In the past years, volumetric velocimetry measurements with helium-filled soap bubbles as tracer particles have been introduced in wind tunnel experiments and performed at large-scale, enabling the study of complex body aerodynamics. A limiting factor is identified in the field of wind engineering, where the flow around ships is frequently investigated. Considering multiple wind directions, the optical access for illumination and 3D imaging rapidly erodes the measurement regions due to shadows and incomplete triangulation. This work formalizes the concepts of volumetric losses and camera redundancy, and examines the performance of multi-directional illumination and imaging for monolithic and partitioned modes. The work is corroborated by experiments around a representative ship model. The study shows that a redundant system of cameras yields the largest measurement volume when partitioned into subsystems. The 3D measurements employing two illumination directions and seven cameras, yield the time-averaged velocity field around the ship. Regions of flow separation and recirculation are revealed, as well as sets of counter-rotating vortices in several stations from the ship bow to the flight–deck. The unsteady regime at the flight–deck is examined by proper orthogonal decomposition, indicating that the technique is suited for the analysis of large-scale unsteady flow features.@en

Recording multiple exposures of the tracer particles onto a single digital image has the potential to simplify the hardware needed for 3D PTV measurements. A sequence with equal time intervals leads to the well-known directional ambiguity problem. Instead, a sequence with irregular time-intervals (two or more) allows resolving the ambiguity. Two fundamental criteria are introduced that determine whether a set of particle samples corresponds to a physical trace for a given neighborhood: the kinematic similarity criterion imposes similarity (i.e. proportionality) between the length travelled by the particle and time elapsed. Additionally, the trace regularity criterion favors sets with minimum fluctuations of the velocity vector. A numerical algorithm, based on combinatorial analysis is presented, whereby all possible sets are scrutinized and the set of particles yielding the minimum disparity from the above criteria corresponds to the physical trace. The algorithm is demonstrated using 3D experimental data and results are benchmarked against the state-of-the-art time-resolved analysis Shakethe-Box (single-frame, single-exposure).@en

The unsteady flow behaviour of two side-by-side rotors in ground proximity is experimentally investigated. The rotors induce a velocity distribution interacting with the ground causing the radial expansion of the rotor wakes. In between the rotors, an interaction of the two wakes takes place, resulting in an upward flow similar to a fountain. Two types of flow topologies are examined and correspond to two different stand-off heights between the rotors and the ground: the first one where the height of the fountain remains below the rotor disks, and a second one where it emerges above, being re-ingested. The fountain unsteadiness is shown to increase when re-ingestion takes place, determining a location switch from one rotor disk to the other, multiple times during acquisition. Consequently, variable inflow conditions are imposed on each of the two rotors. The fountain dynamics is observed at a frequency that is about two orders of magnitude lower than the blade passing frequency. The dominant characteristic time scale is linked to the flow recirculation path, relating this to system parameters of thrust and ground stand-off height. The flow field is analysed using proper orthogonal decomposition, in which coupled modes are identified. Results from the modal analysis are used to formulate a simple dynamic flow model of the re-ingestion switching cycle.

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Equation 3 for the induced velocity factor a in the section III.B should be: (Formula presented) Instead of: (Formula presented) The first sentence of Chapter V should read that an angle of attack of 8° positions the propeller in a strong adverse pressure gradient, not a strong advance ratio.

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Volumetric particle tracking velocimetry measurements are performed in a low-speed wind tunnel to study the flow around a 1:12-scale aircraft model with jet engines operating with thrust reversers. The engine jet and freestream flow velocity are varied to yield a jet to freestream velocity ratio of V_jet/V_∞ ranging from 1.5 to 6. Measurements at such scale (0.5 m³) require the use of strongly scattering helium-filled soap bubbles as flow tracers, which are introduced in both the jet and the freestream flow. The tracer’s three-dimensional motion is determined using an array of cameras and a Lagrangian particle tracking algorithm. The mean velocity field reveals the jet inner structure as well as its interaction with the freestream, the ground board, the nacelle, the fuselage, and the horizontal and vertical tails. The experiments allow detection of exhaust reingestion as well as the aerodynamic interference with control surfaces at the tail segments in a single measurement volume. The results are in good agreement with conventional temperature rake measurements while adding details of the flow topology and of the large-scale unsteady flow fluctuations. Finally, the jet reversal characteristics with varying freestreams and nozzle pressure ratios are assessed, demonstrating the feasibility and versatility of volumetric velocimetry measurements for industrial aerodynamics.

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An experimental investigation is conducted to study the aerodynamic behavior of a two-rotor system in ground proximity. The counter-rotating rotors are placed side-by-side in the hovering condition. The time-averaged and unsteady flow behavior is studied when the rotor-to-rotor lateral distance and the distance between the rotors and the ground are varied. The experiments are performed using three-dimensional large-scale volumetric velocimetry with helium-filled soap bubbles as tracers, tracked by the particle motion analysis technique “Shake-The-Box.” The mean velocity field reveals the wake deflection due to the ground plane and the formation of toroidal-shape regions of separated flow below each rotor. The interaction of the wall jets formed by slipstream deflection results in a separation line with the flow emerging from the wall in a fountain-like pattern. Regimes of flow re-ingestion occur when the rotors are sufficiently far apart. The flowfield exhibits the tendency toward asymmetric states, during which the fountain flow column and the domain of re-ingestion shift closer to one of the rotors. A generic classification of flow regimes is proposed in relation to the behavior of two rotors in ground effect.

