Experimental research of pressure sensitive paint performance and calibration technique

Calibration technique and paint performance research are critical for improving the measurement accuracy and engineering application of pressure sensitive paint (PSP). In this paper, static calibration and photo-degradation experiments are performed based on a PSP static calibration setup and image post-processing software which is programmed independently to study paint performances other than its pressure and temperature sensitivity. The results of this study reveal that the Stern-Volmer curve of PSP exhibits a nonlinear characteristic rather than following the conventional linear pattern, which is approximated with an polynomial function using curve-fitting analysis. Moreover, calibration results of the painted coupon vary in space although the experiment is performed under uniform pressure and temperature, and it tends to decrease calibration accuracy. Finally, PSP demonstrates a photo-degradation characteristic and the degradation curve is approximately linear within a range of time. Evaluation indices of pressure response nonlinearity, calibration spatial non-uniformity and photo-degradation are proposed while their mechanims of production, influences on PSP measurement accuracy and correction methods are also presented.