Flow Visualization Research Articles

Visualization and Quantification of Facemask Leakage Flows and Interpersonal Transmission with Varying Face Coverings

Although mask-wearing is now widespread, the knowledge of how to quantify or improve their performance remains surprisingly limited and is largely based on empirical evidence. The objective of this study was to visualize the expiratory airflows from facemasks and evaluate aerosol transmission between two persons. Different visualization methods were explored, including the Schlieren optical system, laser/LED-particle imaging system, thermal camera, and vapor–SarGel system. The leakage flows and escaped aerosols were quantified using a hotwire anemometer and a particle counter, respectively. The results show that mask-wearing reduces the exhaled flow velocity from 2~4 m/s (with no facemask) to around 0.1 m/s, thus decreasing droplet transmission speeds. Cloth, surgical, and KN95 masks showed varying leakage flows at the nose top, sides, and chin. The leakage rate also differed between inhalation and exhalation. The neck gaiter has low filtration efficiency and high leakage fractions, providing low protection efficiency. There was considerable deposition in the mouth–nose area, as well as the neck, chin, and jaw, which heightened the risk of self-inoculation through spontaneous face-touching. A face shield plus surgical mask greatly reduced droplets on the head, neck, and face, indicating that double face coverings can be highly effective when a single mask is insufficient. The vapor–SarGel system provided a practical approach to study interpersonal transmission under varying close contact scenarios or with different face coverings.

Applications of RIM-Based Flow Visualization in Fluid-Solid Interaction Problems: A Review of Formulations and Prospects

Over the past three decades, optical visualization measurements based on the Refractive Index Match (RIM) method have played a significant role in the experimental studies of fluid-solid interaction. The RIM method, which coordinates the refractive indices of the liquid and solid materials in the experiment, dramatically reduces the observation error due to optical refraction. However, the existing literature on RIM has not systematically reviewed the various applications of this technique. This review aims to fill this gap by providing a comprehensive overview of the RIM technique, examining its role in material selection for fluid-solid interaction studies, and scrutinizing its applications across various engineering disciplines. The paper begins with a brief introduction to the RIM technique and then turns to material selection and its various applications in fluid-solid interaction. It also enumerates and analyzes specific RIM-based optical measurement techniques such as Laser Doppler Velocimetry (LDA), Particle Tracking Velocimetry (PTV), and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) from various research perspectives in previous studies. In addition, it summarizes RIM formulations categorized by different applications in liquid-solid interaction fields. RIM-based measurement techniques generally offer intuitive, non-intrusive, cost-effective, and convenient advantages over traditional methods. The paper also critically evaluates the strengths and limitations of different materials used in RIM experiments and suggests directions for future research, emphasizing the need to develop environmentally friendly and cost-effective RIM materials.

Clinical application of single-shot fast spin-echo sequence for cerebrospinal fluid flow MR imaging.

In normal-pressure hydrocephalus, disturbances in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulation occur; therefore, understanding CSF dynamics is crucial. The two-dimensional phase-contrast (2D-PC) method, a common approach for visualizing CSF flow on MRI, often presents challenges owing to prominent vein signals and excessively high contrast, hindering the interpretation of morphological information. Therefore, we devised a new imaging method that utilizes T2-weighted high-signal intensification of the CSF and saturation pulses, without requiring specialized imaging sequences. This sequence utilized a T2-weighted single-shot fast spin-echo combined with multi-phase imaging synchronized with a pulse wave. Optimal imaging conditions (repetition time, presence/absence of fast recovery, and echo time) were determined using self-made contrast and single-plate phantoms to evaluate signal-to-noise ratio, contrast ratio, and spatial resolution. In certain clinical cases of hydrocephalus, confirming CSF flow using 2D-PC was challenging. However, our method enabled the visualization of CSF flow, proving to be useful in understanding the pathophysiology of hydrocephalus.

