COIL power extraction enhanced by reducing/eliminating iodine clusters in a high Mach number nitrogen mixing nozzle

摘要

Heterogeneous iodine cluster formation has been identified as the responsible factor resulting in large iodine titration requirements for Boeing's first high Mach number nitrogen ejector nozzle. A solution employing geometrically produced aerodynamic heating in the flow was envisioned to break up these clusters. Horizontal and vertical wire arrays (cluster busters) placed downstream of the nozzle exit plane (NEP) have been shown to significantly reduce the optimal iodine titration and to greatly improve the power extraction efficiency of the Chemical Oxygen-Iodine Laser utilizing this first generation ejector nozzle.