Particle Image Velocimetry

Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) is an experimental technique used in fluid mechanics to visualize and quantify the motion of fluids. It involves seeding the fluid with tiny particles and then capturing images of these particles as they move with the flow. By analyzing the displacement of particles between consecutive images, PIV can determine the velocity field of the fluid, providing insights into flow patterns, turbulence, and other fluid dynamic behaviors.
Particle Tracking Velocimetry (PTV) is an experimental fluid dynamics technique used to analyze fluid flow by tracking the movement of individual particles. Similar to Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV), PTV involves seeding the fluid with particles. However, in PTV, the focus is on tracking the path of individual particles across multiple frames of image sequences rather than analyzing correlation patterns.
High-speed cameras capture images of the seeded particles as they move with the flow. By identifying and tracking the positions of individual particles from frame to frame, PTV algorithms calculate the trajectories and velocities of these particles. This data allows for the visualization of complex flow patterns, turbulence, and other fluid dynamics phenomena.
The PIV/PTV system available for E/CRC projects is acquired from TSI and some details is presented in Figure 11.