HIGH INTENSITY ILLUMINATION FROM MANTLES
Abstract
The potential of the Welsbach mantle as a means for producing high intensity illumination has been examined. Through the development of a vortex combustor geometry that drives the mantle, and the substitution of fuel-oxygen reactants for the normal fuel-air combination, the luminous intensity of the mantle was increased 30 to 50 times. An efficiency for the conversion of chemical energy to illumination of 0.2 candela/Btu-hr was achieved. The mechanism for the production of light from a mantle was investigated by evaluating the changes in performance obtained with mantles having various thoria-ceria ratios. These studies lead to the proposal that the mechanism for light production lies in the combination of low emittance and high temperature rather than in a 'high emissive power in the visible' as the phenomena have been described. Various combinations of mantle arrays have been investigated in order to define the requirements for multiple mantle operation in compact configurations. This work was extended to the investigation of the oxygen-fired mantle in combination with a small reflector. The combination was used to generate a 10 deg. cone of illumination in excess of 50,000 beam candlepower with an efficiency of four candlepower/Btu-hr.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1967
- Accession Number
- AD0840019
Entities
People
- James P. Kottenstette
Organizations
- Denver Research Institute