Collateral flow and pulsatility during large vessel occlusions: insights from a quantitative in vitro study

Acute ischemic stroke caused by large vessel occlusions is being increasingly treated with neurovascular interventions. The hemodynamics within the collateral system of the circle of Willis (CoW) hemodynamics play a fundamental role in therapy success. However, transient in vivo data on pathological collateral flow during large vessel occlusions are not available. Moreover, there are no flow models that accurately simulate the hemodynamic conditions in the CoW during large vessel occlusions. We used a circulatory loop to generate highly reproducible cerebrovascular-like flows and pressures and used non-invasive flow visualization and high-resolution flow and pressure measurements to acquire detailed, time-dependent hemodynamics inside an anatomical phantom of the CoW. After calibrating a physiological reference case, we induced occlusions in the 1. middle cerebral artery, 2. terminal carotid artery, and 3. basilar artery; and measured the left posterior communicating artery flow. Mean arterial pressure and pulse pressure remained unchanged in the different occlusion cases compared to the physiological reference case, while total cerebral flow decreased by up to 19%. In all three occlusion cases, reversed flow was found in the left posterior communicating artery compared to the reference case with different flow magnitudes and pulsatility index values. The experimental results were compared with clinical findings, demonstrating the capability of this realistic cerebrovascular flow setup. This novel cerebrovascular flow setup opens the possibility for investigating different topics of neurovascular interventions under various clinical conditions in controlled preclinical laboratory studies.

Two-Field Excitation for Contactless Inductive Flow Tomography

Contactless inductive flow tomography (CIFT) is a flow measurement technique allowing for visualization of the global flow in electrically conducting fluids. The method is based on the principle of induction by motion: very weak induced magnetic fields arise from the fluid motion under the influence of a primary excitation magnetic field and can be measured precisely outside of the fluid volume. The structure of the causative flow field can be reconstructed from the induced magnetic field values by solving the according linear inverse problem using appropriate regularization methods. The concurrent use of more than one excitation magnetic field is necessary to fully reconstruct three-dimensional liquid metal flows. In our laboratory demonstrator experiment, we impose two excitation magnetic fields perpendicular to each other to a mechanically driven flow of the liquid metal alloy GaInSn. In the first approach, the excitation fields are multiplexed. Here, the temporal resolution of the measurement needs to be kept as high as possible. Consecutive application by multiplexing enables determining the flow structure in the liquid with a temporal resolution down to 3 s with the existing equipment. In another approach, we concurrently apply two sinusoidal excitation fields with different frequencies. The signals are disentangled on the basis of the lock-in principle, enabling a successful reconstruction of the liquid metal flow.

Boosting Cardiac Color Doppler Frame Rates with Deep Learning.

Color Doppler echocardiography enables visualization of blood flow within the heart. However, the limited frame rate impedes the quantitative assessment of blood velocity throughout the cardiac cycle, thereby compromising a comprehensive analysis of ventricular filling. Concurrently, deep learning is demonstrating promising outcomes in post-processing of echocardiographic data for various applications. This work explores the use of deep learning models for intracardiac Doppler velocity estimation from a reduced number of filtered I/Q signals. We used a supervised learning approach by simulating patient-based cardiac color Doppler acquisitions and proposed data augmentation strategies to enlarge the training dataset. We implemented architectures based on convolutional neural networks. In particular, we focused on comparing the U-Net model and the recent ConvNeXt models, alongside assessing real-valued versus complex-valued representations. We found that both models outperformed the state-of-the-art autocorrelator method, effectively mitigating aliasing and noise. We did not observe significant differences between the use of real and complex data. Finally, we validated the models on in vitro and in vivo experiments. All models produced quantitatively comparable results to the baseline and were more robust to noise. ConvNeXt emerged as the sole model to achieve high-quality results on in vivo aliased samples. These results demonstrate the interest of supervised deep learning methods for Doppler velocity estimation from a reduced number of acquisitions.

Implementation Of Optical Diagnostics For Study Of A Non-Canonical Hypersonic Geometry

The study of shock/boundary-layer interactions on a non-canonical hypersonic geometry involves physical complexities not found on the canonical investigations that dominate the literature. The present case examines a cone-slice-ramp, which combines an upstream asymmetric flow expansion with a downstream three-dimensional compression ramp. Optical diagnostics of the off-body flowfield are a necessary complement to surface instrumentation including high-frequency pressure sensors and Temperature Sensitive Paint (TSP). Focused Laser Differential Interferometry (FLDI) measured the flowfield distribution of second-mode instability waves responsible for transition. Filtered Rayleigh Scattering (FRS) was used for flow visualization of the separation region and unsteady shear layer. Velocimetry through the separation shear layer was provided by Femtosecond Laser Electronic Excitation Tagging (FLEET) whereas Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering (CARS) measured the thermal profiles through multiple flow features generated by the interaction. These flowfield diagnostics detail the alterations in the shock/boundary-layer interaction as the flow state moves from laminar to transitional to turbulent conditions, revealing behaviors absent from canonical flows.

