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Flow Visualization

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Springer Handbook of Experimental Fluid Mechanics

Part of the book series: Springer Handbooks ((SHB))

Abstract

Most fluids, gaseous or liquid, are transparent media, and their motion remains invisible to the human eye during direct observation. Techniques allowing visualization of the flow, usually referred to as flow visualization, are discussed in this chapter. A great variety of such methods is known that enable one to make fluid flows visible, in the fluid mechanical laboratory, in industrial environments, and for field experiments. These methods rely mostly on the addition of a tracer material to the flowing fluid, e.g. dye or smoke, and what is then observable is merely the motion of the tracer. Differences between the motion of the tracer and that of the fluid are aimed at being minimal. Presented in this chapter are surveys of available tracer materials, techniques of introducing the tracer to the flow, techniques of proper illumination of the flow scene, methods of providing optical access to the flow, and recording of the observable information. Some of the flow visualization methods provide qualitative information on particular flow patterns, others allow to measure the flow velocity quantitatively.

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Abbreviations

3-D:

three-dimensional

CLSM:

confocal laser scanning microscopy

DOE:

diffractive optical element

ISL:

Institute of Saint Louis

LIF:

laser-induced fluorescence

MRI:

magnetic resonance imaging

NMR:

nuclear magnetic resonance

PIV:

particle image velocimetry

UV:

ultraviolet

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lehrstuhl für Strömungslehre, Universität Essen, Universitätsstraße 2, 45141, Essen, Germany

    Wolfgang Merzkirch Prof.

Authors
  1. Wolfgang Merzkirch Prof.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Wolfgang Merzkirch Prof. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Fachgebiet Strömungslehre und Aerodynamik, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Petersenstraße 30, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany

    Cameron Tropea Dr.

  2. Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, 842 W. Taylor St., 60607-7022, Chicago, IL, USA

    Alexander L. Yarin Dr.

  3. Mechanical Engineering, Michigan State University, A118 Engineering Research Complex, 48824-1326, East Lansing, MI, USA

    John F. Foss Dr.

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© 2007 Springer-Verlag

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Merzkirch, W. (2007). Flow Visualization. In: Tropea, C., Yarin, A.L., Foss, J.F. (eds) Springer Handbook of Experimental Fluid Mechanics. Springer Handbooks. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-30299-5_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-30299-5_11

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-25141-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-30299-5

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

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