Ion Based Pressure Sensor for Pulse Detonation Engines

Abstract

A high speed, durable, ion probe based pressure sensor is being investigated for use in pulse detonation engines. Traditional pressure sensors are ill suited for the high temperature and vibratory environment encountered in such engines. An alternative transient pressure sensing method is investigated for pressures behind a hydrocarbon flame. These flames generate ions that are quenched by collisions as a function of pressure. An experiment was devised to correlate the ion decay rate with the pressure using an ion probe well suited for the flow. A correlation has been established showing the ion decay rate is a function of pressure. Additional investigation is required even though the ion probe remains a viable alternative method for measuring pressure.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 2004
Accession Number
ADA424303

Entities

People

  • Jeffrey S. Zdenek

Organizations

  • Air Force Institute of Technology

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Sensors
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accuracy
  • Air Force
  • Charge Carriers
  • Chemical Reaction Properties
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Combustion
  • Combustion Products
  • Computer Programs
  • Computers
  • Environment
  • High Temperature
  • Ignition
  • Ignition Lag
  • Ignition Systems
  • Internal Combustion Engines
  • Pressure Measurement
  • Pressure Transducers

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Fluid Dynamics.
  • Materials Science and Engineering.
  • Pulsed Power and Plasma Physics.