Particle Sizing in a Solid Propellant Rocket Motor Using a Light Scattering Technique.

Abstract

Research was conducted to determine particle sizes across the nozzle of a small solid propellant rocket motor. Particle size was determined using light scattering techniques. The present optical components limit the lower measurable particle size to approximately three microns. During the investigation, spurious light was detected in the motor optical path. It was determined that transient pressure gradients in the motor during motor pressure rise resulted in deflection of the laser beam. Neutral burning propellant grains were shown to eliminate most of the observed difficulty. The use of a ring array in place of the linear array in the motor cavity measurement system is suggested for system improvement.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 1986
Accession Number
ADA176755

Entities

People

  • Michael G. Keith

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Combustion
  • Data Acquisition
  • Diffraction
  • Laser Beams
  • Lasers
  • Light Scattering
  • Measurement
  • Particle Size
  • Particles
  • Pressure Gradients
  • Propellant Grains
  • Propellants
  • Refractive Index
  • Rocket Engines
  • Scattering
  • Schools
  • Solid Propellants

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Aerosol Science/Aerosol Physics
  • Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) Technology.
  • Pulsed Power and Plasma Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy