. The method was based on the point diffraction interferometry technique. The method was modified to accommodate the higher laser power required in recording transonic and supersonic flow fields. Basic tests were conducted in unsteady flows and flows about circulation control airfoils at transonic speeds. It was found that vibration was not a significant factor in the application of the system. In the case of the circulation control airfoils, the real-time viewing allowed the identification of the Coanda jet interaction with the external flow and the shedding of large scale vortices. The method proved to be very sensitive to the optical quality of the wind tunnel windows. The results obtained were compared with earlier interferograms obtained using interferometry. These results were in qualitative agreement

Laser velocimetry applied to transonic and supersonic aerodynamics

Measurements obtained with laser velocimetry in a Mach 2.9 separated turbulent boundary layer and in the transonic flow past a two-dimensional airfoil section are presented and compared to data realized by conventional techniques. Agreement in mean velocities was realized where the pressure measurements could be considered reliable; however, in regions of instantaneous reverse velocities, the laser results were found to be consistent with the physics of the flow whereas the pressure data were not. Streamwise turbulence intensities are also presented. In the transonic airfoil study, velocity measurements obtained immediately outside the upper surface boundary layer of a 6-inch chord NACA 64A010 airfoil are compared to edge velocities inferred from surface pressure measurements. For free-stream Mach numbers of 0.6 and 0.8, the agreement in results was very good. "Dual scatter" optical arrangements in conjunction with a single particle, counter-type signal processor were employed in these investigations

Improved Skin Friction Interferometer

An improved system for measuring aerodynamic skin friction which uses a dual-laser-beam oil-film interferometer was developed. Improvements in the optical hardware provided equal signal characteristics for each beam and reduced the cost and complexity of the system by replacing polarization rotation by a mirrored prism for separation of the two signals. An automated, objective, data-reduction procedure was implemented to eliminate tedious manual manipulation of the interferometry data records. The present system was intended for use in two-dimensional, incompressible flows over a smooth, level surface without pressure gradient, but the improvements discussed are not limited to this application

An experimental investigation of circulation control flow fields using holographic interferometry

Experiments are presented which were conducted on flow fields produced by a circulation control airfoil utilizing the Coanda effect at the trailing edge. The application of holographic interferometry to obtain both visualization and quantitative data on the flow field about a circulation control airfoil at transonic flow speed is covered. A brief description of the flow model and measurement techniques is given. The data reduction procedure, results, and interpretation are presented. The results have provided a good deal of information on the character of the flow field, particularly in the neighborhood of the trailing edge. As to the airfoil design, it is apparent that improved performance can be achieved if jet detachment is delayed. Another design improvement would involve the development of an optimum trailing-edge shape for the expected operating Mach and Reynolds number ranges

Flow-field measurements on an airfoil with an oscillating trailing-edge using holographic interferometry

Holographic interferometry data were acquired on an NACA 64A010 airfoil with an oscillating flap. The airfoil was installed in the Ames 11-Foot Transonic Wind Tunnel between splitter plates. Recordings were made at discrete phase angles of the oscillation. The interferometry results provided detailed flow visualization of the shock boundary-layer interaction and the separated flow. Quantitative results were extracted from the interferograms to produce pressure data. These results were compared to the surface pressures obtained with the surface pressure taps. Excellent agreement was found for low angles of incidence. At larger angles of incidence, the flow had greater three-dimensionality, and the results were not in good agreement in some regions of the flow field. Mach contours were traced for representative flow conditions. Wake profiles were also obtained using the assumption of constant pressure across the wake and the Crocco relationship

An experimental study of transonic flow about a supercritical airfoil

A series of experiments was conducted on flow fields about two airfoil models whose sections are slight modifications of the original Whitcomb supercritical airfoil section. Data obtained include surface static-pressure distributions, far-wake surveys, oil-flow photographs, pitot-pressure surveys in the viscous regions, and holographic interferograms. These data were obtained for different combinations of lift coefficient and free-stream Mach number, which included both subcritical cases and flows with upper-surface shock waves. The availability of both pitot-pressure data and density data from interferograms allowed determination of flow-field properties in the vicinity of the trailing edge and in the wake without recourse to any assumptions about the local static pressure. The data show that significant static-pressure gradients normal to viscous layers exist in this region, and that they persist to approximately 10% chord downstream of the trailing edge. Comparisons are made between measured boundary-layer properties and results from boundary-layer computations that employed measured static-pressure distributions, as well as comparisons between data and results of airfoil flow-field computations