Form 9.B Project Summary

Chron:

971169

Proposal

Number:

06.09-5128

Project Title:

Microfabricated, Low Maintenance Skin

Friction Sensor for Highly Transient

Applications

Technical Abstract (Limit 200 words)

Although skin friction measurements have been

made in highly transient facilities in the past,

accurate measurement of wall shear stress with

adequate spatial and temporal resolution has been

difficult to perform due to the physical size of the

instrumentation and due to high maintenance

requirements. Earlier designs required oil to fill the

interior of the gage, but by utilizing new

microfabrication techniques, such as stereo

lithography, new design possibilities will allow skin

friction sensors without the oil and its intendant

high maintenance and care but with higher spatial

and temporal resolution.

This instrumentation is crucial to the development

and operation of affordable, safe, and efficient 21st

century aircraft and other high-speed transportation

systems. The accurate measurement of wall shear

stress in fluid dynamic devices is important for

understanding the basic fluid physics involved and

assessing the performance of the device, leading to

improvements in the design and operation of future

high-speed transportation systems.

An excellent development team has been

assembled including Professor Joseph Schetz of

Virginia Tech, a world leader in wall shear stress

measurements, and F&S, a leader in sensor

development and commercialization. The F&S team

is both qualified and motivated to build upon their

combined demonstrated capabilities.

Potential Commercial Applications (Limit 200 words)

The materials and technology now exist to construct

a microfabricated sensor for the accurate

measurement of skin friction in highly transient

wind tunnels. This instrumentation is crucial to the

development and operation of affordable, safe and

efficient 21st century aircraft and other high-speed

transportation systems. The accurate measurement

of wall shear stress in fluid dynamic devices is

important for understanding the basic fluid physics

involved and assessing the performance of the

device, leading to improvements in the design and

operation of future high-speed transportation

systems.

In addition, research in the wide temperature range

instrumentation area will provide transducers with

commercial uses that will include transportation

system design, development and operation,

semiconductor fabrication, commercial jet engines,

automobile engines, the metal, ceramic and wood

processing industries, and the power generation and

monitoring systems for coal-fired, nuclear and

fuel-cell technologies. F&S has identified many end

users of the microfabricated wall shear stress

sensor within the government such as Air Force,

NASA, NASP, ARPA, Army, Navy, and the DOE.

Name and Address of Principal Investigator (Name,

Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)

Wade Pulliam

F&S, Inc.

2801 Commerce Street

Blacksburg , VA 24060

Name and Address of Offeror (Firm Name, Mail Address,

City/State/Zip)

Garnett S. Linkous

F&S, Inc.

2801 Commerce Street

Blacksburg , VA 24060