Quantitative Wind Tunnel Studies Using Pressure- and Temperature Sensitive Paints

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Engler, R. H. | Fey, U. | Henne, U. | Klein, Chr. | Sachs, W. E.

Affiliations: DLR, German Aerospace Center in the Helmholtz-Association, Institute of Aerodynamics and Flow Technology, Experimental Methods, Bunsenstrasse 10, 37073 Göttingen, Germany. E-mail: rolf.engler@dlr.de

Abstract: The pressure sensitive paint (PSP) intensity and lifetime system is an optical measurement technique to investigate absolute pressure fields on model surfaces for basic research in laboratories, industrial wind tunnels or high speed rotating turbo machines. Detailed qualitative and quantitative information and understanding of flow phenomena can be obtained in speed ranges from U_{∞}=20 m/s up to Ma=5.0. A number of projects of industrial interest has been investigated in different wind tunnels covering low speed, transonic, trisonic and cryogenic facilities. The influence of the main error sources for the components of the PSP system have been checked. Comparison of experimental pressure fields obtained by means of PSP and the results of numerical calculations have been carried out. Different wind tunnel models ranging from basic configurations such as a cropped delta wing to a complex half model of a large propeller-driven transport aircraft with all flaps, rudders and shrouds, and rotating or oscillating models as well as Reynolds number effects on models have been investigated.

Keywords: Pressure sensitive paint, PSP, Temperature sensitive paint, TSP, Optical sensors

Journal: Journal of Visualization, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 277-284, 2005