An airfoil performance monitor comprising a housing mounted on a low pressure face of an airfoil, and defining pitot and static pressure orifices; an airspeed-dependent sensor that senses airflow impinging on the pitot orifices and generates a digital airflow signal indicative of turbulence of the airflow; and a controller that derives a turbulence intensity ratio by filtering turbulence values calculated from the digital airflow signal.

A device for measuring the characteristics of an air flow in an annular passage of a turbo-machine. The device includes a rod which extends along a first axis and carries means for measuring air flow characteristics. The rod also sealingly engages and slides in a first tubular part extended by a second tubular part. The second tubular part sealingly passes along the first axis through a slider mounted in a slide for sliding along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. The rod engages the second tubular part with an annular clearance.

A measuring device for measuring at least one parameter of an aerodynamic flow of a turbine engine. The device operates to collect parameters of the flow. A body extends along a radial axis (L). A connecting part is fastened to a first end of the body and designed to secure the measuring device to a radially outer wall of the turbine engine. A stud is inserted and mounted on a second end of the body radially opposite the first end. The stud includes at least a portion of a rubberlike material designed to come into contract with a radially inner wall of the turbine engine.

The invention provides a solution to amplify the airflow for testing purpose; this solution could be conventionally set up and configured with simple components or popular industrial systems. It is particularly interesting for small facilities/companies with limited resources or demanding only a low investment. This system is consisted of a high pressure air driving duct, an air mixing duct, a pressure reduction valve and a safety valve, ducts' size can be configured or changed to adapt the testing configuration. All components and systems are connected and attached to each other by stainless steel flanges and seals to avoid leakage and corrosion.

Flow conditions affecting an aerial vehicle may be determined using one or more auxiliary aerial vehicles, which may be outfitted with one or more airspeed sensors and other systems for modeling air flow within a vicinity of the aerial vehicle. With the auxiliary aerial vehicles operating in selected positions or formations with respect to the aerial vehicle, the aerial vehicle may perform one or more testing evolutions requiring the operation of any propulsion motors, control surfaces or other systems. Flow conditions during the testing evolutions may be modeled based on data captured by sensors aboard the auxiliary aerial vehicles, and the modeled flow conditions may be used to determine whether the testing evolutions were successfully completed by the aerial vehicle.

A fluid-dynamic test device is implementable in a fluid tunnel such as a wind tunnel or water tunnel. The exemplary inventive device features an outer case and four foils connected to and projecting inward from the case, wherein each foil is rotatable about its spanwise axis and is thus positionable at a selected angle of attack with respect to current generated in the tunnel. The respective axes or span-lines of the four foils lie in a vertical geometric plane in a crisscross configuration, each axis/span-line directed inward toward the point in the vertical plane that is centric relative to the case. Two axes/span-lines are aligned in a horizontal direction, and two axes/span-lines are aligned in a vertical direction. Generated current passes through the inventive device at perpendiculars to the vertical plane, thereby forming a wake that is predominately characterized by mutually interactive tip vortices corresponding to the four foils.

Various examples are provided related to improvements in generalized flow profile production. In one example, a method includes determining a downstream flow profile including a pressure profile and a velocity profile; fabricating a pressure profile generator including distortion screen(s) disposed on a backing structure; fabricating a velocity profile generator including turning vanes in a flow path through the velocity profile generator that are configured to generate the velocity profile; attaching the pressure profile generator to an input side of the velocity profile generator; and installing the flow conditioning device in the flow field of interest. Flow through the flow conditioning device produces the downstream flow profile in the flow field of interest. In another example, a flow conditioning device includes a pressure profile generator with distortion screen(s) disposed on a backing structure; and a velocity profile generator with turning vanes attached to an input side of the velocity profile generator.

Methods and apparatus for monitoring fluid-dynamic drag on an object, such as a bicycle, ground vehicle, watercraft, aircraft, or portion of a wind turbine are provided. An array of sensors obtain sensor readings for example indicating: power input for propelling the object; air speed and direction relative to motion of the object; and ground speed of the object. Sensor readings may also indicate: temperature; elevation and humidity for providing a measurement of air density. Sensor readings may also indicate inclination angle and forward acceleration. Processing circuitry determines a coefficient of drag area based on the sensor readings and optionally one or more stored parameters, according to a predetermined relationship. A pitot tube based apparatus for measuring fluid speed and direction is also provided. Methods for dynamic in situ calibration of the pitot tube apparatus, and of adjusting correction factors applied to correct measurement errors of this apparatus are also provided.

A sensor is configured to attach to a main body and includes a sensor body, a transducer, a transmitter, and a power source. The sensor body is configured to provide a smooth transition with a surface of the main body. The transducer is positioned within the sensor body and is configured to provide a sensed output. The transmitter is positioned within the sensor body and is configured to transmit the sensed output. The power source is positioned within the sensor body and is configured to provide electrical power to the transducer and the transmitter.

According to certain embodiments, a device for conditioning a flow of air includes a casing with an inlet and an outlet. The device has a flow conditioner disposed within the casing and concentrically aligned with the casing. The flow conditioner has a cylindrical portion and a domed end portion capping the cylindrical portion. The flow conditioner forms an annulus region between the flow conditioner and the casing. The flow conditioner also forms a mixing chamber interior to the flow conditioner. The flow conditioner also has a plurality of holes throughout the flow conditioner that are configured to permit air to pass from the inlet of the casing and the annulus into the mixing chamber. The device also has a flow straightener located at the outlet of the casing configured to straighten the airflow as it flows from the mixing chamber out of the device.