Simultaneous measurements of all three components of velocity and vorticity vectors in a lobed jet flow by means of dual-plane stereoscopic particle image velocimetry

Abstract

Results from an advanced particle image velocimetry (PIV) technique, named as dual-plane stereoscopic PIV technique, for making simultaneous measurements of all three components of velocity and vorticity vectors are presented for a lobed jet flow. The dual-plane stereoscopic PIV technique uses polarization conservation characteristic of Mie scattering to achieve simultaneous stereoscopic PIV measurements at two spatially separated planes. Unlike “classical” PIV systems or conventional stereoscopic PIV systems, which can only get one component of vorticity vectors, the present dual-plane stereoscopic PIV system can provide all three components of velocity and vorticity distributions in fluid flows instantaneously and simultaneously. The evolution and interaction characteristics of the large-scale streamwise vortices and azimuthal Kelvin–Helmholtz vortices in the lobed jet flow are revealed very clearly and quantitatively from the simultaneous measurement results of the dual-plane stereoscopic PIV system. A discussion about the satisfaction of the measurement results of the present dual-plane stereoscopic PIV system to mass conservation equation is also conducted in the present paper to evaluate the error levels of the measurement results.