Study Of Mixing Enhancement Of The 3-D Acoustofluidic Mixer Using Digital In-Line Holographic Micro Particle Tracking Velocimetry

In this study, the 3-D flow patterns and mixing performances are investigated for an acoustofluidic Y-junction micromixer using Digitial In-line Holographic Micro-Particle Tracking Velocimetry (DIHμPTV) and epi-fluorescence flow visualization. Two parallel longitudinal spines were placed in the channel to induce sustaining solenoidal 3-D acoustic streaming vortices, which work as the secondary flow in the mixing channel to reduce the diffusion mixing length and in turn enhance the mixing performances. The two spines have a triangular cross-section, with a base width of 0.2mm and a height of 0.3mm, placed 1.2mm apart from each other in a 2.8mm width and 1mm height channel. The Y-junction has two configurations, one has the spines directly connected to the side wall at the Y-junction, and the other microchannel has a gap between the two spines and a flat junction shape. The driving mechanism is provided by two piezoelectric disks, operating at 12 kHz oscillation frequency and 20V peak-to-peak amplitude. The 3-D flow patterns were recorded by the DIHμPTV in two measurement volumes to fully cover the test section’s height. The holographic reconstruction scheme is based on the 1st Rayleigh-Sommerfeld solution with an extra deconvolution step to improve the accuracy of the reconstruction of the depth position. The deconvolution step utilizes a simulated hologram of the Point-Spread Function (PSF) and reduces the depth uncertainty during the deconvolution of the raw data. The mixing performances of the acoustofluidic Y-junction micro-mixers were evaluated by the epi-fluorescence experiments, and the mixing indices were calculated and compared to verify the improvements compared to the Yjunction micromixers without the acoustic streaming vortices. The results confirmed the improvement of the mixing and the sustaining 3-D flow patterns even with a high flow rate, which could not be achieved with 2-D sharp-edge obstructions tested previously. The novel configuration may have the potential to inspire designs of high-throughput and low-pressure loss active micro-mixers.

Dynamics and spectral character of unsteady pressure field on afterbody of generic space launcher: Transonic flows

The unsteady pressure field over an axisymmetric backward-facing step was investigated experimentally at transonic freestream Mach numbers of 1.05, 1.2, and 1.4. The study was aimed at examining the influence of transonic freestream Mach numbers on the spatio-temporal character of the unsteady pressure field and on the dominant modes/mechanisms driving it. Surface flow visualization, schlieren, and unsteady pressure measurements were carried out as part of the experimental investigation. From oil flow visualization and schlieren, the reattachment region was identified, and consequently, the mean reattachment length was estimated. The mean reattachment length shows an increase with the increase in freestream Mach number. The coefficient of mean pressure along the rearbody imitates a classical backward-facing step flow profile and can be divided into three distinct regions. The peak values of the coefficient of mean pressure and the coefficient of root mean square of the fluctuation are seen to decrease with an increase in the freestream Mach number. Conventional spectral analysis reveals that as the freestream Mach number increases, the dominant peak in the spectra shifts to lower frequencies. From the spectra, three dominant fluid dynamic mechanisms depending on the freestream Mach number have been identified. Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) analysis shows that 79–84 % of the total energy contribution comes from the first six modes. The temporal dynamics of the POD modes indicate three prominent mechanisms are responsible for the unsteady pressure field. Spectral analysis of POD modes indicates that the spectra are primarily driven by the first three POD modes for freestream Mach number of 1.05 and the first two modes for freestream Mach numbers of 1.2 and 1.4. Moreover, it reveals the presence of three dominant modes, and the freestream Mach number strongly dictates the dominant mode that is driving the pressure field.

Modeling and mitigation of vortex formation in ejector deep hole drilling with smoothed particle hydrodynamics

AbstractEjector deep hole drilling achieves high-quality boreholes in production processes. High feed rates are applied to ensure a high productivity level, requiring reliable chip removal from the cutting zone for a stable process. Therefore, a constant metalworking fluid flow under high volume flow rates or high pressure is required. Experimental results show a vortex formation at the outer cutting edge. This vortex can lead to delayed chip removal from the cutting zone, and ultimately, it can lead to chip clogging and result in drill breakage due to increased torque. This paper investigates modified drill head designs using the smoothed particle hydrodynamics method. The investigated modifications include various designs of the chip mouth covering. Besides graphical analysis based on flow visualizations, flow meters are placed at the tool’s head to evaluate the impact of the modifications on the flow rate and possible increased resistance and relocation of the fluid flow from the outer cutting edge to other parts of the tool. The simulation results for the reference design show the experimentally observed vortex formation, validating the simulation model. By adding the tool’s rotation in the SPH simulation, which is not included in the experiments for observation reasons, the vortex formation is positively influenced. In addition, some designs show promising results to further mitigate the vortex formation while maintaining a sufficient fluid flow around the cutting edges.

