Micro Chemical Oxygen-Iodine Laser (COIL).

摘要

It has been previously proposed to improve the performance and compactness of chemical oxygen-iodine lasers (COIL) through the replacement of some of their macroscale components with arrays of higher-performing microscale (MEMS) components. In this program, a MEMS singlet oxygen generator (SOG) to power a COIL laser was designed, microfabricated from silicon and glass wafers, and successfully demonstrated. The MEMS SOG contained an array of reaction channels for the chemical reaction of BHP and chlorine gas, a liquid-gas separator based on capillary effects, and integrated heat exchangers for thermal management. The MEMS SOG was shown to have high singlet delta oxygen yield, high output flow rates, and an ability to operate in near single-pass reactant utilization. The results were also shown to agree with the models. In addition, devices for a second generation MEMS COIL system (second generation MEMS SOG, MEMS steam generators to power ejector pumps, and component interfaces) were designed. Based on its models, the second generation MEMS SOG is predicted to operate at four times higher flow rates than the first generation MEMS SOG. Based on its models, the MEMS steam ejectors are predicted to offer a low vibration, compact source of driving fluid for a COIL pumping system.