Deconvolution technique for line-of-sight optical scattering measurements in axisymmetric sprays

A procedure has been developed for deconvoluting line-of-sight average measurements of droplet-size distribution and optical extinction into the actual radial variations of droplet-size distribution and droplet number density in axisymmetric sprays. Preconditioning the line-of-sight average data via spline smoothing was shown to be necessary to prevent a complete loss of accuracy in the central region of the spray. After preconditioning, uncertainties in the average data propagated about 1:1 into the deconvoluted results. Cumulative truncation errors for a worst-case analysis approached 15% in the central region of the spray. A sample analysis for a typical hollow-cone spray is presented.