Influence of the secondary-fuel feed method on the energy and gasdynamic characteristics of a supersonic cw chemical HF laser with a radial-expansion nozzle array

An experimental investigation was made of the energy and gasdynamic characteristics of a supersonic cw chemical HF laser with a radial-expansion (nozzle — sonic injector) nozzle array of 35 cm × 10 cm dimensions. The two types of secondary-fuel feed collector differing in respect of the angular orientation of the hydrogen injector axes relative to the direction of flow of the oxidant gas. The Mach number, the static pressure, and the total pressure distributions behind a plane shock wave were determined in the field of flow of the active medium. Injection of the additional hydrogen jets into the oxidant gas stream intensified mixing of the reactants, increased the specific output energy by 10%, and improved homogeneity of the gasdynamic parameters of the active medium.