Automatic particle sizing from rocket motor holograms

John P. Powers; David W. Netzer

doi:10.1117/12.59628

1 May 1992 Automatic particle sizing from rocket motor holograms

John P. Powers, David W. Netzer

Proceedings Volume 1667, Practical Holography VI; (1992) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.59628
Event: SPIE/IS&T 1992 Symposium on Electronic Imaging: Science and Technology, 1992, San Jose, CA, United States

Abstract

Solid-propellant rocket fuels frequently have spherical aluminum pellets added to improve combustion efficiency and to improve thrust performance. In order to model the combustion process, information is required about the size of the particles as they lift off of the propellant surface. We have used optical pulsed-laser holography to record an approximate 2.5 cm X 2.5 cm X 2.5 cm volume at the propellant surface in a test rocket motor. A pulsed ruby laser, combined with a laser line filter to remove the flame light, records the hologram. A diffuser is used to remove the phase gradients introduced by the thermal effects in the flame. The scene is reconstructed with a krypton laser, viewed with an optical microscope, and captured on videotape. The recorded scene is digitized and analyzed with digital image processing techniques on a personal computer equipped with a video memory board and an image processing subroutine library. The image processing techniques developed reduce the speckle in the scene, apply a threshold to differentiate the particles from the background, and locate and size the particles. Statistical analysis of the sizing results provides a histogram representation of the particles size distribution. Particle resolution down to 10 micrometers has been achieved with this technique.

Citation Download Citation

John P. Powers and David W. Netzer "Automatic particle sizing from rocket motor holograms", Proc. SPIE 1667, Practical Holography VI, (1 May 1992); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.59628

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available