Particle Image Velocimetry in Aerodynamics: Technology and Applications in Wind Tunnels

Issue title: International Conference on Optical Technology and Image Processing in Fluid, Thermal, and Combustion Flow, Yokohama, Japan, December 1998

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Kompenhans, J. | Raffel, M. | Dieterle, L. | Dewhirst, T. | Vollmers, H. | Ehrenfried, K. | Willert, C. | Pengel, K. | Kähler, C. | Schröder, A. | Ronneberger, O.

Affiliations: Institut für Strömungsmechanik, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), Bunsenstraße 10, D-37073 Göttingen, Germany. | Institut für Antriebstechnik, DLR, Köln, Germany. | Deutsch-Niederländischer Windkanal (DNW), Emmeloord, The Netherlands e-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: Particle image velocimetry (PIV) is increasingly used for aerodynamic research and development. The PIV technique allows the recording of a complete flow velocity field in a plane of the flow within a few microseconds. Thus, it provides information about unsteady flow fields, which is difficult to obtain with other experimental techniques. The short acquisition time and fast availability of data reduce the operational time, and hence cost, in large scale test facilities. Technical progress made in the last years allowed DLR to develop a reliable, modular PIV system for use in industrial wind tunnels. The features of this system are summarized and results of recent PIV applications are presented.

Keywords: particle image velocimetry, PIV, industrial wind tunnels, aerodynamics, unsteady flow fields

Journal: Journal of Visualization, vol. 2, no. 3-4, pp. 229-244, 2000