Two-Component Dual-Scatter Laser Doppler Velocimeter with Frequency Burst Signal Readout

Abstract

A dual-scatter laser Doppler velocimeter (LDV) system designed for measuring wind tunnel flow velocity is described. The system simultaneously measures two orthogonal velocity components of a flowing fluid at a common point in the flow. Essential single-velocity component dual-scatter concepts are presented to simplify the description of the more sophisticated two-component system. To implement the two-component system three laser beams with a 0 degrees , 45 degrees , and 90 degrees polarization plane relationship are focused to a common point in the flow by the system-transmitting optics. The beams interfere to form two perpendicular sets of interference fringe planes that are orthogonally polarized. The system-receiving optics collect and separate the orthogonally polarized components of laser radiation scattered from micron-size particles moving with the flowing fluid through the ringes. The system requires no artificial seeding, since intrinsic test section aerosols are utilized for radiation scattering. The passage of each scatter particle through the interference fringes simultaneously produces two frequency-burst-type photodetected signals, the frequencies of which are directly proportional to two perpendicular components of particle velocity. The system photodetection, signal-conditioning, and data acquisition instrumentation is specifically designed to process the frequency burst information in the time domain as opposed to spectrum analysis or frequency domain processing. The system was initially evaluated in an AEDC wind tunnel operating over a Mach number range from 0.6 to 1.5. The LDV and calculated wind tunnel mean velocity data agreed to within 1.25%; flow direction deviations of a few milliradians were resolved.