HIGH PRECISION FORCE APPLICATION AND TEMPERATURE RESISTANT PROBE NACELLES FOR SUPERSONIC EXHAUST CHARACTERIZATION

In this thesis a calibration procedure and probe design are developed towards the precise measurement of thrust and exhaust velocity in supersonic propulsion systems with hot exhausts. First, a portable, modular calibration stand with maximum loads above 400 pounds and traceable precision under 1% is developed. Traceably precise calibration weights are used with a dead?weight calibration scheme integrating a block and tackle pulley system for force multiplication. A pulley friction model and novel hysteresis analysis method is developed to account for transmission losses. Secondly, a novel probe allowing survivability of optical hardware for femtosecond laser activation and sensing of hydroxyl (FLASH) velocimetry in Mach 6, 1,700K flow is designed, and manufacturing and test plans of a prototype probe for use with femtosecond laser electronic excitation tagging (FLEET) velocimetry are detailed. Survivability is provided by an open cycle gaseous nitrogen cooling scheme integrated with a stainless-steel probe body. A parametric analysis of cooling performance is also presented with varying coolant pressure and channel geometry is performed using a 1-D heat transfer model.