(DURIP) LONG-WAVE IR ABSORPTION DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM TO ENHANCE RESEARCH AND STEM TRAINING IN CHARACTERIZATION OF ENERGETIC
Abstract
DoD research interests span a broad range of scientific and engineering topics, including detonations and energetics physics, advanced weapons, development of propulsion systems for weapons delivery, hypersonics, material development for extreme thermal and chemical conditions, and power generation. In each of these research areas, high temperature (500-3000 K) products and reaction chemistry play a crucial role. In reactions relevant to explosives and detonations, for example, initial compounds (e.g., fuels and energetics) break down into numerous intermediate species, which react to form products on micro to millisecond timescales. To advance the understanding of reaction chemistry, time-resolved measurements of key species participating in the reaction and the temperature and pressure of the system are critical. In addition, accurate characterization of species and temperature fields within plumes and fireballs produced by explosives is critical to characterizing the lethality and effectiveness of weapons systems for a range of applications. Detailed and accurate temperature and species characterization will improve modeling efforts for explosives and lead to improved weapons systems. Laser absorption spectroscopy is a technique that provides high-speed, non-intrusive measurements of these key parameters in harsh reacting environments. The PI proposes to acquire and apply a broadband, long-wave infrared (LWIR, 5-15micrometer) absorption spectroscopy-based system for simultaneous, time-resolved measurements of multiple species concentrations and the thermodynamic state of the system. The diagnostic system is based on broadband absorption spectroscopy in the LWIR spectral region based on a tunable broadband laser source incorporating high-speed infrared cameras for detection. The LWIR spectral region ranging from 5 – 20 micrometer is the molecular fingerprint region in which molecules exhibit intense and unique absorption features, enabling unambiguous measurements of multi-component mixtures. The broadband nature of the measurement allows for parallel measurement of multiple species and temperature simultaneously and leads to a robust measurement that can be applied across a wide array of experimental facilities to address various research goals. The system will enhance research capabilities across the University of Central Florida, one of the largest Hispanic Serving Institutions in the country with more than 70,000 students, to support a range of DoD applications, including studying the performance of explosives and propellants for weapons systems, hypersonics research, combustion research, and fundamental high-temperature spectroscopy. The system will be used by undergraduate and graduate students to perform research and STEM educational training. In addition, K-12 students will be introduced to the equipment via existing programs at UCF. The proposed system will also have broader applications spanning a
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Mar 07, 2023
- Source ID
- FA95502210155
Entities
People
- Subith Vasu
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- United States Air Force
- University of Central Florida Board of Trustees