An Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of Wave Propagation in Teflon and Nylon Tubing With Methods to Prevent Aliasing in Pressure Scanners

Abstract

Accurate static and dynamic pressure measurements provide the feedback needed to advance gas turbine efficiency and reliability as well as improve aircraft design and flight control. During turbine testing and aircraft flight testing, flush mounting pressure transducers at the desired pressure measurement location is not always feasible and recess mounting with connective tubing is often used as an alternative. Resonances in the connective tubing can result in aliasing within pressure scanners even within a narrow bandwidth and especially when higher frequency content dc to ∼125 Hz is desired. We present experimental results that investigate tube resonances and attenuation in 1.35 mm inner diameter (I.D.) (used on 0.063 in. tubulations) and 2.69 mm I.D. (used on 0.125 in. tubulations) Teflon and Nylon tubing at various lengths. We utilize a novel dynamic pressure generator, capable of creating large changes in air pressure (<1 psi to 10 psi, <6.8 kPa to 68.9 kPa), to determine the frequency response of such tubing from ∼1 Hz to 2800 Hz. We further compare these experimental results to established analytical models for propagation of pressure disturbances in narrow tubes. While significant theoretical and experimental work relating to the frequency response of connective tubing or transmission lines has been published, there is limited literature presenting experimental frequency response data with air as the media in elastic tubing. In addition, little progress has been made in addressing the issue of tubing-related aliasing within pressure scanners, as the low sampling rate in scanners often makes postprocessing antialiasing filters ineffective.