Optimisation of Camera Layout for Computed Tomography of Chemiluminescence under Limited Projection Angles

Achieving high-quality tomographic imaging under limited projection angles is a critical challenge in diagnosing complex flows and combustion. Computed Tomography of Chemiluminescence (CTC) technology enables high spatial and temporal resolution measurements of 3D flame structures. However, in practical applications such as supersonic wind tunnel combustion diagnostics, the number of deployable high-speed cameras is severely restricted due to limited optical access. To address this challenge, this work integrates CTC techniques with fibre-optic endoscopes (FBEs) and proposes a novel camera layout optimization method based on a simulated annealing (SA) algorithm. The method maximizes the angular distribution of the projection weight matrix subspace, thereby reducing redundancy and improving reconstruction accuracy. Numerical simulation results show that the proposed optimised layout reduces the reconstruction average root mean square error by 30% from 0.0033 to 0.0023 compared to the conventional circular planar uniform layout, while improving the stability in different flame directions. These findings provide a feasible solution for high-fidelity tomographic imaging in environments with limited optical accessibility, benefiting combustion diagnostics and industrial applications.