CO chemical laser utilizing combustor-generated reactants

Journal Article · Sat Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1979 · J. Appl. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.325970· OSTI ID:5871077

Richardson, R J; Ageno, H Y; Lilenfeld, H V; Menne, T J; Smith, J A; Wiswall, C E

A CO chemical laser utilizing combustor-generated CS and S is described. The combustor is fueled with NF/sub 3/-CH/sub 4/-H/sub 2/-CS/sub 2/ and produces CS and S and the side products HF and N/sub 2/. A common supersonic expansion mixing nozzle is used to extract the CS and S from the combustor and mix O/sub 2/ and diluent (N/sub 2/ or He) into the flow stream. A chain reaction between CS and O/sub 2/ in the mixed flow stream, initiated by S atoms, produces vibrationally excited CO. The maximum power obtained from the laser was 700 W operating with He in a free expansion. Pressure and temperature measurements of the supersonic flow stream are compared with the results of a one-dimensional fluid-dynamics model, and the results of mass-spectrometric sampling are presented. It is concluded that the power extraction efficiency could be greatly improved by operation of the laser with either a combustor fuel--oxidizer combination that does not produce HF or an improved supersonic mixing nozzle. Nevertheless, it has been demonstrated that the output power of this device scales with mass flowrate.

• Research Organization: McDonnell Douglas Research Laboratories, McDonnell Douglas Corporation, St. Louis, Missouri 63166
• OSTI ID: 5871077
• Journal Information: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 50:12; ISSN JAPIA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420300* -- Engineering-- Lasers-- (-1989)
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE LASERS
CARBON SULFIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL LASERS
COMBUSTORS
EFFICIENCY
ELEMENTS
FLUID FLOW
GAS LASERS
KINETICS
LASERS
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MIXING
NONMETALS
NOZZLES
ONE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
REACTION KINETICS
SPECTROSCOPY
SULFIDES
SULFUR
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SUPERSONIC FLOW