There is considerable interest in measurements of unsteady pressure for evaluation of computational models and study of flow physics on hypersonic inlets, compressors, aeroelasticity, and rotorcraft aerodynamics. The ability to acquire data from one million fast responding pressure transducers sprayed onto a model is a technological capability that is of interest to a variety of research wind tunnels, for example the TDT and Ames 11-foot tunnel. This proposal will provide advancement of the state-of-the-art in this field as the proposed research will develop a system that includes near real-time data presentation and data mining tools will improve productivity by allowing users to focus test resources on key flow features. The fast PSP technology could be deployed to wind tunnels at different NASA centers for testing on a variety of programs that have need of unsteady pressure measurements. The proposed fast PSP system would improve wind tunnel utilization, enhance the performance of ground-based programs, and indirectly lower operational costs. The installation of a productive fast PSP system would provide a marketable capability that could drive customers to the NASA facilities
Fast pressure-sensitive paint systems is under investigation for a variety of applications in aerodynamics. This program will provide advancement of the state-of-the-art in this field as the proposed research will develop a system for the measurement of continuous distributions unsteady pressure that require no physical modifications to the model and produces data with high spatial resolution. The addition of the near real-time data presentation and data mining tools will improve productivity by allowing users to focus test resources on key flow features. The final product of this program would be a very marketable system that should be of interest to both military and commercial wind tunnel facilities. The proposed fast PSP system would improve wind tunnel utilization, enhance the performance of ground-based programs, and indirectly lower operational costs. The installation of a productive fast PSP system would provide a marketable capability for any commercial wind tunnel customer
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