Development of the Pressure-Sensitive Paint (PSP) Technique for Advanced Turbomachinery Applications

This is a AIR FORCE RESEARCH LAB WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB OH TURBINE ENGINE DIV report procured by the Pentagon and made available for public release. It has been reproduced in the best form available to the Pentagon. It is not spiral-bound, but rather assembled with Velobinding in a soft, white linen cover. The Storming Media report number is A693104. The abstract provided by the Pentagon follows: A new pressure measurement technique that employs the tools of molecular spectroscopy has recently received considerable attention in the community. Measurements are made via oxygen-sensitive molecules attached to the surface of interest as a coating, or paint. The pressure-sensitive paint (PSP) technique is now commonly used in stationary wind tunnel tests; this thesis presents extension of the technique to advanced turbomachinery applications. New pressure- and temperature-sensitive paints (TSPs) have been developed for application to a state-of-the-art compressor where pressures up to 2 atm and surface temperatures to 140 deg C are expected for the first stage rotor. PSP and TSP data images have been acquired from the suction surface of the first- stage rotor at 85 percent of the correct design speed for the compressor peak efficiency condition. The shock structure is clearly visible in the pressure image, and visual comparison to the corresponding computer prediction shows quantitative pressures similar to the PSP data. The measurement error is estimated to range from 0.36 kPa in low pressure regions to 4 kPa in high pressure regions.