Development of Dehydrogenation System for Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier with Enhanced Reaction Rate

Owing to the massive expansion and intermittent nature of renewable power, green hydrogen production, storage, and transportation technologies with improved economic returns need to be developed. Moreover, the slowness of the dehydrogenation reaction is a primary barrier to the commercialization of liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC) technology. The present study focused on increasing the speed of dehydrogenation, resulting in the proposal of a triple-loop dehydrogenation system comprising reaction, heating, and chilling loops. The reactor has a rotating cage containing a packed bed of catalyst pellets, which is designed to enhance both heat and mass transfer by helping to detach precipitated hydrogen bubbles from the catalyst surface. In addition, the centrifugal force aids in isolating the gas phase from the LOHC liquid. A dehydrogenation experiment was conducted using the reaction and chilling loops, which revealed that the average hydrogen production rate during the first hour was 52.6 LPM (liter per minute) from 26.3 L of perhydro-dibenzyl-toluene with 1.5 kg of 0.5 wt% Pt/Al2O3 catalyst. This was approximately 48% more than the value predicted with the reaction kinetics measured with a small-scale plug flow dehydrogenation reactor with less than 1.0 g of 5.0 wt% Pt/Al2O3 catalyst. The concept, construction methods, and results of the preliminary gas infiltration, flow visualization, and reactor pumping experiments are also described in this paper.

Experimental investigation of the wake of tandem cylinders using pivoted flapping mechanism for piezoelectric flag

In this paper, the current of ocean at a depth with the velocity of 0.1–0.3 m/s has been studied. The effect of the mounting mechanism of the piezoelectric flag on the energy efficiency of the energy harvester is investigated. The flag is mounted uniquely, and the results are analyzed to explain the underlying mechanism associated with variations in power output. The experiments described extend our previous work and it is the experimental investigation of the baseline case for our previous work. It was found that using a pivoted mounting mechanism caused a significant improvement in flapping amplitude (51%) and dominant frequency (23%). The variation in the flag's distance from the bluff body (Gd) is also investigated. The maximum output for a passively mounted flag was obtained at Gd=2D due to the existence of a vortex core position at the same point where the flag's head was positioned. The same mechanism is implemented for tandem cylinder arrangement. The study found that increasing the distance between the bluff bodies resulted in the suppression of vortex shedding of the upstream cylinder by the rear cylinder. However, this behavior was found to be random and was thoroughly explored in this study. The obtained results were also verified through the flow visualization technique. A comparative analysis is made to show the optimal performance of the harvester by fine-tuning parameters such as the gap between cylinders and piezo flag, flow rate, and flag-mounting technique. The comparative analysis with benchmark cases demonstrated a rise in the A/L ratio by 30.25% and in the flapping frequency by 19.09% in the case of 120° cut C-shaped inverted cylinder upstream, indicating a higher percentage gain of 66% more energy harvesting. An increase of 51.18% in the A/L ratio and 22.79% in flapping frequency with the use of a pivot-mounted piezoelectric flag was observed, indicating higher energy harvesting performance compared to the baseline case (circular cylinder with fixed flag head).

Wind Tunnel Tests of a Thick Wind Turbine Airfoil

ABSTRACTThis article reports about a wind‐tunnel experiment carried out in the ONERA F2 low‐speed wind tunnel on a model of the DU 97‐W‐300Mod airfoil designed for wind turbine application. The wind tunnel, the airfoil model, and experimental techniques used are presented, with special emphasis on the data processing and corrections required to derive airfoil forces and pressure distribution. To better document the flow physics at play, the results are illustrated by infrared thermography and surface oil flow visualization. The test allowed investigating Reynolds number effects between 1 and 3.8 millions. To ameliorate the understanding of the benefits and limitations of such airfoil testing, one section is devoted to the comparison of present results with previous experiments in other wind tunnels. Some of the difficulties arising in airfoil testing are evidenced and discussed to contribute to the improvement of test methods.

