Research on skin friction accurate measurements based MEMS technologies in high-speed wind tunnel

Research on skin friction accurate measurements based MEMS technologies in high-speed wind tunnel | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Research on skin friction accurate measurements based MEMS technologies in high-speed wind tunnel Xiong Wang, Yang Xu, Yuehua Fan, Tao Zhu This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9472511/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 6 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The accuracy of skin friction measurement for high-speed vehicles directly impacts aerodynamic loads prediction and flow control design. To address measurement deviations caused by the gap surrounding floating elements, leveling errors, and three-dimensional flow effects in direct force skin friction measuring tests in high-speed wind tunnels, this study establishes an accuracy model for MEMS skin friction sensors based on numerical simulations and wind tunnel tests. It proposes precision control criteria requiring the gap surrounding floating elements ≥ 500 µm and leveling errors within − 20 to 10 µm to maintain the deviations below 10% from theory. Through numerical simulations and wind tunnel fluorescent oil flow visualization, an optimized swept-flat-plate model was developed to eliminate the influence of three-dimensional flow effects. Researches on visual-alignment and micro-assembly processes, high-precision height error measurement and control, and centrifugal force equivalent calibration method led to the development of small-batch MEMS skin friction sensors with a coaxial error of 2 µm and height error within ± 10 µm. Static calibration and high-speed wind tunnel validation tests were conducted. Results indicate that, the small-batch MEMS sensors have the measurement range of 0–100 Pa, the resolution of 0.1 Pa, and static calibration repeatability better than 1‰. Under Ma = 8 and total pressure of 2.5 MPa, the consistency deviation among sensors is better than 5%, with a mean deviation from theoretical values of approximately 8%. Within an angle of attack range of 0°–10°, the repeatability of a single sensor is better than 3%, and the consistency between symmetric measurement points is better than 2%. Under varying Reynolds numbers, the measured skin friction coefficient follows aerodynamic trends with changes in total pressure and angle of attack. The measured values are about 10% higher than theoretical predictions, with the deviation decreasing as total pressure increases, significantly outperforming traditional methods. This study provides a systematic solution for accurate surface skin friction measurement in high-Mach-number wind tunnel environments. MEMS skin friction sensor High-speed wind tunnel accuracy model three-dimensional effect validation tests Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviewers agreed at journal 17 May, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 07 May, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 05 May, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 27 Apr, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 21 Apr, 2026 First submitted to journal 20 Apr, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9472511","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":636296613,"identity":"dbe19a1a-10c2-40a7-9087-2f310d837018","order_by":0,"name":"Xiong Wang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"National Key Laboratory of Aerospace Physics in Fluids","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Xiong","middleName":"","lastName":"Wang","suffix":""},{"id":636296615,"identity":"c5bc3676-1852-4472-aab4-01078b23c15b","order_by":1,"name":"Yang Xu","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"National Key Laboratory of Aerospace Physics in Fluids","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Yang","middleName":"","lastName":"Xu","suffix":""},{"id":636296616,"identity":"8d989e18-9aeb-4f2c-91a4-25fc2f9fb355","order_by":2,"name":"Yuehua Fan","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"National Key Laboratory of Nearspace Physics","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Yuehua","middleName":"","lastName":"Fan","suffix":""},{"id":636296617,"identity":"3e3c38be-b0a4-4b3a-9639-b0d0b9d20ed0","order_by":3,"name":"Tao Zhu","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA1UlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYDACCQjJw8bM2PiAwYA4LYwNDAw2cvzszM0GpGhJM5bsZ2+TIMpd8rN7zB/8qDicuOEwY1vlj4I78gzsh49uwKeFcc4Zw8aeMxAtt3kMnhk28KSl3cCnhVkix7CBtw2qhcHgMGODBI8ZXi1sQC2Nf6FaCn8YHLYnqIUHqKWZtw3o/WbGNgYeg8OJBLVISKQVzpY5AwxkZsZmaaCW5DZCfpGfkbzh45sKYFTyH3/48cefw7b97IeP4dWCxXekKR8Fo2AUjIJRgA0AAN8FSoOxbjw8AAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"National Key Laboratory of Aerospace Physics in Fluids","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Tao","middleName":"","lastName":"Zhu","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-04-20 12:54:44","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9472511/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9472511/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":109182864,"identity":"0f2b8a80-cb55-48f8-9e70-825737681509","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-05-13 10:30:24","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1438584,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"ResearchonskinfrictionaccuratemeasurementsbasedMEMStechnologiesinhighspeedwindtunnel.