A. Katz

Nearly attaining the theoretical efficiency of supersonic chemical oxygen-iodine lasers

Improving the chemical efficiency of the supersonic chemical oxygen-iodine laser (COIL) is a key issue for the design of devices for both defense and industrial applications. Efficiencies around 30% for the supersonic COIL have been the state of the art in the last decade. Here, we report the achievement of a record (40%) for the chemical efficiency of the supersonic COIL. More specifically, we show that by carefully studying and optimizing the operation of the chemical generator, the mixing of heavy and light molecules in the gas phase and the optical extraction efficiency, we have approached the theoretical limit for the chemical efficiency.

Toward understanding the dissociation of I2 in chemical oxygen-iodine lasers: Combined experimental and theoretical studies

The dissociation of I2 molecules at the optical axis of a supersonic chemical oxygen-iodine laser (COIL) was studied via detailed measurements and three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics calculations. The measurements, briefly reported in a recent paper [Rybalkin et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 89, 021115 (2006)] and reanalyzed in detail here, revealed that the number N of consumed O2(aΔg1) molecules per dissociated I2 molecule depends on the experimental conditions: it is 4.5±0.4 for typical conditions and I2 densities applied for optimal operation of the COIL but increases at lower I2 densities. Comparing the measurements and the calculations enabled critical examination of previously proposed dissociation mechanisms and suggestion of a mechanism consistent with the experimental and theoretical results obtained in a supersonic COIL for the gain, temperature, I2 dissociation fraction, and N at the optical axis. The suggested mechanism combines the recent scheme of Azyazov and Heaven [AIAA J. 44, 1593 (2...

Power enhancement in chemical oxygen-iodine lasers by iodine predissociation via corona/glow discharge

The gain and power in a supersonic chemical oxygen-iodine laser (COIL) are enhanced by applying dc corona/glow discharge in the transonic section of the secondary flow in the supersonic nozzle, dissociating I2 prior to its mixing with O2(Δ1). The loss of O2(Δ1) consumed for dissociation is thus reduced, and the consequent dissociation rate downstream of the discharge increases, resulting in up to 80% power enhancement. The implication of this method for COILs operating beyond the specific conditions reported here is assessed.

Parametric study of a highly efficient chemical oxygen-iodine laser with supersonic mixing of iodine and oxygen

We report on a detailed parametric study of the extremely efficient supersonic chemical oxygen-iodine laser recently developed in our laboratory [V. Rybalkin, A. Katz, B. D. Barmashenko, and S. Rosenwaks, Appl. Phys. Lett. 85, 5851 (2004)]. At the early stage of operation, 40.0% efficiency was measured for 1 s followed by a sustained 35.5% chemical efficiency for 20 s. The power and spatial distributions of the gain and temperature across the flow were measured for different supersonic nozzles with both staggered and nonstaggered iodine injection holes, different injection locations along the flow and nozzle throat heights. The effects of the partial pressure of O2 and the residence time of the flow in the generator, as well as the heating of the nozzle, are discussed and shown to be crucial in attaining this high efficiency. By carefully studying and optimizing the operation of the chemical generator, 0.73 yield of singlet oxygen was obtained for conditions corresponding to the highest efficiency.

A 33% efficient chemical oxygen–iodine laser with supersonic mixing of iodine and oxygen

We report on a highly efficient supersonic chemical oxygen–iodine laser (COIL), with supersonic mixing of iodine and oxygen. Output power exceeding 0.5 kW with chemical efficiency of ∼33% was obtained in a 5-cm gain length for Cl2 flow rate of 17 mmole/s. A 33% efficiency is the highest reported chemical efficiency of any supersonic COIL. Comparison between different mixing schemes shows that, for supersonic mixing, the output power and chemical efficiency are about 20% higher than for transonic mixing scheme. The optimal conditions for the efficient operation are investigated.

