Flex Circuit Surface Pressure Sensor Array for IGV Forced Response Measurements in a Transonic Compressor

Abstract

A high spatial resolution flex (flexible) pressure sensor array consisting of 60 transducers for the measurement of unsteady surface pressures on the inlet guide vane (IGV) of a transonic compressor rig is presented. Measurements from this sensor array will be used to investigate the three-dimensional unsteady vane/blade interaction aerodynamic forcing functions in a modern, highly loaded, transonic compressor stage. Included are details of the design and construction of the flex array and electronic interrogation circuitry used for acquisition of the 60 transducer signals using the available data acquisition system. A sample of acquired experimental data is reduced and shown to give excellent agreement with data acquired from previous instrumentation based on the traditional sensor mounting method. Finally, a significant cost saving of 44% in instrumenting the IGV is realized over the traditional instrumentation method, along with substantial benefits in the simplification of the sensor wiring.