X-Ray Spectroscopy as a Diagnostic Tool in Solid Propellant Combustion Flows.
Abstract
X-ray spectroscopy offers a potential method for the measurement of composition, elemental density, and particle mass in the gas/particle flows of solid propellant rockets. A theoretical analysis was performed from which it was concluded that both transmittance and fluorescence measurements in the 1 to 10 keV photon energy range will yield elemental densities of Al and Cl and transmittance can possibly give O, N and C densities, although sensitivity for the latter three elements to transmittance is poor. The sensitivity of the K(alpha) fluorescence measurement to Al and Cl density changes is much greater than the sensitivity of transmittance measurements. However, the latter are required in order to determine densities directly from fluorescence rates. Hence, a combined transmittance and fluorescence measurement system is warranted. An investigation of commercially available hardware indicated that adequate detection systems exist, but insufficient data on photon flux rates from typical X-ray generating tubes was available to assess the adequacy of X-ray beam sources. Recommendations for proof-of-principle experiments are made, and a rocket test scenario is described for application to solution of the two-phase flow loss problem in solid propellant rockets. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1979
- Accession Number
- ADA070796
Entities
People
- W. K. Mcgregor
Organizations
- Air Force Research Laboratory