Title: QUantification and Intelligent characterisation of flows using Sensitive paint and combined laser excitation

Leader: ETW GmbH, Partners: DLR e.V., Laserline GmbH

Detailed knowledge of the "footprint" of a flow field on model surfaces during wind tunnel measurements forms an important basis for understanding its interacting flow phenomena such as separation, transition, vortices or shock waves. Classical qualitative methods such as oil flow pattern are not applicable in the European Transonic Wind Tunnel (ETW) due to the resulting contamination or the cryogenic test conditions. Based on the already established surface measurement technique TSP (Temperature Sensitive Paint), the present project QuiS-2-0 aims to further develop a method that has been successfully used at ambient temperatures and to adapt and optimise it for use in the ETW under cryogenic conditions.

The aim of the project is to analyse the image data in an innovative way and to obtain images similar to the oil paint process. In contrast to conventional coating images, this procedure can be used to analyse any number of cryogenic flow conditions and states in succession without intermediate access to the model. With its possibilities, the innovative method will not only contribute significantly to improving the analysis of flow conditions over wing surfaces, but can also be used on all optically accessible surfaces, such as those of tail units and flaps.

The combined laser system to be developed in the project for the simultaneous excitation and heating of TSP surfaces opens up new areas of application for measurement technology. In addition, the intelligent design of the hardware enables efficient and space-saving installation in the wind tunnel environment. An increase in the quality of the measured values can therefore be expected.

For the research partners DLR and ETW, the achievement of this goal will result in a new, innovative measurement technology for a wide range of applications, while Laserline GmbH, as a manufacturer of industrial lasers with a focus on innovation, will continue to expand its experience in beam shaping and fibre coupling in order to be able to open up new areas of application in the future.

This work received funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy LuFo VI-2/2023-2026 under grant agreement no 20A2102A.

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