SBIR-STTR Award

Development of efficient spray combustors requires a complete understanding of fundamental phenomena that influence and control the overall spray combustion process. Toward this end, detailed experimental characterization of spray flames is essential. This includes measurement of various fuel droplet parameters, such as droplet size, velocity, number density, temperature, composition, and droplet vaporization rates in spray flames. The availability of the phase Doppler instrument has permitted simultaneous measurement of droplet size, velocity, and number density of fuel droplets in spray flames. However, the measurement of individual fuel droplet temperatures has not been possible thus far. In the Phase 1 program, the feasibility of integrating rainbow thermometry to phase Doppler interferometry was investigated. The results of the Phase 1 program clearly established that the two techniques could be properly integrated to yield simultaneous measurement of droplet size, velocity, and temperature in spray flames. In Phase 2, a prototype of this integrated diagnostics will be developed. This includes the complete design and development of the optical, electronics, and software components of the integrated diagnostics. The prototype system developed under the Phase 2 program will be tested in laboratory scale spray flames. At the completion of the Phase 2 program, the prototype hardware and software will be delivered to NIST.Commercial Applications:The developed integrated diagnostics will find immediate application in numerous university, industrial, and government research laboratories that are currently actively involved in the study of spray combustion. It is also expected that this instrument will find application in the area of spray drying and other chemical processes involving vaporization of multi-component liquids.

Development of efficient spray combustors requires a complete understanding of fundamental phenomena that influence and control the overall spray combustion process. Toward this end, detailed experimental characterization of spray flames is essential. This includes measurement of various fuel droplet parameters, such as droplet size, velocity, number density, temperature, composition, and droplet vaporization rates in spray flames. The availability of the phase Doppler instrument has permitted simultaneous measurement of droplet size, velocity, and number density of fuel droplets in spray flames. However, the measurement of individual fuel droplet temperatures has not been possible thus far. In the Phase 1 program, the feasibility of integrating rainbow thermometry to phase Doppler interferometry was investigated. The results of the Phase 1 program clearly established that the two techniques could be properly integrated to yield simultaneous measurement of droplet size, velocity, and temperature in spray flames. In Phase 2, a prototype of this integrated diagnostics will be developed. This includes the complete design and development of the optical, electronics, and software components of the integrated diagnostics. The prototype system developed under the Phase 2 program will be tested in laboratory scale spray flames. At the completion of the Phase 2 program, the prototype hardware and software will be delivered to NIST.Commercial applications:The developed integrated diagnostics will find immediate application in numerous university, industrial, and government research laboratories that are currently actively involved in the study of spray combustion. It is also expected that this instrument will find application in the area of spray drying and other chemical processes involving vaporization of multi-component liquids.