IR-diode laser measurements on the decomposition of NO behind shock waves

Abstract

The decomposition of NO diluted in Ar was measured in the temperature range 2,500 K ⩽ T ⩽ 3,500 K at pressures between 0.5 and 1.9 bar using the shock tube method. The gas mixtures containing 10 to 25% NO in Ar were shock heated and the time-dependent NO concentrations were monitored by using a tunable IR-diode laser. The measured NO concentration profiles in the post-shock reaction zone were interpreted by means of computer simulations. With a reaction mechanism developed by Thielen and Roth (1984) nearly complete agreement between calculated and measured NO concentration profiles was obtained.