Abstract
Successful particle-image velocimetry (PIV) measurements have been demonstrated in the exhaust plume of a small solid rocket motor. Background irradiance, high velocities reaching 630 m/s, temperatures exceeding 3000 K and lack of control over the seeding inside the plume make this flow field one of the more challenging environments for the application of the PIV technique. It is shown that the particulates ejected along with the exhaust gases are well suited as PIV marker particles, although nonuniform spatial distribution causes substantial loss of vectors. In the region investigated, the axial mean velocity profiles exhibit self-similarity despite the compressible, nonisothermal, multiphase nature of the flow.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adrian RJ (1991) Particle-imaging techniques for experimental fluid mechanics. Ann Rev Fluid Mech 23:261–304
Balakumar BJ (2002) PIV measurements in a solid rocket motor exhaust plume. Dissertation, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, USA
Deimling L (1999) Farbcodierte Particle-image-velocimetry (PIV) zur Diagnose von Schnellen Flammen. Dissertation, Fraunhofer Institut Chemische Technologie
Edwards T, Horton KG, Redman D, Rosa JS, Rubin JB, Yoon SC, Powers JP, Netzer DU (1986) Measurement of particulates in solid propellant rocket motors, 23rd Jannaf Combustion meeting, volume 1
Hussein HJ, Capp SP, George WK (1994) Velocity measurements in a high-Reynolds-number, momentum-conserving, axisymmetric, turbulent jet. J Fluid Mech 258:31–75
Meinhart CD (1994) Investigation of turbulent boundary-layer structure using particle image velocimetry. Dissertation, Department of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, University of Illinois, Urbana, USA
Stella A, Guj G, Kompenhans J, Raffel M, Richard H (2001) Application of particle-image velocimetry to combusting flows: design considerations and uncertainty assessment. Exp Fluids 30:167–180
Acknowledgements
The support of the Center for Simulation of Advanced Rockets, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and the Department of Energy is gratefully acknowledged. The authors would also like to acknowledge the helpful comments and remarks of the referees.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Balakumar, B.J., Adrian, R.J. Particle-image velocimetry measurement in the exhaust of a solid rocket motor. Exp Fluids 36, 166–175 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-003-0692-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-003-0692-z