Aerodynamic Load Measurement of a Low Speed Airfoil Using Particle Image Velocimetry

Abstract

*† ‡ Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) measurements of the flow around a wing section are employed as a basis for non-intrusive aerodynamic loads characterization, providing sectional lift, drag and pitching moment. The technique relies upon the application of control-volume approaches in combination with the deduction of the pressure from the PIV experimental data through application of the momentum equation. The treatment can also be applied to unsteady flows, in which case time-mean loads are obtained from velocity statistics, through the use of Reynolds-averaged formulation of the governing equations. The procedure was applied in the experimental investigation of a NACA 642A015 airfoil, in which the PIV approach is validated against standard pressure-based methods (surface pressure distribution and wake rake). The chord Reynolds number considered in the investigation ranges between 1 - 7 × 10 5 . In addition, the consistency and potential performance of the method was assessed by means of synthetic data obtained from CFD.