The proposed innovation is to develop piezoelectric film sensor arrays to simultaneously measure fluctuating pressure, separation, presence of shock wave, buffeting, boundary layer disturbance, and vibration of wing and/or fuselage surface. A thin piezoelectric film can be directly mounted on wing/fuselage surface on which any type and size sensor array configuration can be formed. A miniature charge amplifier, which will be located close sensing area to obtain maximum signal-to-noise ratio, will be developed. The piezoelectric foil sensors register, both vibration and pressure fluctuation, which will be separated in real time using a new signal processing technique. The piezoelectric film sensors are non-intrusive and many sensors can be spaced very closely for multi-point measurements. They offer distinct size and weight advantage over conventional sensors/transducers, are very inexpensive and require no power. Control of structure-borne noise is an important problem in aerospace and marine applications. The piezoelectric foil sensors will make an active vibration control systems in future airplane possible. The proposed innovation will develop piezoelectric film sensor arrays and associated instrumentation in wind tunnel tests to measure fluctuating pressure, transition, flow separation, boundary layer disturbances and vibrations on wing surfaces.
Potential Commercial Applications: The proposed innovation will be first to provide simultaneous measurements of flow, structural and noise characteristics in real time. Diagnostic tools could be developed based on this innovation to determine, potentially hazardous influence of environmental factors like gusts, wind shear, shock, which result in a decrease in the lift to drag ratio due to flow separation. It will also be useful as a diagnostic tool during the design and testing phase of an aircraft, and will cut down the development costs.
