Application of toluene LIF to transonic nozzle flows to identify zones of incomplete molecular mixing

Toluene laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) has been applied to image the mixing deficit on the molecular level in the transonic wake of two different blunt-body injectors in a compressible accelerated nozzle flow. A single-color excitation and two-color detection scheme is employed to measure the signal red-shift caused by the quenching effect of molecular oxygen on the fluorescence of toluene, which reduces and red-shifts the LIF signal if both substances interact on a molecular level. To this end, toluene is injected alternatingly with O₂-contaning and O₂-free carrier gas into the air main flow. Differences of both signals mark regions where mixing on molecular level is incomplete. A zone of molecular mixing deficit extending several millimeters in stream-wise direction is identified. The effect of local variations in temperature on the sensitivity of this technique is discussed using photo-physical data measured in a stationary low-temperature cell.