Effects of oxygen dissociation on hypervelocity combustion experiments

Results are presented of a comparative experimental study conducted to measure the effects of the test gas oxygen dissociation produced in reflected shock tunnels on hypervelocity combustion. An identical combustor model was tested in a reflected shock tunnel with test gas containing about 50 pct by mass of oxygen in dissociated form, as either nitric oxide or atomic oxygen, and in an expansion tube with test gas having negligible dissociated oxygen. Comparisons are made at two test conditions that are energy equivalent to flight conditions at Mach 13.5 and 17.