Nonintrusive optical measurements of aircraft engine exhaust emissions andcomparison with standard intrusive techniques

Nonintrusive systems for the measurement on test rigs of aeroengine exhaust emissions required for engine certification (CO, NOx, total unburned hydro carbon, and smoke), together with CO, and temperature have been developed. These results have been compared with current certified intrusive measureme nts on an engine test. A spectroscopic database and data-analysis software has been developed to enable Fourier-transform Infrared measurement of conc entrations of molecular species. CO2, CO, and NO data showed agreement with intrusive techniques of approximately +/-30%. A narrow-band spectroscopic device was used to measure CO2 (with deviations of less than +/-10% from th e intrusive measurement), whereas laser-induced incandescence was used to m easure particles. Future improvements to allow for the commercial use of th e nonintrusive systems have been identified and the methods are applicable to any measurement of combustion emissions. (C) 2000 Optical Society of Ame rica. OCIS codes: 010.0010, 280.0280, 300.0300.