Development of Rapid Technology Assessment Tools A New Paradigm in Aerodynamic Design

摘要

Rapid technology assessment tools are under development in an effort to significantly expedite the aerodynamic vehicle design cycle. Under this scenario, non-intrusive global optical diagnostics are deployed simultaneously in a unified fashion to minimize wind tunnel occupancy time. Near-real time data analysis methods are under development in concert with a virtual diagnostics interface to provide an interactive platform and useful knowledge to the aerodynamic designer while the facility is still on point. This paper focuses on an active collaboration between researchers at the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Wright Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) and their contractors. Developmental efforts toward advancing the state-of-the-art in pressure sensitive paint (PSP) and projection moire interferometry (PMI) to recover surface pressure distributions and model deformation and geometry information, respectively, are highlighted. Example results from a unified PSP/PMI test at NASA LaRC on biologically-inspired aerodynamic models are presented to illustrate the cause and effect aerodynamic information that can be recovered by unified instrumentation system deployment coupled with a newly developed software system called the virtual diagnostic interface (ViDI). Near- and long-term objectives for optimizing this suite of rapid technology assessment tools are discussed.