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9472511/v1_covered_fea8cff5-2892-482f-951c-75f0942cc8dd.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Research on skin friction accurate measurements based MEMS technologies in high-speed wind tunnel","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"experiments-in-fluids","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"exif","sideBox":"Learn more about [Experiments in Fluids](http://link.springer.com/journal/348)","snPcode":"348","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/348/3","title":"Experiments in Fluids","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"MEMS skin friction sensor, High-speed wind tunnel, accuracy model, three-dimensional effect, validation tests","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9472511/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9472511/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThe accuracy of skin friction measurement for high-speed vehicles directly impacts aerodynamic loads prediction and flow control design. To address measurement deviations caused by the gap surrounding floating elements, leveling errors, and three-dimensional flow effects in direct force skin friction measuring tests in high-speed wind tunnels, this study establishes an accuracy model for MEMS skin friction sensors based on numerical simulations and wind tunnel tests. It proposes precision control criteria requiring the gap surrounding floating elements\u0026thinsp;\u0026ge;\u0026thinsp;500 \u0026micro;m and leveling errors within \u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;20 to 10 \u0026micro;m to maintain the deviations below 10% from theory. Through numerical simulations and wind tunnel fluorescent oil flow visualization, an optimized swept-flat-plate model was developed to eliminate the influence of three-dimensional flow effects. Researches on visual-alignment and micro-assembly processes, high-precision height error measurement and control, and centrifugal force equivalent calibration method led to the development of small-batch MEMS skin friction sensors with a coaxial error of 2 \u0026micro;m and height error within \u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;10 \u0026micro;m. Static calibration and high-speed wind tunnel validation tests were conducted. Results indicate that, the small-batch MEMS sensors have the measurement range of 0\u0026ndash;100 Pa, the resolution of 0.1 Pa, and static calibration repeatability better than 1\u0026permil;. Under Ma\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;8 and total pressure of 2.5 MPa, the consistency deviation among sensors is better than 5%, with a mean deviation from theoretical values of approximately 8%. Within an angle of attack range of 0\u0026deg;\u0026ndash;10\u0026deg;, the repeatability of a single sensor is better than 3%, and the consistency between symmetric measurement points is better than 2%. Under varying Reynolds numbers, the measured skin friction coefficient follows aerodynamic trends with changes in total pressure and angle of attack. The measured values are about 10% higher than theoretical predictions, with the deviation decreasing as total pressure increases, significantly outperforming traditional methods. This study provides a systematic solution for accurate surface skin friction measurement in high-Mach-number wind tunnel environments.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Research on skin friction accurate measurements based MEMS technologies in high-speed wind tunnel","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-05-13 10:30:04","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9472511/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"89808532660064251494068900847470933957","date":"2026-05-17T11:31:07+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"28575637601763818195728623729048358473","date":"2026-05-07T14:43:48+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-05-05T04:53:13+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2026-04-27T19:00:28+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2026-04-21T04:39:13+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Experiments in Fluids","date":"2026-04-20T12:44:59+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"experiments-in-fluids","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"exif","sideBox":"Learn more about [Experiments in Fluids](http://link.springer.com/journal/348)","snPcode":"348","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/348/3","title":"Experiments in Fluids","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"4cc16401-c601-49ba-809e-cb2e41ec56d3","owner":[],"postedDate":"May 13th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"89808532660064251494068900847470933957","date":"2026-05-17T11:31:07+00:00","index":15,"fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"28575637601763818195728623729048358473","date":"2026-05-07T14:43:48+00:00","index":13,"fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"6","date":"2026-05-05T04:53:13+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-05-13T10:30:04+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-05-13 10:30:04","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-9472511","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-9472511","identity":"rs-9472511","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}