Application of Pressure-Sensitive Paint for Determination of Dynamic Surface Pressures on a Rotating 65° Delta Wing and an Oscillating 2D profile in Transonic Flow

Klein C, Henne U, Sachs WE, Engler RH, Egami Y, Ondrus V, Beifuss U, Mai H (2007) | Contribution to the 22nd International Congress on Instrumentation in Aerospace Simulation Facilities, Pacific Grove, California

The DLR (German Airspace Center) started an unsteady pressure sensitive paint project for investigations of unsteady flow phenomena, more precisely for aeroelastic investigations, turbo machinery and helicopter rotors.

For the studies outlined above Rapp OptoElectronic developed the illumination system:

The high power UV flash system was used for excitation of a pressure sensitive paint applied on the delta wing model. In order to gather well defined pictures, the model must not be illuminated longer than 200µs.
To gather enough light for a CCD camera the illumination needs to be of sufficient intensity and homogeneity.
The designed illumination system consists of three high pressure Xenon bulbs with appropriate optical filters and each is connected to an optical light guide. At the end of each light guide was 1 J white light measured in a 100µs pulse. This equals 10 kW peak power.
The housing is built to withstand pressures from 300 mbar to 1.5 bar in the plenum of the wind tunnel. The system has fully remote control via ethernet.

For further information on pressure sensitive paint please visit the following websites:
http://www.dlr.de/as/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-183/251_read-13334/
Institute:
http://www.dlr.de/as

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