Raman scattering applied to gas mixing in the successive channel flow of two gases

The Raman scattering technique has been applied to investigate the effects of fluid undercutting in a simulation of the fluid-piston concept for wind-tunnel design. Measurements of the structure of the driver-driven gas interface and of the effect of undercutting on test duration were performed. Tests were conducted over a Froude number range of 0.0021 to 0.526 at driver-to-driven gas density ratios of 1.103 and 1.573. The effects of inlet design, test-channel inclination angle, and pretest pressurization were also examined. The results are compared with shadowgraph and pressure measurements to illustrate the characteristics of the Raman technique and to explain the discrepancy between the shadowgraph and pressure results.