Pressure Measurement on Rotating Propeller Blades by means of Pressure-Sensitive Paint Lifetime method

Abstract

Surface pressure distributions can be determined by means of Pressure-Sensitive Paint (PSP). A specific measurement technique using PSP is the lifetime method. It is based on the dependence of the lifetime of luminescence on the concentration of oxygen, which is proportional to the pressure. The PSP lifetime method had been used in various wind tunnel tests. The pressure distribution on a rotating propeller blade is interesting for the development of such systems. PSP is a contact-free and image-based measurement technique. Low- and high-pressure areas become visible. The PSP lifetime method is able to detect the expected pressure differences despite the short exposure times required for the fast rotating blades of a propeller.