Two-directional skin friction measurement utilizing a compact internally mounted thin-liquid-film skin friction meter

A new, compact oil film skin friction meter capable of measuring skin friction in two directions has been designed and constructed. The instrument allows the thin liquid film technique to now be applied in flight and in a wider variety of laboratory conditions. The instrument was tested by comparing measurements with those given by a floating element gage in laminar, transitional, and turbulent boundary layers with zero pressure gradient. Both instruments agreed satisfactorily with each other and with the expected curves for the laminar and turbulent boundary layers. Significant differences were at first seen between the oil film meter and two floating element gages in the case of a favorable pressure gradient, but when a correction is applied to account for the normal force acting on the pendulum-type gage, the three instruents are much closer. The directional sensitivity of the oil film gage is also demonstrated.