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Large-scale volumetric particle tracking using a single camera: analysis of the scalability and accuracy of glare-point particle tracking

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Abstract

Recent advances in tracer, illumination, and camera technology, paired with new processing algorithms, have been pushing the limits of scale for three-dimensional flow measurements. The present study explores the state of the art and discusses the current progress toward full-scale, in situ flow measurements in very large measurement volumes of order \(10\,\mathrm {m^2}\) or larger. In particular, we focus on industrial and environmental applications, where the measurement time, the processing time, and overall system cost all have to be minimized. With the glare-point particle tracking (GPPT) approach, we present a cost and time-efficient volumetric measurement technique using a single-camera setup, air-filled soap bubbles (AFSBs), and natural illumination. The GPPT approach was tested and characterized in a pyramidal-shaped measurement volume (\(V=18\;\textrm{m}^3\)) in an outdoor, open-jet wind tunnel. Bubbles of uniform size were produced by a bubble-generator prototype and illuminated by the sun. The uniform bubble size enabled a depth estimate for each bubble based on the glare-point spacing in the images from a single camera, thereby removing the need for additional cameras and perspectives. The measurement accuracy of the GPPT is then assessed by: (a) characterizing the performance of the bubble-generator prototype; (b) analyzing bubble deformation and its effects; and (c) assessing the accuracy of the depth estimate based on glare-point spacing. Finally, the scalability of the approach is discussed and, based on the light-scattering behavior of large AFSBs, a discussion is made of how GPPT will enable three-dimensional flow characterization in very large measurement volumes (\(V=\mathcal {O}(100\,\textrm{m}^3)\)) in the near future.

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available upon reasonable request from the authors.

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Acknowledgements

DER acknowledges funding from NATO SPS Project GS638. The authors greatly acknowledge the help of N. Wei and J. Dabiri, who welcomed and supported us in the CAST facility at Caltech. Furthermore, the authors acknowledge Ryan Chan’s contribution to the bubble-generator prototype’s design.

Funding

The project was supported by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) within the NATO SPS Project GS638.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada

    F. Kaiser & D. E. Rival

  2. Institute of Fluid Mechanics, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Brunswick, Lower Saxony, Germany

    D. E. Rival

Authors
  1. F. Kaiser
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  2. D. E. Rival
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Contributions

Both authors were involved in the conceptualization of the methodology and the experiments. FK contributed the experimental execution, the software, the figures, and wrote the original draft. DER contributed the acquisition of funding, supervision, reviewing, and editing.

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Correspondence to F. Kaiser.

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Kaiser, F., Rival, D.E. Large-scale volumetric particle tracking using a single camera: analysis of the scalability and accuracy of glare-point particle tracking. Exp Fluids 64, 149 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-023-03682-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-023-03682-z

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