Numerical study of a dynamic resonant wall shear stress sensor with spectral element method

A numerical study with spectral element method for a dynamic resonant shear stress sensor concept is presented in this paper, in which the numerical model of the sensor consisted of an unsteady three-dimensional boundary layer model for the flow and a simple mechanical model for the sensor itself. Spectral element method was used to explore fluid flow properties around the sensor in the three-dimensional boundary layer model. The three-dimensional unsteady spectral element method code was first verified with Blasius solutions in a flat plate boundary layer flow. The sensor's sensitivity to wall shear stress was then numerically determined in a laminar boundary layer. Finally, the physical mechanism of the dynamic resonant shear stress sensor was analyzed by using the verified model. The results showed that the sensitivity of the dynamic resonant shear stress sensor was due to the energy lost produced by the oscillating interaction between the sensor and fluid flow.