Visualization of hydrogen jet using deformation of the laser beam profile

Abstract

Hydrogen has the widest flammable range, the fastest flame propagation speed, and the lowest ignition energy, so its safety needs special attention before the wide application of hydrogen energy. The main objective of this work is to propose a new method to evaluate hydrogen jet pressure by using a Helium–Neon laser through the jet. A mathematical model was proposed, which describes the deformation of the laser beam profile passing through an axisymmetric circular hydrogen jet pressure flow field in detail. This research attempts to apply the expression of density Gaussian distribution, ideal gas equation, and Gladstone Dale equation to disclose the deformation of laser beam profile under different outlet conditions. The experimental uncertainty is about 3 × 10−3. A non-contact optical experimental system is established to visually measure the density gradient distribution of the gas jet. Our findings show that the hydrogen jet can be regarded as a gas-phase lens, and the deformation of the laser beam profile in the horizontal direction increases linearly with jet pressure. Finally, the preliminary results of calculations of the spot area with the theoretical model were presented and compared with the images of the laser beam profile passing through the jet in the experiment. The theoretical model gave similar results and the overall agreement with the experiment was satisfactory. Our technology exhibits high sensitivity in the measurement of hydrogen leakage pressure, providing a theoretical basis for non-contact, non-damaged, high-response, and high-sensitivity detection of hydrogen leakage.