A flexible hot-film shear stress sensor array and its application to airfoil separation detection

A MEMS flexible hot-film sensor array was developed for boundary layer shear stress distribution measurement and investigating flow separation and transition. An application of this sensor array to airfoil separation detection was demonstrated under static and dynamic conditions from 10° to 20° angle of attack (AOA) in wind tunnel with flow velocities 50m/s (Re≈1.33×10
⁶
). Experimental data indicates that the flow separation and reattachment happened near 13.5° AOA under static condition. The separation occurred at approximately 15° AOA, and reattachment occurred at 12.5° AOA under dynamic condition, they both have a lag compare with the static result. These results have a good agreement with other previous researches.