Simultaneous determination of particle size, velocity, and mass flow in dust-laden supersonic flows

The particle mass concentration and -mass flow rate are fundamental parameters for describing two-phase flows and are products of particle number, -size, -velocity, and -density. When investigating particle-induced heating augmentation, a detailed knowledge of these parameters is essential. In most of previous experimental studies considering particle-induced heating augmentation, only average particle mass flow rates are given, without any relation to measured particle sizes and -velocities within the flow or any indication of measurement uncertainty. In this work, particle number, individual particle sizes, and velocities were measured in a supersonic flow by means of shadowgraphy and particle tracking velocimetry (PTV). The goals are to determine measurement uncertainties, a particle velocity-size relation, and the spatial distribution of number, size, velocity, and mass flow rate across the nozzle exit. Experiments were conducted in a facility with a nozzle exit diameter of 30 mm, at Ma∞ = 2.1 and Re∞ = 8.2e7 1/m. Particles made of Al2O3 and up to 60 µm in size were used for seeding. Particle mass flow rates up to 50 kg/m2 s were achieved. It is shown that an additional correction procedure reduced common software uncertainties regarding shadowgraphy particle size determination from 14% to less than 6%. Discrepancies between calculated particle velocities and experimental data were found. In terms of spatial distribution, larger particles and a higher mass flow rate concentrate in the flow center. The determined particle mass flow rate uncertainty was up to 50% for PTV; for shadowgraphy, it was less than 17%. Graphical abstract