Further experimental results on the structure and acoustics of turbulent jet flames

The structure of open turbulent jet flames is experimentally studied in the context of their noise emission characteristics. The differences between premixed and (co-flow) non-premixed flames are explored. Recent experiments repeated in an anechoic chamber complement earlier results obtained in a hard-walled bay. The reactants (methane and enriched air) are burned in the premixed, or non-premixed, mode after a length of pipe flow (ℓ/D> 150). The thick-walled tubes anchor the flames to the tip at all of the velocities employed (maximum velocity, well over 300 ft/sec), thus eliminating uncertainties associated with external flameholders. The time-averaged appearance of the flames is obtained with still photographs (1160 sec). The detailed structures are revealed through high-speed (≈ 2500 frames/sec) motion pictures. The acoustic outputs of the flames are mapped with a condenser microphone. The recorded data are played back to obtain the amplitude, waveshapes, directionalities, and frequency spectra of the noise. Profound differences are found between the premixed and non-premixed flames in their structures and noise characteristics

A new look at AP/composite propellant combustion

Some theoretical studies on the time-independent and oscillatory combustion of nonmetallized ammonium perchlorate (AP)/composite propellants are presented. A coherent and unified interpretation was made of the voluminous data available from experiments related to propellant combustion. Three fundamental hypotheses are introduced: the extent of propellant degradation at the vaporization step has to be specified through a scientific criterion; the condensed-phase degradation reaction of ammonium perchlorate to a vaporizable state is the overall rate-limiting step; gas-phase combustion rate is controlled by the mixing rate of fuel and oxidizer vapors. In the treatment of oscillatory combustion, the assumption of quasi-steady fluctuations in the gas phase is used to supplement these hypotheses

Some experimental results on the L-star instability of metallized composite propellants

Experimental results are reported on the Lstar instability characteristics of three AP I composite propellants. The metal content of the propellants is 2%, 16%, and 16%. Chuffing, bulk mode oscillations, and time-independent combustion are observed with all three of these propellants. The stability boundary, defined as the boundary between time-independent and unstable combustion, is found to be well defined for two of the propellants in agreement with recognized trends available in the literature on other propellants. The frequency of bulk mode oscillations is presented as a function of the chamber characteristic length. One of the propellants tested has shown bulk mode instability at as high a pres sure as 217 psia. All of these tests were performed in a stainless steel L'~ motor with convenient, interchangeable stainless steel nozzles. The troublesome blockage of the small metal nozzles by the aluminum oxide slag was Overcome in most of these tests by the application of viscous silicone oil on the nozzle surface before each run. This technique is being pursued further, with plans for the inclusion of silicone compounds in propellant formulation, to reduce heat transfer to the inert nozzle

Determination and error analysis of emittance and spectral emittance measurements by remote sensing

The author has identified the following significant results. From the theory of remote sensing of surface temperatures, an equation of the upper bound of absolute error of emittance was determined. It showed that the absolute error decreased with an increase in contact temperature, whereas, it increased with an increase in environmental integrated radiant flux density. Change in emittance had little effect on the absolute error. A plot of the difference between temperature and band radiance temperature vs. emittance was provided for the wavelength intervals: 4.5 to 5.5 microns, 8 to 13.5 microns, and 10.2 to 12.5 microns

Evaluation of spectral channels and wavelength regions for separability of agricultural cover types

The author has identified the following significant results. Multispectral scanner data in twelve spectral channels in the wavelength range of 0.4 to 11.7 microns acquired in the middle of July for three flightlines were analyzed by applying automatic pattern recognition techniques. The same analysis was performed for the data acquired in mid August, over the same three flightlines, to investigate the effect of time on the results. The effect of deletion of each spectral channel, as well as each wavelength region on P sub c, is given. Values of P sub c for all possible combinations of wavelength regions in the subsets of one to twelve spectral channels are also given. The overall values of P sub c were found to be greater for the data of mid August than the data from mid July