Spatial distribution of the gain and temperature across the flow in a slit-nozzle supersonic chemical oxygen-iodine laser with transonic and supersonic schemes of iodine injection

Spatial distributions of the gain and temperature across the flow were studied for transonic and supersonic schemes of the iodine injection in a slit-nozzle supersonic chemical oxygen-iodine laser as a function of the iodine and secondary nitrogen flow rate, jet penetration parameter, and gas pumping rate. The mixing efficiency for supersonic injection of iodine (/spl sim/0.85) is much larger than for transonic injection (/spl sim/0.5), the maximum values of the gain being /spl sim/0.65%/cm for both injection schemes. Measurements of the gain distribution as a function of the iodine molar flow rate nI/sub 2/ were carried out. For transonic injection, the optimal value of nI/sub 2/ at the now centerline is smaller than that at off axis locations. The temperature is distributed homogeneously across the flow, increasing only in the narrow boundary layers near the walls. Opening a leak downstream of the cavity in order to decrease the Mach number results in a much larger mixing efficiency (/spl sim/0.8) than for a closed leak.

How many O2(Δ1) molecules are consumed per dissociated I2 in chemical oxygen-iodine lasers?

Direct measurements of the dissociation of I2 molecules at the optical axis of a supersonic chemical oxygen-iodine laser (COIL) as a function of I2 flow rate were carried out. This enabled us to determine the number of consumed O2(Δ1) molecules per dissociated I2 molecule. The number depends on the experimental conditions: it is 4.2±0.4 for typical conditions and I2 densities applied for the operation of the COIL, but increases at lower I2 densities. Possible dissociation mechanisms consistent with our results are discussed and the importance of dissociating I2 prior to its mixing with O2(Δ1) is stressed.

Mechanisms of COIL operation: experiment and modeling

Spatial distributions of the gain, temperature and I2 across the flow were studied for transonic and supersonic schemes of the iodine injection in a slit nozzle supersonic chemical oxygen-iodine laser (COIL) as a function of the iodine and secondary nitrogen flow rate and jet penetration parameter. The mixing efficiency for supersonic injection of iodine (~ 0.85) is found to be much larger than for transonic injection (~ 0.5), the maximum values of the gain being ~ 0.65%/cm for both injection schemes. Spatial distributions of the gain corresponding to the maximum power are found. A simple one-dimensional model is developed for the fluid dynamics and chemical kinetics in the COIL. Two different I2 dissociation mechanisms are tested against the performance of a COIL device in our laboratory. The two mechanisms chosen are the celebrated mechanism of Heidner and the newly suggested mechanism of Heaven. The gain calculated using Heaven’s dissociation mechanism is much lower than the measured one. Employing Heidner’s mechanism, a surprisingly good agreement is obtained between the measured and calculated gain and temperature over a wide range of flow parameters.

Diagnostic Studies of Ben-Gurion University High Efficiency Supersonic COIL

We report on a detailed diagnostic study of the extremely efficient supersonic chemical oxygen-iodine laser (COIL) recently developed in our laboratory (Appl. Phys. Lett., 85, 5851 (2004)). 40.0% efficiency was measured for 1 s at the early stage of operation, followed by a sustained 35.5% chemical efficiency for 20 s. The power and spatial distributions of the gain and temperature across the flow were measured for different supersonic nozzles with both staggered and non-staggered iodine injection holes, different injection locations along the flow and nozzle throat-heights. 0.73 yield of singlet oxygen was obtained for conditions corresponding to the highest efficiency. The effects of the partial pressure of O2 and the residence time of the flow in the generator, as well as the heating of the nozzle, are shown to be crucial in attaining this high efficiency.

Experiments and Modeling of Supersonic COILs

Preliminary experiments and extensive modeling of supersonic chemical oxygen-iodine lasers (COILs) are reported. A 10-cm gain-length device is studied and both the gain and the power are measured as a function of flow rates and densities of the reactive species and of the output coupling. The mechanism of I2 dissociation in supersonic COILs is studied applying a kinetic-fluid dynamics model, where pathways involving the excited species I2(X 25) v 10 , 1 � � � � , I2(X