An investigation of the viability of tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy for use as a flow measurement device in a scramjet engine was completed. First, the effects on TDLAS measurements across a temperature jump that is common in scramjet combustor flow-paths was studied using a flat flame burner designed with four independently fueled quadrants. Rigorous thermocouple mapping of the burner was performed and a discussion of multi-thermocouple radiation correction techniques is presented.
The fundamental mass capture measurements (temperature, water number density, pressure, and velocity) were then made in the isolator section of a direct-connect scramjet engine and compared to a scramjet performance analysis code. Post-combustion measurements (temperature and water number density) were measured in the exhaust section of the model engine. The results of the measurements and an in-depth discussion of analysis routines used in the processing of raw absorption measurements is presented.