SBIR-STTR Award

The objective of the overall SBIR effort is to design, demonstrate, and deliver to the AF a gaseous flow reactor capable of producing high-density flows of critical chemical species. Depending upon the results of a detailed flow analysis the reactor would be designed to support either a subsonic or a supersonic chemical iodine laser scaling experiment and demonstration at significant output power levels. The NC1/I transfer system is one of several promising advanced chemical iodine laser concepts. This concept has recently demonstrated laser gain. The next step on the critical technology path is the production of substantial flow rates of the key reactants-gaseous hydrazoic acid and chlorine atoms. During Phase I, we will evaluate several concepts generating both species and then integrate the selected concepts into an overall flow reactor design. Key small-scale hydrazoic acid experiments will also be conducted. The resulting high-density flow reactor, which can be the basis of a 100-W all-gas-phase chemical laser, will be delivered to AFRL/DELC at the completion of Phase II. Other chemical iodine laser concepts can also be explored using this reactive-flow apparatus. This enabling technology will permit the development of what may be the world's next major class of high-power lasers

Feasibility of an all-gas-phase iodine laser as a weapon or a practical industrial tool was greatly enhanced during the Phase I contract. The proposed Phase II effort will bring this laser concept much closer to an implementable system through design and demonstration of a complete, optimized HN(sub 3) handling system. In FY98 AFRL demonstrated laser gain in the NCl/I reactive system, and ARA recently demonstrated static high-pressure storage of HN(sub 3), a critical fuel in this concept. The next step on the critical technology path is the production of substantial flow rates of the key reactants-chlorine atoms and HN(sub 3). Extrapolating the storage concept developed in Phase I, we will deliver to AFRL an engineering design of an HN(sub 3), supply system capable of meeting test-bed requirements. We will also provide an engineering design for an optimized high-density flow reactor based upon a complete end-to-end reactive-flow analysis. This analysis will exploit a suite of CFD codes modified specifically for this purpose. This high-density flow reactor will be the basis for 1-10 kilowatt all-gas-phase iodine laser test devices at AFRL. Other chemical laser concepts, including HF, can also be explored using this reactive-flow apparatus and the CFD codes.

Keywords:
CHEMICAL IODINE LASERENERGETIC SPECIES GASEOUS HYDRAZOIC ACID FLOW REACTOR