KHz-MHz Rate Laser-Based Tracking of Particles and Product Gases for Multiphase Blast

The overall goal of the proposed research program is to design a ruggedized imaging system capable of visualization and analysis of the particle field and product gases in a multiphase blast. This will be accomplished by combining kHz-MHz-rate burst-mode laser technology with tomographic particle image velocimetry (PIV) and new nonlinear particle tracking methods to resolve dense particle fields. The high pulse energies and high repetition rates of the burst-mode laser architecture are critical for volume illumination and wide-view plenoptic imaging. Quad-scopes will be used to couple four images onto a single high-speed camera or eight images onto two cameras with flexible viewing angles for use in blast chambers with limited optical access. The proposed research program offers critical advances for characterizing the particle and gas-phase evolution of multiphase blasts, including: (i) the ability to image dense particle fields without shadows created by larger particles, (ii) improved accuracy, vector density, and computational efficiency of post-processing algorithms, (iii) significantly reduced errors from out-of-plane motions, and (iv) measurement of the three-component velocity and acceleration fields in three spatial dimensions. The research team at SE and Purdue University has extensive experience in developing burst-mode 3D imaging systems relevant to the proposed program.