An innovative pressure-measurement technique that employs the tools of molecular spectroscopy has been widely investigated by the aerospace 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 paper presents the use of this technique in advanced turbomachinery applications. New pressure- and temperature-sensitive paints (P/TSPs) have been developed for application to a state-of-the-art transonic compressor where pressures up to 1.4 atm and surface temperatures to 90°C are expected for the suction surface of 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 corrected design speed for the compressor near-stall condition. A comparison of experimental results with CFD calculations is discussed.

Issue Section:
Technical Papers
Keywords:
gas turbines, compressors, sensors, pressure measurement, temperature measurement, coatings, oxygen, transonic flow, flow simulation, wind tunnels
Topics:
Compressors, Paints, Pressure, Temperature, Computational fluid dynamics, Pressure measurement, Blades
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Copyright © 2001
 by ASME
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