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Volumetric PIV measurements are performed to study the flow development around a 1:12 scale model of a thrust reverser in a low-speed wind tunnel. The thrust-reverser operates in a freestream flow of 3-5 m/s and with a jet to freestream velocity ratio Vjet/Vinf ranging from 1.5 to 6. Making use of sub-millimeter helium-filled soap bubbles, large-scale PIV measurements are performed that encompass a 3D domain of approximately 0.4 m3. The flow exiting the thrust-reverser features two inclined jets that interact with the wind tunnel free stream, the nacelle, fuselage and ultimately the tunnel walls. Such interactions result in highly three-dimensional patterns and jets large scale fluctuations. The jet reversal characteristics with varying freestream velocity and nozzle pressure ratio are characterized quantitatively. The work demonstrates the feasibility of quantitative inspection of the flow behavior in a three dimensional domain for industrial applications.@en

The behaviour of nearly neutrally buoyant tracers is studied by means of experiments with helium-filled soap bubbles and numerical simulations. The current models used for estimating the slip velocity of heavy micro particles and neutrally buoyant particles are reviewed and extended to include the effect of unsteady forces and particle Reynolds number. The particle motion is analysed via numerical simulations of a rectilinear oscillatory flow and in the flow around an airfoil within a particle flow parameter space that is typical of large-scale PIV experiments. An empirical relation is obtained that estimates the particle slip velocity, depending on the particle-to-fluid density ratio, the particle Reynolds number and frequency of the local flow fluctuations. The model developed is applied to assess the slip velocity of helium-filled soap bubbles in a large-scale experiment conducted at the German–Dutch wind (DNW) tunnels in the flow around an airfoil, with chord Reynolds numbers up to three millions. Furthermore, a procedure is proposed that can be used to retrieve the bubbles mean density and dispersion from measurements of mean velocity and fluctuations, respectively. Graphic abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]

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This work evaluates the use of helium-filled soap bubbles (HFSB) for Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) measurements at high Reynolds numbers (up to 3.2 million) in aeronautics. The measurements are performed in the Low Speed Tunnel (LST) of the German-Dutch Wind Tunnels (DNW) using a high-lift airfoil in close-to-stall conditions up to 70 m/s. Experiments using Di-ethylhexyl- sebacat (DEHS) particles are performed for a comparison of the two seeding techniques. The signal to noise ratio of HFSB images was two orders of magnitude larger than that of DEHS, which strongly reduced the unwanted effects of background reflections and light intensity spatial variations, compared to DEHS particle images. The mean velocity field obtained with HFSB exhibits differences typically within 1% of the free stream velocity, when compared to DEHS measurements. @en

The operating regimes of an orifice-type helium-filled soap bubbles (HFSB) generator are investigated for several combinations of air, helium and soap flow rates to establish the properties of the production process and the resulting tracers. The geometrical properties of the bubbles, the production regimes and the production rates are studied with high-speed shadowgraphy. The results show that the bubble volume is directly proportional to the ratio of helium and air volume flow rates, and that the bubble production rate varies approximately linearly with the air flow rate. The bubble slip velocity is measured along the stagnation streamline ahead of a cylinder via particle image velocimetry (PIV), yielding the particle time response from which the neutral buoyancy condition for HFSB is inferred. The HFSB tracing capability approaches that of an ideal tracer (i.e., minimum slip and shortest response time) when the volume flow rate of helium is approximately one thousandfold the soap flow rate. This study provides guidelines for operating HFSB generation systems, intended for PIV experiments. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.].@en

The use of helium-filled soap bubbles (HFSB) as flow tracers for particle image velocimetry (PIV) and particle tracking velocimetry (PTV) to measure the properties of turbulent boundary layers is investigated in the velocity range from 30 to 50 m/s. The experiments correspond to momentum thickness-based Reynolds numbers of 3300 and 5100. A single bubble generator delivers nearly neutrally buoyant HFSB to seed the air flow developing over the flat plate. The HFSB motion analysis is performed by PTV using single-frame multi-exposure recordings. The measurements yield the local velocity and turbulence statistics. Planar two-component-PIV measurements with micron-sized droplets (DEHS) conducted under the same conditions provide reference data for the quantities of interest. In addition, the behavior of air-filled soap bubbles is studied where the effect of non-neutral buoyancy is more pronounced. The mean velocity profiles as well as the turbulent stresses obtained with HFSB are in good agreement with the flow statistics obtained with DEHS particles. The study illustrates that HFSB tracers can be used to determine the mean velocity and the turbulent fluctuations of turbulent boundary layers above a distance of approximately two bubble diameters from the wall. This work broadens the current range of application of HFSB from external aerodynamics of large-scale-PIV experiments towards wall-bounded turbulence.@en

The operating regimes of an orifice-type helium-filled soap bubbles (HFSB) generator are investigated to characterize the properties of the resulting tracers. The geometrical properties of the bubbles as well as the production rate are studied with high-speed shadowgraphy. The weight of the tracers relative to the mass of displaced air is determined by Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) measurements along the stagnation streamline ahead of a cylinder. The latter data yield the particle time response for several combinations of air, helium and soap flow rates. The bubble production rate appears to increase linearly with the air flow rate, whereas the bubble volume is found to be directly proportional to the ratio of helium and air volume flow rates. The HFSB tracing capability approaches that of an ideal tracer (i.e. shortest response time), when the volume flow rate of helium is approximately one thousandfold the soap flow rate. This study provides guidelines for operating HFSB generation systems within large-scale PIV experiments. @en