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FLOW VISUALIZATION
Categories of flow visualization
The methods considered for direct-surface flow
visualization include tufts, oil flow, ink dot,
china clay, and liquid crystals.
The methods considered for off-body
visualization include smoke injected in several
ways, helium bubbles, and streamers.
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SURFACE FLOW VISUALIZATION
Information about the flow on the surface of an
object being studied is usually most critical.
Many times, the flow off the body is of interest
primarily in order to understand the flow
features on the surface.
Tuf t s
The simplest and most frequently used method
for surface flow visualization is to attach tufts to
the surface of interest.
The tufts must be of light, flexible material that
will align itself with the local surface flow as a
result of direct aerodynamic force.
At t achi ng Tuf t s
Two basic methods of attaching tufts to a surface
are by scotch tape or by glue. When tape is used,
the tufts are usually made on a "tuft board." The
tuft material is strung back and forth around
pins, then the tape is applied to the tufts and the
tuft material is cut at the edge of the tape.
The model surface is cleaned with naphtha or
other solvents to remove oil so that the tape will
hold under the adverse conditions of high-speed
flow.
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Tuf t Boar d"
Tuf t s Gl ued t o Wi ng
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Fl ow Fi el d Descr i pt i on Usi ng a Tuf t Gr i d
Mi ni t uf t s
The glue technique is used for minitufts. These
tufts have the least effect on the aerodynamic
data and thus are often left on the model. The
tuft material is monofilament nylon that has
been treated with a fluorescent dye.
Fl uor escent Mi ni t uf t s
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Oi l Fl ow Vi sual i zat i on
Oils and other viscous fluids are used to show
the surface flow. The selected material is usually
spread on the areas of interest with a paint
brush. It will then flow under the influence of
shear stress from the air stream and gravity.
Since inclined surfaces are almost always of
interest, the mixture needs to have viscosity
sufficient so that it will not flow rapidly under
the influence of gravity.
Oi l Fl ow
Oi l Mat er i al
The most common material for oil flow is
petroleum lubricating oils. These materials are
messy to clean up afterward, both on the model
and more so in the tunnel.
The color of the oil needs to contrast with the
color of the model surface. A widely used
method is to add a fluorescent dye to the oil and
illuminate it with ultraviolet lights, as is done for
the fluorescent minitufts.
Oi l Fl ow
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Surface Oil Flow with Titanium Dioxide Over Single Delta Wing.
Surface Oil Flow with Titanium Dioxide Over Double Delta Wing.
Chi na Cl ay
China clay is a suspension of kaolin in kerosene.
The fluid is applied with a paint brush, usually
with the model set at the desired attitude.
The tunnel is started as quickly as possible after
the model is painted. When the mixture has
dried, photographs can be taken after the tunnel
is shut down because the pattern does not
change rapidly with time.
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China Clay
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Oi l Fl ow Det ect i on of Tr ansi t i on
The basis for detecting boundary layer
transition by viewing oil flow patterns is the
increase in wall shear stress when a boundary
layer transitions from laminar to turbulent. The
result is that the oil is swept away faster in the
region where the boundary layer is turbulent.
Transition indicated by oil flow visualization is
shown in the following figure.
Subl i mat i on
In one sublimation technique a mixture of
naphthalene and a carrier such as fluorine,
acetone, or methyl ethyl ketone is sprayed on the
model using a standard air spray gun.
Note that the last two can remove many paints.
The operator must wear a respirator mask when
doing this.
Li qui d Cr yst al s
Liquid crystals that undergo changes in
reflective properties as they are exposed to shear
stress can be used as detectors of transition.
This method has recently been developed as a
quantitative method as well as a method of
visualization.
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Inf rared Thermography
The basis for this technique is that a surface at a
temperature different from the tunnel stream
will have faster heat transfer from the region
under a turbulent boundary layer than from the
region under a laminar layer. The resulting small
temperature differences can be observed using
commercially available infrared cameras.