Lifting of Transversely Forced Turbulent Nonpremixed Coaxial Jet Flames

The lifting behavior of turbulent nonpremixed coaxial jet flames was investigated experimentally as a function of the center jet Reynolds number, annular-to-center jet velocity ratio, acoustic frequency, and acoustic amplitude, all with and without transverse acoustic disturbances acting on the flames situated at a pressure antinode. Global lifting regimes were mapped and consisted of attached flames, periodically lifted flames, and permanently lifted flames. With one exception, all flames were attached in the absence of acoustics and lifted only because of the applied acoustic excitation. The exception occurred at the highest Reynolds number and velocity ratio, where the flames were unconditionally lifted in all cases. Between these two extremes, a range of lifting regimes was observed. Lower applied frequencies and smaller amplitudes were found to generally promote attachment to the burner. Flow visualizations using high-speed Schlieren and OH* chemiluminescence imaging revealed a lateral spreading effect near the jet exit. The lateral spreading was hypothesized to be caused by an axially oriented counterflow collision between the downstream flowing jets and presumed local upstream portion of the acoustic velocity fluctuations. Physical mechanisms were hypothesized based on this observation, which appear to consistently explain most of the observed behavior.

Solutal Marangoni augmented levitation time of an aqueous surfactant drop over an immiscible oil pool

Droplets are found to exhibit a finite residence time over the volatile liquid pool due to the confined evaporation mediated sustained thin film draining. The levitated drops are quite critical in biomedical applications such as for the biophysical micro reactors. It is hypothesized that the presence of surfactants can induce solutal Marangoni and can further enhance the levitation time. Moreover, the surfactant drops can closely mimic the bio drop assay. Droplets of surfactant solutions are allowed to impact over a series of volatile hydrocarbon oils to understand the effect of surfactant concentration, impact height and the properties of the oil pool using high speed imaging technique. Flow visualization is employed in the pendant droplet mode to understand the Marangoni induced internal circulation. The droplets of surfactant solutions are found to exhibit enhanced residence time compared to the case of non-surfactant drops. The levitation time is a function of the surfactant concentration and the volatility of the oil pool. A mathematical model is developed incorporating the effect of solutal Marangoni to test the hypothesis and is found to predict the levitation time with reasonable accuracy. A universal floating sinking regime map was developed incorporating the influence of governing parameters.

Characteristics of the jet shear layer of a round elevated jet in crossflow

The present research aims at an experimental study to investigate the effect of velocity ratio (R) on the evolution of elevated round jet issued from a stack having an aspect ratio (AR) of 9.0 in a uniform crossflow at a Reynolds number of 2000. The experiments are conducted in a low-speed, recirculating water tunnel. Laser Doppler Velocimetry (LDV) is employed to characterize the water tunnel. Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) is used to measure the flow field, and the dye visualization technique is utilized to capture the accompanying instantaneous flow structures. Depending on the velocity ratio (R=0.16––1.5), distinct jet shear layer (JSL) structures are observed in the symmetric plane (XY), confirmed by both the flow visualization and PIV data. These structures include clockwise vortices, anticlockwise vortices, swing-induced mushroom vortices, and jet-like vortices. For R<0.5, entrainment of a substantial amount of jet fluid into the stack-wake region (downwash) has been observed. At R=0.5, the streak image captured in the wall parallel plane reveals the ring-like vortices that appear to wrap around the jet core while upright vortices are detected downstream on the lee side of the jet. Additionally, variations in average velocity and turbulent fluctuations in the near field, contingent on different velocity ratios, are discussed.

Characterization of a pulsating water jet for rain erosion testing of blade coatings: flow visualization, pressure investigation, and damage analysis

In the past decade or so, blade coatings have become state-of-the-art technology for the protection of wind turbine blades against particle and rain erosion. The present work considers the application of a high-frequency pulsating water jet, based on a passive acoustic-type nozzle, for accelerated rain erosion evaluation of blade coatings. Using high-speed image visualization and impact pressure investigation, the flow properties were systematically characterized, providing both qualitative and quantitative understanding of the key flow parameters. Continuous, pulsating and expanding flow zones, at velocities from 99 to 143m/s, were classified for standoff distances within 120mm. For a reference blade coating, the pulsating jet produced more realistic erosion patterns than the continuous flow. Furthermore, high-frequency impacts at around 7500 impacts/s led to fast fatigue accumulation, and enhanced lateral jetting effects, all of which shortened the coating erosion lifetime. In summary, for this work, a high-frequency pulsating water jet, for accelerated erosion studies on wind turbine blade coatings, was constructed and applied.

