PivNet 2 – A European collaboration on development, quality assessment, and standardisation of Particle Image Velocimetry for industrial applications

Abstract

”Particle Image Velocimetry” (PIV) is a unique optical non intrusive experimental method to capture whole velocity fields in flows, in a very short time. PIV is especially suited to help the design of modern aircraft by improving consequently the performance of industrial wind tunnels. PIV provides much more quantitative information in much less time than any other experimental technique, giving a deeper insight in the flow physics and saving large amounts of wind tunnel costs. The knowledge about the state-of-the art of the PIV technique in aeronautics has been widely disseminated by the Thematic Networks, PivNet1 (1997 - 2001) and PivNet2 (2001-2006). The main activities of PivNet have been: establishing an information base on PIV, organization of workshops and presentations of the PIV technique for industrial end-users, training and exchange of personnel, development and assessment of hard- and software, and formation and organization of an ERCOFTAC Special Interest Group on PIV (SIG 32). The membership of PivNet 2 consists of 38 partners of 14 European countries. Among these partners are 13 industrial partners including 6 SMEs, who mainly manufacture PIV systems. The industrials come from aeronautic industry, car industry and turbomachinery industry. Five EREA partners, who perform most of the PIV measurements in GROWTH projects together with those European wind tunnels, offering PIV measurements, are among the partners of PivNet 2.