APPARATUS INCORPORATING STRAIN SENSOR FOR DETERMINING RELATIVE VELOCITY, FLOW, OR ATTACK ANGLE BETWEEN A FLUID AND A BODY

• Main Author: Piccione, Paul
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 11.04.2024
• Subjects: INDICATING PRESENCE, ABSENCE, OR DIRECTION, OF MOVEMENT; MEASURING; MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION,OR SHOCK; MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUIDLEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME; PHYSICS; TESTING

An apparatus including at least one deflecting element and at least one strain sensor is configured for determining relative velocity, fluid flow, or angle of attack between a fluid and a body having a fluid-contacting surface and an opposing non-fluid-contacting surface. The deflecting element is joined to the body and extends from the fluid-contacting surface into the fluid, while the strain sensor is coupled to the non-fluid-contacting surface and is configured to detect strain imparted on the body by deflection of the at least one deflecting element. An output signal of the at least one strain sensor permits calculation of at least one of relative velocity, fluid flow, or angle of attack between the fluid and the body. By measuring deflection of a surface of the body, the at least one strain sensor may be mounted on or along the non-fluid-contacting surface where the environment is controllable, such that the sensor is not subject to deleterious environmental effects.