Development of a Highly Sensitive Temperature-Sensitive Paint for Measurements under Ambient (0 - 60 ºC) Conditions

Abstract

A Temperature-Sensitive Paint (TSP) with higher temperature sensitivity for the capturing of better quality of images and increased luminescent intensity for shorter measurement times was newly developed for testing under ambient (0 – 60 °C) conditions. TSP has been used to detect the laminar-turbulent boundary layer transition line or to measure temperature distribution on the model surface. However, conventional TSP’s with EuTTA or Ru(phen) as the temperature sensitive luminophore have temperature sensitivities of 1.5 and 1.8 %/°C at 30 °C, respectively. This sensitivity is not high enough for TSP measurements at a large industrial wind tunnel facility such as the DNW-HST. The newly developed TSP’s achieved a temperature sensitivity of 5 – 6.3 %/°C at 30 °C. Detection tests of the laminar-turbulent boundary layer transition were conducted to evaluate the capability of these TSP’s at the DNW wind tunnels. Obtained results proved that the new TSP’s have a high potential to resolve small temperature differences and thereby to detect the transition line with high quality.