Reconstruction of a 3-dimensional flow field from orthogonal views of seed track video images

Abstract

A first generation automated 3-d particle tracking velocimeter was constructed. It measures the velocity (all 3 components simultaneously) of the fluid by imaging the light scattered from nylon particles, which move with the flow. The images are captured into two SIT cameras at video rates. The cameras are to orthogonal positions and the computational algorithms necessary to reconstruct the 3-d velocity information from these two 2-d projections are discussed. An example of the application of the technique to the gas-phase flow (≅ 6.5 m/s) through a transparent model of an engine throttle-body assembly (3 × 3 × 3 cm test section) is presented.