Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Measurement of surface shear stress vector distribution using shear-sensitive liquid crystal coatings

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Acta Mechanica Sinica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The global wall shear stress measurement technique using shear-sensitive liquid crystal (SSLC) is extended to wind tunnel measurements. Simple and common everyday equipment is used in the measurement; in particular a tungsten-halogen light bulb provides illumination and a saturation of SSLC coating color change with time is found. Spatial wall shear stress distributions of several typical flows are obtained using this technique, including wall-jet flow, vortex flow generated by a delta wing and junction flow behind a thin cylinder, although the magnitudes are not fully calibrated. The results demonstrate that SSLC technique can be extended to wind tunnel measurements with no complicated facilities used.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Naughton, J. W., Sheplak, M.: Modern developments in shearstress measurement. Progress in Aerospace Sciences 38, 515–570 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Haritonidis, J. H.: The measurement of wall shear stress. Advances in Fluid Mechanic Measurements 45, 229–261 (1989)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Reda, D. C., Muratore, J. J. Jr.: A new technique for the measurement of surface shear stress vectors using liquid crystal coatings. AlAA 94-0729 (1994)

  4. Reda, D. C., Wilder, M. C., Farina, D. J., et al.: New methodology for the measurement of surface shear-stress vector distributions. AIAA Journal 35, 608–14 (1997)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Reda, D. C., Wilder, M. C., Mehta, R., et al.: Measurement of continuous pressure and shear distributions using coating and imaging techniques. AIAA Journal 36, 895–859 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Fujisawa, N., Aoyama, A., Kosaka, S.: Measurement of shearstress distribution over a surface by liquid-crystal coating. Measurement Science and Technology 14, 1655–1661 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Nakano, T., Fujisawa, N.: Wind tunnel testing of shear-stress measurement by liquid-crystal coating. Journal of Visualization 9, 135–136 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Fujisawa, N., Oguma, Y., Nakano, T.: Measurements of wall-shear-stress distribution on an NACA0018 airfoil by liquidcrystal coating and near-wall particle image velocimetry (PIV). Measurement Science and Technology 20, 1–10 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Crafton, J. W., Fonov, S. D., Jones, E. G., et al.: Optical Measurements of Pressure and Shear in a Plasma. AIAA 2005–5006 (2005)

  10. Fonov, S. D., Jones, G., Crafton, J., et al.: The development of optical technique for the measurement of pressure and skin friction. Meas. Sci. Technol. 16, 1–8 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Liu, T., Montefort, J., Woodiga, S., et al.: Global luminescent oil-film skin friction meter. AIAA Journal 46, 476–485 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Liu, T., Woodiga, S., Ma, T.: Skin friction topology in a region enclosed by penetrable boundary. Exp. Fluids 51, 1549–1562 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Liu, T., Woodiga, S.: Feasibility of global skin friction diagnostics using temperature sensitive paint. Meas. Sci. Technol. 22, 1–11 (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Zhong, S.: Detection of flow separation and reattachment using shear-sensitive liquid crystals. Exp Fluids 32, 667–673 (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Walsh, E. J., Hernon, D., Davies, M. R. D., et al.: Preliminary measurements from a new flat platefacility for aerodynamic research. In: Proc. of the 6th European Conference On Turbo Machinery, Mar. 7–1, 11 pages. (2005)

  16. Sugiyama, H., Minato, R., Mizobata, K., et al.: Study on shock wave and turbulent boundary layer interactions in a square duct at Mach 2 and 4. J. of Thermal. Sci. 15, 37–42 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Reda, D. C., Wilder, M. C.: Shear-sensitive liquid crystal coating method applied through transparent test surfaces. AIAA Journal 39, 195–197 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Zhao, J. S., Scholz, P., Gu, L. X.: Color change characteristics of two shear-sensitive liquid crystal mixtures (BCN/192, BN/R50C) and their application in surface shear stress measurements. Chinese Science Bulletin 56, 2897–2905 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Reda, D. C., Muratore, J. J. Jr., Heineck, J. T.: Time and flow direction responses of shear-stress-sensitive liquid crystal coatings. AIAA Journal 32, 693–700 (1994)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Pascale, D.: RGB Coordinates of the Macbeth Color Checker. The BabelColor Company. (2006)

  21. Bonnet, P., Jones, T. V., McDonnell, D. G.: Shear-stress measurement in aerodynamic testing using cholesteric liquid crystals. Liquid Crystals 6, 271–280 (1989)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Mee, D. J., Walton, T. W., Harrison, S. B., et al.: A comparison of liquid crystal techniques for transition detection. AlAA 91-0062 (1991)

  23. Reda, D. C., Wilder, M. C., Farina, D. J., et al.: Areal measurements of surface shear stress vector distributions using liquid crystal coatings. AlAA 96-0420 (1996)

  24. Hay, J. L., Hollingsworth, D. K.: A comparison of trichromic systems for use in the calibration of polymer-dispersed thermochromic liquid crystals. Exp. Thermal Fluid Sci. 12, 1–12 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Reda, D. C., Muratore, J. J. Jr.: Measurement of surface shear stress vectors using liquid crystal coatings. AIAA Journal 32, 1576–1582 (1994)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Lin, J. C.: Review of research on low-profile vortex generators to control boundary layer separation. Progress in Aerospace Sciences 38, 389–420 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Astronautics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 710072, Xi’an, China

    Ji-Song Zhao & Liang-Xian Gu

  2. Institute of Fluid Mechanics, TU Braunschweig, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany

    Ji-Song Zhao & Peter Scholz

Authors
  1. Ji-Song Zhao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Peter Scholz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Liang-Xian Gu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ji-Song Zhao.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zhao, JS., Scholz, P. & Gu, LX. Measurement of surface shear stress vector distribution using shear-sensitive liquid crystal coatings. Acta Mech Sin 28, 1261–1270 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10409-012-0144-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10409-012-0144-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation