Particle Image Velocimetry

Our laboratory specializes in applications of particle image velocimetry (PIV) near surfaces and in harsh environments. The PIV technique has proven extremely valuable for obtaining planar, or even volumetric, information in a variety of flows. As the method has matured, opportunities have arisen for application in flows seldom studied using spatially-resolving diagnostics. In our studies, many of them industry-motivated, near-surface information is critical for obtaining flow boundary layer information such as wall shear stress. Refined methods for applying PIV that allow us to get very near surfaces--as close as 30 micrometers from cameras positioned 30 cm from the PIV plane--are a focus of our diagnostics developments. A highlight of our efforts has been the demonstration of fluorescent particles doped with a safe fluorescent dye that may be used in large wind tunnels (1, 3, and 4 below).

Relevant publications:

1. Guimarães T* and Lowe KT 2016 “Application of fluorescent particles for particle tracking velocimetry in wind tunnels,” 18th Intl. Symposium Appl. Laser Techniques and Imaging to Fluid Mech., Lisbon, Portugal, 4-7 July, paper 4.4.1.
   
2. Cadel DR*, Shin D*, and Lowe KT 2016 “A hybrid technique for laser flare reduction,” AIAA SciTech 2016, San Diego, CA, 4-8 January, paper AIAA-2016-0788.
3. Petrosky BJ*, Lowe KT, Danehy PM, Wohl CJ and Tiemsin PI 2015 “Improvements in laser flare removal for particle image velocimetry using fluorescent dye-doped particles,” Measurement Science and Technology, 26(11), 115303.
   
4. Wohl CJ, Kiefer JM, Petrosky BJ*, Tiemsin PI, Lowe KT, Maisto PM* and Danehy PM 2015 “Synthesis of Fluorophore-Doped Polystyrene Microspheres: Seed Material for Airflow Sensing,” ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 7(37), 20714-20725.
5. Guimarães T*, Lowe KT, Nelson M*, O’Brien WF and Kirk C* 2015 “Stereoscopic PIV measurements in a turbofan engine inlet with tailored swirl distortion,” AIAA Aviation 2015, 22-26 June.