Optical Mach Probe

Michigan Aerospace Corporation (MAC) proposes to advance NASA's nonintrusive spatially- and temporally-resolved Interferometric Rayleigh Scattering (IRS) technology to perform additional multiple properties measurements in high-speed flows. In particular, an instantaneous nonintrusive Optical Mach Probe (OMP) to obtain the Mach number and the flow angularity among the flow density, translational temperature, and the bulk velocity is proposed. Other turbulence-specific parameters, such as components of the stress and heat flux tensors, the mean and fluctuations of properties are obtained from these measurements. During Phase I of this effort, the optical, mechanical, electrical, and software engineering models of the instrument will be developed for the specific application. The prototype development and preliminary tests to demonstrate the technique could be performed in Phase II at NASA through the adaptation of NASA's existing technologies. This proposal is in response to the NASA SBIR Phase I, Topic: A4 Aeronautics Test Technologies, Subtopic: A4.01 Ground Test Techniques and Measurement Technology. The objective is to develop and demonstrate nonintrusive measurement technologies to increase techniques' capabilities and characterize ground test facility flow performance in terms of flow quality, turbulence intensity, and Mach number measured up to and including hypersonic speed regimes.

The proposed non-intrusive Optical Mach Probe is essential across multiple aerospace ground and flight research support facilities in characterizing and understanding of the complex flow behavior in terms of flow quality, turbulence intensity, and Mach number measured up to and including hypersonic speed regimes. The probe also could be used for on-board monitoring of vehicle dynamics and propulsion processes as well as in aiding the development of new computational models.

Other organizations (US Air Force, US Navy, etc.) and prime contractors will have similar uses for this technology. Also, the academic and scientific community will have use for the instrument for high speed flow studies and CFD modeling.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 3) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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