Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) is an optical method of flow visualization used in education and research. It is used to obtain instantaneous velocity measurements and related properties in fluids. The fluid is seeded with tracer particles (like smoke in the air or small hollow beads with same density as water) in the flow field which is illuminated by the laser to illuminate the particles to make them visible and to capture images of them to tack them. The sequential images with tracker particles in motion are then processed for cross correlation to calculate the speed and direction (the velocity field) of the flow which is being observed. Further processing can flow vortices, flow lines and speed lines, and flow field parameters distribution. Typical PIV system configuration consists of a digital CCD or CMOS camera a laser with an optical arrangement to limit the physical area to be illuminated, a synchronizer to act as an external trigger for control and timing of the cameras and laser, the seeding particles and the fluid under investigation. A laser light arm may be used connect the laser to the lens setup, which then converts the beam into a line. PIV software is used to process the optical images.
PIV is an easy experimental process, which is non destructive, instantaneous, dynamic and includes full flow field velocity field measurement techniques. With the developments in the last 2 dacades in the fields of electro optics, laser technology, the digital image processing as well as advanced in computer power, PIV systems gradually become a mature and established testing technique and has been widely used in fluid measurement.
With the advances in design of imaging sensors and digital camera technology, the functionality and performance of mainstream PIV systems have increased by multiple factor. Form VGA resolution size camera to the present 29 million-pixel cameras these systems can offer unmatched tool for the researchers to study and analyze flow visualization in the real life.
MicroVec PIV system:
• First commercial system with independent intellectual property for the particle image acquisition and analysis developed in Asia• Standard 2D PIV is easily upgradable to a 3D PIV system or 3D particle tracking velocimetry (PTV)
• Complete English menus, manuals and online support
• Automatic batch capture and calculation - automatically records the last calculation parameters and according to the latest parameters for batch computing
• Offers a wide range of hardware to allow flexible hardware and software configurations
• Offers a synchronizer with the highest accuracy of 0.25ns
• Integrated multi-function synchronous control technique, PIV system with external synchronization signal multi-function lock-in
• Over 140 systems installed worldwide