• Dr. Lin Ma
• Clemson University
• 1060 Torgersen Hall
• 10:05 a.m.

April 25, 2011 – The study of modern propulsion systems calls for innovative and effective experimental methods. This talk describes our efforts to develop such methods and apply them to study modern propulsion devices. A suite of advanced laser diagnostics has been developed to address the experimental challenges posed by modern propulsion systems, including the extreme temperature and pressure, highly transient physiochemical processes, control and stability issues, and multi-phase environment. This talk focuses on three topics to illustrate the unique opportunities enabled by these diagnostics for propulsion research: 1) the study of the control and stability of propulsion devices using absorption spectroscopy, 2) the study of dense fuel sprays using ballistic imaging, and 3) the study of fundamental turbulent combustion using particle image velocimetry and photodissociation spectroscopy. The applications of these topics in other cross-disciplinary areas will also be discussed.