The Institute uses the AMIS III system for the collection and analysis of large volumes of steady and unsteady data acquired during wind tunnel and flight experiments. The system, designed for data acquisition and experimental control, features 960 analogue and 162 digital input channels. What makes this system special is that the channels can be used as nine individual systems in groups of 64 or 128 channels, as an aggregate system with 960 channels, or as several individual systems – each featuring a multiple of 64 or 128 channels. Each channel is simultaneously scanned at a frequency of up to 204.8 kHz and 24-bit resolution. All channels are synchronised beyond the limits of the individual systems. Connected by GPS, the systems have the capacity to acquire fully synchronised measurement data across larger spatial distances. A subsystem with 384 channels is approved for use in DLR’s ATRA (A320) research aircraft, where it is operated during flight tests to measure outside pressure, acceleration and microphones.
In addition to the signals acquired from the pressure and acceleration sensors, the data recording facilities described above also enable the time-synchronised operation of other contactless optical measurement procedures such as motion or deformation measurements, pressure-sensitive paints (iPSP), temperature-sensitive paints (TSP) or particle image velocimetry (PIV).
Since 1997, the measurement results of the projects have been processed suitably to ensure that they are available to all project partners for evaluation or as validation data, thus permitting non-linear time series analysis in addition to conventional methods of signal analysis.
Extensive analysis permits interpretation of the experiments, thus leading to new insight and more advanced modelling methodologies.