Numerical Calibration of Three-Dimensional Printed Five-Hole Probes for the Transonic Flow Regime

Abstract This paper presents a method for a cost- and time-effective calibration procedure for five-hole probes for the transonic flow regime based on additive manufacturing and a numerical calibration routine. The computational setup and calibration routine are described in detail. The calibration procedure is tested on a custom-built L-shaped conical probe of 30 deg half-angle with a flat tip and an outer diameter of 2.4 mm. The probe tip is manufactured in stainless steel using direct metal laser sintering. Numerical calibration is carried out over a Mach number range of 0.2–1.4 and pitch and yaw angles of ±45 deg. The numerical calibration charts are validated with wind tunnel tests across the entire Mach number range and the expected accuracy of the numerical calibration method is quantified. Exemplary results of area traverses up- and downstream of a linear transonic turbine cascade with tip clearance are presented and discussed briefly.