Abstract

The development of future commercial combustors, as well as the refinement of current models, relies heavily on diagnostic information collected on operating combustors. Key diagnostic information includes spatially resolved maps of the local velocity, temperature, and density fields. Optical diagnostics in commercial combustors are hampered by complications due to high pressure and the presence of particulates, such as soot, which greatly increases the flame luminosity. To meet these challenges we are pursuing laser-induced grating techniques. Recent work has shown that these techniques perform well at high pressure (Brown et al 1995) and in the presence of soot (Brown and Roberts 1997). To date successful speciation and thermometry have been demonstrated, and the first report of velocity measurements has recently been communicated by Paul Ewart’s group.

© 1998 Optical Society of America