CO chemical laser utilizing combustor-generated reactants

Abstract

A CO chemical laser utilizing combustor-generated CS and S is described. The combustor is fueled with NF 3 -CH 4 -H 2 -CS 2 and produces CS and S and the side products HF and N 2 . A common supersonic expansion mixing nozzle is used to extract the CS find S from the combustor and mix O 2 and diluent (N2 or He) into the flow stream. A chain reaction between CS and O 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 onedimensional 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.