Cross-correlation-based convolutional neural network with velocity regularization for high-resolution velocimetry of particle images

Particle image velocimetry (PIV) stands as a pivotal experimental technique in fluid dynamics, enabling the visualization and analysis of fluid flows. Traditional methods for extracting velocity fields from particle images often rely on window-cross correlation PIV or, more recently, optical flow techniques rooted in intensity conservation principles. However, the former approach suffers from low resolution, whereas the latter is hampered by computational inefficiency and a high susceptibility to noise. Recent studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) in processing particle images to obtain high-resolution and high-accuracy velocity fields, though traditional CNN architectures are still not satisfying in accuracy. The present study introduces an enhanced network, En-FlowNetC, based on the cross correlation-based CNN FlowNetC, specifically designed to process PIV particle images and achieve high-accuracy, high-resolution velocity fields. It incorporates a velocity regularization and is trained and validated on canonical datasets. The results indicate that En-FlowNetC surpasses traditional CNN networks in accuracy and markedly outperforms the classic Horn–Schunck optical flow method in both complex and simple flow scenarios. Furthermore, this study confirms the beneficial impact of velocity regularization, when judiciously applied, on network accuracy. The proposed modifications compared to the original FlowNetC are also examined in the ablation experiments. Overall, En-FlowNetC provides an effective deep-learning solution for PIV analysis, paving the way for future endeavors aimed at achieving highly accurate and resolved velocimetry.

Cross-correlation-based convolutional neural network with velocity regularization for high-resolution velocimetry of particle images

Particle image velocimetry (PIV) stands as a pivotal experimental technique in fluid dynamics, enabling the visualization and analysis of fluid flows. Traditional methods for extracting velocity fields from particle images often rely on window-cross correlation PIV or, more recently, optical flow techniques rooted in intensity conservation principles. However, the former approach suffers from low resolution, whereas the latter is hampered by computational inefficiency and a high susceptibility to noise. Recent studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) in processing particle images to obtain high-resolution and high-accuracy velocity fields, though traditional CNN architectures are still not satisfying in accuracy. The present study introduces an enhanced network, En-FlowNetC, based on the cross correlation-based CNN FlowNetC, specifically designed to process PIV particle images and achieve high-accuracy, high-resolution velocity fields. It incorporates a velocity regularization and is trained and validated on canonical datasets. The results indicate that En-FlowNetC surpasses traditional CNN networks in accuracy and markedly outperforms the classic Horn–Schunck optical flow method in both complex and simple flow scenarios. Furthermore, this study confirms the beneficial impact of velocity regularization, when judiciously applied, on network accuracy. The proposed modifications compared to the original FlowNetC are also examined in the ablation experiments. Overall, En-FlowNetC provides an effective deep-learning solution for PIV analysis, paving the way for future endeavors aimed at achieving highly accurate and resolved velocimetry.

Experimental Study on Pulsed Suction under Different Momentum Coefficients in Variable Compressor Cascade with Annular Gaps

Variable Stator Vanes (VSVs) with penny cavities are crucial in the compressors of variable cycle engines, where complex interactions between annular and radial gaps can adversely affect aerodynamic performance. Unsteady active flow control techniques have significant potential for reducing secondary flow losses in compressors. This research investigates the internal flow characteristics of a variable compressor cascade with penny cavities using low-speed wind tunnel experiments and flow visualization techniques. This study is the first to experimentally explore the relationship between loss reduction and momentum coefficient using pulsed suction (PS) compared to steady continuous suction (SCS), evaluating the effects of various excitation frequencies. The findings show that at a momentum coefficient of 0.11 and an excitation frequency of 100 Hz, PS achieves optimal aerodynamic performance, reducing total pressure losses by 11.59%, marking a 92.59% improvement over SCS. As the momentum coefficient increases, the effectiveness of PS control significantly improves, whereas the changes in SCS effectiveness are less pronounced. The control effects of PS under varying excitation frequencies are complex and influenced by multiple factors. At higher momentum coefficients, the loss reduction effectiveness of PS is strongly correlated with excitation frequency, while at lower coefficients, performance changes due to frequency variations are minimal. This study provides valuable guidance for the design of modern multistage variable compressors.