Measurement of the particle size distribution in a pulsed hypersonic flow facility

Mie scattering measurements were used to determine the mean size, particle size distribution function, and the approximate mass fraction of copper and tungsten particles in a high-enthalpy, arc-heated, short-duration flowfield. The measurement method yielded spatially-resolved results with a time resolution of approximately 10 ms. The novel aspects are presented of both the experimental and analytical methods which were used to obtain the time-dependent particle size distribution function and the particulate mass fraction.