FLIR X6540sc camera enables innovative thermographic particle velocimetry technique

A multiphase flow is defined as a flow in which more than one phase (i.e. gas, solid and liquid) occurs. Such flows are ubiquitous in industry, examples being gas-liquid flows in evaporators and condensers, gas-liquid-solid flows in chemical reactors, solid-gas flows in pneumatic conveying, etc. Multiphase flows can exhibit a rich variety of interfacial phenomena, complex wave patterns and dynamics and are an ongoing object of research.

In a new academic journal paper, researchers Alexandros Charogiannis, Ivan Zadrazil and Kristos N. Markides, from the Imperial College London, describe a new technique called ‘thermographic particle velocimetry’ (TPV), which is capable of the simultaneous measurement of two-dimensional surface temperature and velocity at the interface of multiphase flows. The TPV technique relies on high-resolution IR thermography measurements taken at high frame rates using a FLIR X6540sc camera and is based on the use of highly reflective silver particles which, when suspended near or at the interface, can be distinguished from the surrounding fluid domain due to their different emissivity.

To download a copy of the academic journal paper please visit:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0017931016300448

The FLIR X6540sc camera provides ultra-fast frame rate acquisition for scientific and research applications involving dynamic thermal events. For more information on the FLIR X6540sc, visit the X6000sc Series Page.

Raw thermal images of heated, particle-laden flows at the air-liquid free-surface of a heated and stirred flow of water inside an open cylindrical container

FLIR X6540sc in experimental TPV set-up