Measurement of Condensation Onset in Steady Supersonic Laval Nozzle Flow for the Molecular Laser Isotope Separation Process

A method based on laser light scattering is presented for the observation of the condensation of working molecules in a steady-state-flow supersonic Laval nozzle operating in a closed loop. The distribution of scattered light from droplets formed by condensation along the flow direction is measured from photographs to determine the point of condensation onset. The temperature and density at the onset point are obtained from the values of static pressure based on the equations of isentropic flow.