Fast laser-induced aerosol formation for visualization of gas flows

A technique for aerosol seeding of gas flows by laser-induced particle formation is demonstrated using a pulsed Nd:YAG laser (1.06 microns) for optical breakdown of a mixture of SF6 and H2 in an inert carrier gas. It is noted that, contrary to the smoke-wire approach, the laser-induced particles form first in zones of high turbulence, since mixing enhances coagulation. The method also allows seeding to be performed in locations hardly accessible otherwise and is mechanically nonintrusive. Finally, a study of the mixture and the breakdown effects indicates that for H2:SF6 ratios between 3:1 and 15:1 the particle formation is only limited by the physics of the gas/particle conversion.